DeSantis touts end of state assessment test for students in visit to Okaloosa

MARY ESTHER, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Florosa Elementary School in Okaloosa County to highlight legislation signed on Tuesday that eliminates the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) test and replaces it with progress monitoring.

Starting with the 2022-2023 school year, Florida students will have three short check-ins instead of multi-day, end-of-year, high-stakes tests for English Language Arts and Mathematics, DeSantis said.

This new system of testing will benefit students, teachers, and parents by allowing for informed instruction in a timely manner, that can be tailored to each student’s individual needs, according to DeSantis.

“This has been the year of the parent, and parents have said that the FSA is not working for their students,” said DeSantis.

“We heard the call and are replacing it with timely check-ins that show how students progress in real-time. This will inform instruction in the classroom and at home. I am proud to sign this bill and know it will make a difference for Florida’s students.”

In accordance with the newly signed legislation, this school year will be the last year for the FSA, and next year, Florida will be the first state in the nation to fully implement progress monitoring-based school accountability, according to DeSantis.

The 2022-2023 school year will be the new baseline for school accountability, and school grades will resume the following year, he said.