FCAT Reading 
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Sunshine State Standards

The Sunshine State Standards have been created through a school improvement and accountability initiative to reform education in Florida's public schools. The goal of this initiative is to raise student achievement to world class levels. FCAT is designed specifically for Florida. It is based on the Sunshine State Standards, and measures how well students are progressing toward those academic standards at varying developmental levels.

Purpose of Standards

The Sunshine State Standards do not tell teachers how to teach. They are simply guidelines to assist teachers in designing instruction to meet student needs, and more importantly, to identify the essential knowledge and skills that students should learn and for which the state will hold schools accountable.

The FCAT reading test for grade four is based on the language arts standards and benchmarks.

Structure of Standards

The Sunshine State Standards are made-up of strands, standards and benchmarks, and follow a hierarchic structure.

A strand is the most general type of information. It is a label for a category of knowledge.

A standard is a description of general expectations in regards to the knowledge and skill development within a strand.

A benchmark is the most specific level of information. It is a statement of expectation about student knowledge and skill by the end of each developmental level.

Summary of Strands and Standards for Language Arts

  1. Reading
    1. The student uses the reading process effectively.
    2. The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts.
  2. Writing
    1. The student uses writing processes effectively.
    2. The student writes to communicate ideas and information effectively.
  3. Listening, Viewing and Speaking
    1. The student uses listening strategies effectively.
    2. The student uses viewing strategies effectively.
    3. The student uses speaking strategies effectively.
  4. Language
    1. The student understands the nature of language.
    2. The student understands the power of language.
  5. Literature
    1. The student understands the common features of a variety of literary forms.
    2. The student responds critically to fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama.


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4th Grade Reading Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology,
College of Education, University of South Florida © 2005.