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Plenty of Children Left BehindHigh-Stakes Testing and Graduation Rates in Duval County, Florida
Mary O'Malley Borg
University of North Florida
J. Patrick Plumlee
University of North Florida
Harriet A. Stranahan
University of North Florida
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is a high-stakes test that public school students must pass to be eligible for graduation from high school. Previous research suggests that high-stakes tests have a differential effect on students by race and ethnicity. This study finds that in one Florida school district African American and Hispanic students coming from poorer, less educated, or higher mobility households are less likely to meet graduation requirements than their higher socioeconomic, White, suburban counterparts. African American students and students from the lowest income households are also the most likely to encounter a negative graduation effect because the passing score on the FCAT rises each year. School characteristics also affect the probability of student success. High schools that hire more teachers with advanced degrees or offer a magnet program have better student FCAT scores. This results in higher probabilities that all categories of students will meet graduation requirements.
Key Words: Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test • high-stakes testing • minority students
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This version was published on November
1, 2007
Educational Policy, Vol. 21, No. 5,
695-716 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0895904806289206
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