The FAST Facts: GOCA and Standardized Testing
Are you a parent of Global Outreach Charter Academy (GOCA)? Or are you considering enrolling your student with GOCA? If so, then you may already know that our charter school — along with all Florida schools — has recently implemented a new statewide assessment system called FAST.
This standardized testing process is designed to help students reach their highest potential and monitor their progress throughout the year.
In this blog post, we will discuss what FAST assessments entail and how GOCA's students have fared on them thus far. So if you're looking for more information about this important educational tool, read on!
All About FAST Assessments
The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is a standardized testing process employed by the State of Florida for all public school students under a new benchmark system.
"Florida’s statewide, standardized assessments in reading, writing, and mathematics will be aligned with the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.)," according to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). " [FAST] will be administered as a progress monitoring assessment, which students will participate in three times per year."
Specifically, FAST assessments involve the following:
Reading assessments: VPK through Grade 10
Mathematics assessments: VPK through Grade 8
FAST assessments were instituted to replace The Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) exams, which were in effect from the 2014-2015 school year till the end of 2022. Enacted per SB 1048 last year, FAST progress monitoring was designed to reduce the negative impact of high-stakes, once-per-year testing.
"Progress monitoring will benefit students, teachers and parents by allowing for informed instruction in a timely manner, helping instruction to be tailored to each student’s individual needs." as announced by the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis on March 15, 2022.
GOCA Students and Academics
Glocal Outreach Charter Academy (GOCA) is proud of the efforts its students have put into their academic achievements.
Put simply, the GOCA team strives to create a safe, encouraging environment where students of all ages achieve high academic scores while also fostering creativity, critical thinking, and more.
Our mission is to prepare our students to be the global leaders of tomorrow — and we’ll ensure they are prepared for FAST testing every step of the way!
To learn more about GOCA and our different campuses, or to schedule a tour, reach out to our team today!