FCAT Exam Review

The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, is a test given to all students attending high school in Florida. In fact, it’s given to all students in third grade, and in tenth grade. In order to qualify for a high school diploma, every student must pass the tenth grade test. The FCAT test was implemented as a result of a 1995 study that concluded that many Florida school students were woefully unprepared for working life or college study, due to not having mastered some basic, fundamental skills. Before the FCAT, complaints from major employers and college educators came in that possession of a high school diploma was meaningless, and didn’t show that a person holding one actually had the skills and knowledge traditionally associated with a high school education. As a result, the FCAT was developed to ensure that high school grads had a basic set of skills. It’s a test of reading and math skills.

On each section, which will consist of multiple choice questions, a student will need to achieve a score of 300 or better in order to graduate. There’s also a writing skills assessment, but currently this doesn’t count toward passing/or failing. Students are tested for how well they do compared to other kids nationwide, and compared to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards of what students are expected to know. There is also an FCAT science test for 11th graders, but at present, only the reading and math 10th grade tests must be passed to earn a diploma. Should a student not pass in the 10th grade , they’ll have additional opportunities to try the FCAT again. But it’s best to take it and pass it as early as possible, as this takes tremendous pressure off of a student during their final years of high school. There are good study guides and prep materials geared toward passing the FCAT test, and they’re good investments for all Florida high school students.

For additional information, we recommend you check out these free FCAT resources: