Investigation launched into possible FAST testing scandal at South Florida elementary school

CORAL SPRINGS, Florida. – Broward County Public Schools officials said they were launching an investigation after reports emerged of a possible testing scandal at one of the district’s elementary schools.

It involves a fifth-grade teacher at Eagle Ridge Elementary School (11500 Westview Drive in Coral Springs) and the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) state standardized test.

Stephanie Garcia said her 10-year-old daughter had to retake the test on Friday because she received help from her teacher during the exam.

“Supposedly the teacher would walk around and when she saw a student was struggling – I don’t know what that looks like – she would pull out her phone with her calculator and do the problems for the student and show them an answer on the calculator,” Garcia said. “My daughter said she didn’t ask for help. She didn’t feel like she was struggling and the teacher offered it without anyone asking for it.”

She added: “I think the state should have said, ‘OK, these results are invalid for this class, for this subgroup, because of teacher misconduct.'”

Garcia said her daughter was asked to write a statement and sign it with her name explaining what happened.

“After that, I contacted the school and said, ‘I don’t agree with this. I want you to tear up her written statement,'” she said. “She’s 10. She doesn’t know the consequences of making a statement.”

Garcia added, “I believe parents should be involved from the beginning. They should have the opportunity to be there when these students were being interviewed and writing these statements.”

A BCPS spokesperson released a statement on the matter on Friday, saying the district was investigating the incident and said the teacher had been reassigned.

“The school administration was made aware of an allegation related to the recent administration of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) for mathematics. The principal immediately notified appropriate school district personnel and initiated an investigation that is gathering statements to clarify the matter. This investigation is ongoing. The school and district are also in contact with the state regarding the allegation and to ensure that all necessary protocols are being followed. To avoid issues with student scores, affected students will be required to retake the FAST test. The affected teacher will be assigned to another teacher pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Cathleen Brennan, spokeswoman for Broward schools

A group of parents and students also defend the teacher.

“I think she knows what to do. She might say, ‘Read carefully, pay attention.’ That’s the help every teacher gives their students before a test – ‘You can do this, you are prepared,'” one parent said. “I don’t see her saying, ‘This is the answer, you have to do this, you have to do that.'”

One student said, “Personally, I don’t think it’s fair because our graduation is in a week, and it’s not fair that our own teacher won’t be at our graduation despite everything she taught us all year.”