HCPS FL Logo Information and Technology
Action Item
DATE: Tuesday, December 7, 2010
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Approve the Purchase of Stanford Achievement Test - 10th Edition (Stanford10) for grades 3-10 for 2011 Administration (Information and Technology Division)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This year marks the beginning of the transition to FCAT 2.0 Reading and Mathematics.  It is recommended that an external, nationally norm-referenced achievement test be given to students in grades 3-10 to give the district some comparison to better understand the new standards that will be used by the state.

The Stanford Achievement Test, 10th Edition (Stanford-10), is a series of norm-referenced, objective-based tests designed to measure achievement in the skills commonly found nationally in state and district curricula.  The Stanford-10 combines the most useful characteristics of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests to provide information about the instructional needs of students.  Students in grades 3-10 will be tested in Reading.  Students in grades 3-8 will be tested in Mathematics.  Student scores will be reported in National Percentile Ranks for both.  The results of this test will allow comparison of the performance of district students with those tested nationally at the same grade level.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Demonstrate consistent and effective teaching methods • Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted:  Yes)
The cost of testing students in grades 3-8 in Mathematics and 3-10 in Reading would be approximately $520,000.  These funds are available in the Fixed Cost Budget under FIX-NRT Testing.  These funds were previously budgeted to purchase test materials for grades 1-3 over time.
EVALUATION
Results for the district and by school and by student will be provided in June 2011.
SUBMITTED BY:  Samuel R. Whitten, Assistant Director, Assessment and Accountability
David Steele, Ph.D.   Gretchen Saunders
Chief Information and Technology Officer and Project Director, Empowering Effective Teachers Grant
(813) 272-4600
  Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
    A 5.12
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20101207_432 (Board Meeting) * Section A Item# 5.12