Assessments


Dear Parent/Guardian,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that your student will be taking the Grade 6, 7, or 8 Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Writing Field Test on April 3rd, 2023. The purpose of the B.E.S.T. Writing Field Test is to assess newly-developed writing prompts, which may be used on future operational assessments. Student scores will not be reported for this field test; however, participation in the field test is an opportunity for your student to become familiar with the format of the B.E.S.T. Writing assessment that he or she will take in Spring 2024.

The B.E.S.T. Writing Field Test is a computer-based test that is administered in one 120-minute session. In the session, students will read selected texts and write a response to a prompt. Your student will receive a planning sheet on which to plan his or her writing, but his or her writing response will be recorded via the online test delivery system.

You or your student can access B.E.S.T. Writing sample test materials on the Florida Statewide Assessments Portal at https://fsassessments.org/families.html to become familiar with the interface, item layout, and online tools he or she will encounter and use during testing.

Please review the following policies with your student before testing:

■ Electronic Devices—Students are not permitted to have any electronic devices, including but not limited to, cell phones, smartphones, and smartwatches, at any time during testing or during breaks (e.g., restroom), even if the devices are turned off or students do not use them. If your student is found with an electronic device, his or her test will be invalidated.

■ Testing Rules Acknowledgment—The B.E.S.T. Writing Field Test includes a Testing Rules Acknowledgment that reads: “I understand the testing rules that were just read to me. If I do not follow these rules, my test score may be invalidated.” Prior to testing, test administrators read the rules to students, and students acknowledge that they understand the testing rules by clicking a checkbox beside the statement in the secure browser.

■ Discussing Test Content after Testing—The last portion of the testing rules read to students before they sign below the Testing Rules Acknowledgment states: “Because the content in all statewide assessments is secure, you may not discuss or reveal details about the passages, prompt, or your writing response after the test. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as texting, emailing, or posting to social media sites.” Please make sure your student understands that “discussing” test content includes any kind of electronic communication, such as texting, emailing, posting to social media, or sharing online. While students may not share information about secure test content after testing, this policy is not intended to prevent students from discussing their testing experiences with their parents/families.

If you have any questions related to this field test administration, you may contact Samantha Kingsley at [email protected] or (407) 656 – 0794 Ext. 5352367. If you or your student would like to learn more about the B.E.S.T. Writing assessment, information is available at https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/k-12-student-assessment/writing.stml.

Thank you for supporting your student and encouraging him or her to do his or her best during this field test administration so that our school can contribute to helping our state develop valuable future assessments.

Sincerely,

Principal McHale