FCAT Chats Bring Out FCAT Woes - WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News Leader

Problems with the FCAT come to light as districts across the state take a closer look at it's effects. Some say…they are very serious.

"My child failed the FCAT in sixth grade."  "and he's failed the FCAT every year."

"I think the FCAT was probably one of the most ill thought out programs that I've ever run come across. It traumatizes the teachers, it traumatizes the administration, it traumatizes everyone that is involved with it especially the students."

That was the consensus among many that attended the second FCAT Community Chats at Arnold High School. Most recently, school boards across the state have passed resolutions denouncing the test.

In the Panhandle, Bay County Superintendent Bill Husfelt held two community chats to allow parents to voice their concerns. "The FCAT is having a negative impact which was never intended and I think when adults see this having such a negative impact, we need to back up and say wait a minute is there a way we can do this a little bit differently."

Parents attested to this by saying their children got sick, were frustrated, stressed and out right tired of the test. "It means whether or not a child is going to pass, tied into what a teacher's pay will be; so I mean we put all our eggs in one basket." That's why Husfelt is asking parents to get involved.

"I do believe that there can be different measurements that can be looked as how we show true measurements of progress for each year." Tangela Craig, a parent of two says she is willing to voice her concerns to the state...but says she wants guidance from the people who witness the problems first hand.

"We can be a voice, but I don't think we are the true measurement of what is going on behind the scenes."Craig says.

Husfelt and other school board members say their voice isn't making enough of a difference and says it will take parental support to invoke change.