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House and Senate Leaders Want Out of PARCC

Florida House and Senate leaders say they aren’t happy with a new exam which could replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT.

Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford are asking Education Commissioner Tony Bennett to withdraw from the coalition of states designing the test. The legislative leaders say there’s too many unanswered questions.Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett says making a decision on the state’s next standardized test is his top priority.

But lawmakers want to veto the leading contender, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers or PARCC.

House and Senate leaders say there’s too many questions about the test. They don’t know if school will have the technology for the online exam. They don’t know how much PARCC will cost. And they’re concerned PARCC will mean students spend even more time testing and less time in class.

They’re asking Bennett to come up with another plan. Bennett says he’ll make a decision soon.

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