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4 The Florida Reading Journal -- Vol. 48, No. 3, Summer 2012
From the President…
Maria Callis
Florida Reading Association President
The summer break is here – and another school year is in the books.
The past year saw a lot of change for the state of Florida, much of
which we will still be navigating well into the foreseeable future.
Specifically, two I am referring to are the changes from the FCAT to the
FCAT 2.0, and the implementation of the new cut scores for achievement
levels. We knew to expect a decline for many students‟ levels this year. While we emphatically
celebrated gains across many schools, we still took any declines we saw to heart despite our
understanding of the impact of the new cut scores. Instead of seeing this as something negative, we
must see this as an opportunity for growth and to remain focused on working to ensure our students
continue to improve from month to month and year to year.
Additional changes we are beginning to see surround the transition from the Next Generation
Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) to the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) and the move from FCAT 2.0 to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC). Initial glances at these changes have us clearly understanding that increasing
academic rigor is something we will be addressing for some time to come.
We are all caring educators who strive to do the best with the students entrusted to us. We all
understand the importance of making students stretch beyond their current abilities – we want them to
always reach and achieve at higher levels. Increasing academic rigor is always good, and I think we all
agree that those increases must be done in a thoughtful and strategic way.
However, here is the thing – no matter what assessment measures may be in place, reading is
always going to be the fundamental bedrock of student achievement. What we do, as reading
educators, is so important for the development of every student, and every student relies on us to help
them do their very best.
So while summer break is here – and another school year is in the books, take this “time off” to
work to improve how we instruct and support our students. If you were not fortunate to be a
participant in one of the Florida Department of Education‟s Common Core State Standards Summer
Institutes, I encourage you to read through the CCSS and seek out information to develop your
personal understanding of these standards and how their implementation changes expectations for our
students. While the transition may be difficult at first, the benefits that our students will reap are tools
that will assist them throughout their lives.
Thank you for your dedication and the hard work you have put in for our students this year.
You make a lasting difference in the lives that you touch.
Yours Sincerely ,
Maria Callis