Students: Leave Your Cell Phones At Home

BROOKSVILLE - Ring! Ring!
Do you know where your child's cell phone is?

Better not be in his or her pocket during Florida Comprehensive Assessment Testing next week, or their test will be instantly invalid.

This year, Florida Department of Education officials have issued stricter guidelines for cell phones and electronic devices than ever before.

While students have historically been prohibited from having electronic devices in their possession during testing, the previous policy merely warned students that violation may result in disqualification.

Now, if a child is found with any electronic device that reproduces, transmits, calculates or records, their test will be instantly nullified, no questions asked.

"Our district actually did have three violations (during high school testing) this fall and all three tests were invalidated, so we know they mean business," district testing specialist Linda Peirce said. "The kids and teachers prepare really hard for this, and we would hate to have a test invalidated because of a cell phone."

Two of the students were caught with cell phones in their pockets, while the third had finished her test, placed it facedown on her desk and gone in the back of the room to read a magazine - but broke the rule when she picked up a friend's Blackberry.

The new rule is due to security concerns involving camera phones and Internet usage through portable devices, she said.

"They don't want students to be able to take pictures of the (answers) or use Google," Peirce said.

Under the new policy, all electronic devices must be more than three feet away from the student and turned off.

This means tucked inside a backpack at the back of the classroom, in a car or left at home - not in a pocket, Peirce said.

The district will be supplying clear plastic bags and collecting electronic devices prior to the test, for any students who do not feel safe leaving their phone, mp3 player or Blackberry elsewhere.

This also marks the first year the 10th grade writing portion of the FCAT will be used as a graduation requirement.

Students must earn a passing score of 300 or above - on a scale of 1 to 500 - to earn credit for it. However, they may retake the test as many times as they need to.

The district is expecting to add remedial work, but has no idea how many students will need it, Peirce said.

The requirement is part of a Florida statute. Science is not currently a requirement, but will be in coming years.

The writing and multiple choice language arts portion of the FCAT will be held Tuesday and Wednesday for grades 4, 8 and 10, with make-up testing held Thursday and Friday.

The remainder FCAT tests will be held March 11-20, including the reading and mathematics portion of the test for grades 3-10 and science for grades 5, 8 and 11.