Evaluating the Impact of FCAT on Civic

1
Evaluating the Impact of FCAT on Civic and
Historical Understanding in Florida Analysis
of the Extent to which Elementary Teachers Have
Reduced the Amount of Time
Devoted to Social Studies Instruction
2
Research Report Prepared By

• Dr Patrick C. Coggins, Ph.D, J.D, LLD (Hon.).
• Founder / Director of the Multicultural Education
  Institute.
• Stetson University
• Deland, Florida
• E-mail pcoggins_at_stetson.edu
• January 2007

3
Acknowledgements

• Special thanks is given to Mr. Jason Caros for
  his leadership and persistence during this
  research project.
• Special thanks to Ted Banton for his attention to
  details and the stats.
• Special thanks to Jack Bovee whose persistence
  and review of the draft report was helpful.
• Special thanks to the 9 school districts,
  Superintendent, and the Social Studies
  supervisors who participated in the study.
• Of course, a special thanks to all Social Studies
  supervisors who made this study a priority agenda
  item for FASSS.

4
Background / Rationale for Study

• During the October, 2006 meeting of FASSS in
  Miami, Florida, concern arose over the reduction
  of time devoted to Social Studies in the
  elementary schools due to the emphasis on FCAT
  subjects i.e. Language Arts, Math, and Science.
• FASSS resolved to conduct this statewide study.
  Patrick Coggins, Director of the Multicultural
  Education Institute at Stetson University was
  engaged to conduct and prepare the results of the
  study.

5
Purpose of the Study

• The purpose of the study was to survey elementary
  school teachers in the state of Florida school
  districts to ascertain the extent to which
  appropriate time was being provided for the
  instruction of Social Studies.

6
The Assumptions

• Given the emphasis on the FCAT subject areas of
  Science, Math, and Reading/Language Arts,
  teachers have increased the amount of time
  devoted to instruction and FCAT test preparation
  in these areas.
• Given the emphasis on FCAT in the state of
  Florida, an ever decreasing amount of time is
  being devoted to Social Studies instruction.

7
Research Question

• The essential question was to determine the
  extent to which the introduction of FCAT has
  resulted in a substantial reduction of
  instructional time in Social Studies.

8
The Methodology

• The sample for this survey was a cluster sample
  of 10 of the 67 School Districts.
• The actual sample included nine(9) school
  districts including Brevard, Collier, Escambia,
  Lake, Orange, Monroe, St. Johns, St. Lucie, and
  Volusia. There were 1,766 elementary school
  teachers who completed the survey.
• These respondents were teaching in K-5,
  multi-grade and other elementary classroom
  settings. A cover letter was sent to Florida
  School Districts Superintendents and the
  Districts Social Studies Supervisors inviting
  them to voluntarily participate in the statewide
  survey.
• Each participant completed a nine(9) question
  survey which was posted and completed online.
  This method was intended to increase the ease,
  completion, and efficiency in submitting and
  collecting each response.
• While the district was coded to determine yield,
  there was anonymity since no teacher name or
  identity number was required.
• A time frame of three(3) weeks was devoted to the
  completion of the survey in December 2006.

9
Limitations

• In this study, while it was a 10 sample of
  Florida School Districts, the generalizability of
  the results is limited.
• The data is useful to show the status of the
  districts that participated, however, a larger
  sample size of districts may yield more
  generalizable data. A follow-up survey to the
  remainder of the school districts is advisable.

10
Analysis of Data

• The analysis of the data that follow includes the
  responses from a sample of 1,766 elementary
  school teachers in nine(9) of the school
  districts in the state of Florida. It should be
  noted that the respondents were teachers in K-5,
  multi-grade classrooms and other settings in
  elementary schools.

11
Q. 1 Table 1. The Demographic of School Districts
that are represented

• The data in this table indicate that 9 or 13.43
  of the 67 Florida School Districts responded to
  the survey of Elementary teachers.
• The data in Table 1 suggest that more than a 10
  sample of the districts responded to the survey.
  Nine or 13.43 of the school districts responded
  from the seven (7) demographic regions in the
  State of Florida.

12
The Demographic of School Districts that are
Represented
13
Q. 2 Table 2-What grade do you currently teach?

• The data in Table 2 was intended to show the
  extent and number of respondents to the survey by
  grade level.
• The data suggest in Grades K-5 an average of 254
  of the elementary teachers participated in the
  survey. The highest responses include third grade
  with 270 or 15.29 respondents while fourth grade
  had 261 or 14.78 respondents.

14
Q. 3 Table 3.-How many years have you taught in
Florida Public Schools?

• The data in Table 3 suggest that the highest
  number of respondents, 684 or 38.73 taught from
  0-5 years 342 or 19.37 taught from 6-10 years.
  Thus 1,026 or 58.10 taught from 1-10 years.
  While 584 or 33.07 had 11-20 years. Only 156 or
  8.83 had 26 or more years.

15
Q.4 Table 4.-The major focus of Social Studies
instruction in my class this school year is

• The data suggest that elementary teachers were
  involved in teaching a variety of Social Studies
  content areas as time permitted in the
  curriculum.
• The data in Table 4 suggest that the teachers
  focused on teaching Communities Ancient
  History, The History of Florida, School Family
  Citizenship, and The History of the United
  States, Neighborhood Interactions, and Basic
  World Understandings. However, the greatest
  emphasis was reported in School Family
  Citizenship by 465 or 26.33. A focus on
  Neighborhoods Interactions and Communities
  Ancient History reported by 462 or 26.16.The
  focus on the History of Florida and the History
  of the United States was reported by 32.39.

16
Q.4 Table 4.-The major focus of Social Studies
instruction in my class this school year is
17
Q.4 Table 4b.-Disaggregated data Grade level
taught compared to general SSS curriculum
alignment
10.2 of Florida K-5 teachers(181), (n
1766)indicated they taught something other that
curriculum identified from the Sunshine State
Standards.
18
Q. 5 Table 5-The Social Studies Sunshine State
Standards provide clear direction to me about the
essential Social Studies content and skills that
are to be taught.

• The teacher responses indicate that most
  elementary teachers believe the Social Studies
  Sunshine State Standards provide clear direction
  about the essential Social Studies content and
  skills that are to be taught.
• The data suggests that while 171 or 9.68
  strongly agreed that the standards provided clear
  direction, there were 33 or 1.87 who strongly
  disagreed. Overall, 955 or 54.08 agreed while
  138 or 7.81 disagreed.

19
Q. 5 Table 5-The Social Studies Sunshine State
Standards provide clear direction to me about the
essential Social Studies content and skills that
are to be taught.
20
Q. 6 Table 6- How many instructional hours are
dedicated to Social Studies instruction in your
classes each week?

• The question was intended to get more specific
  information as to the actual amount of time
  devoted to Social Studies instruction in the
  Elementary school classrooms.
• The data in Table 6 suggest that 1,198 or 67.83
  reported that they devoted from 0-2 hours a week
  in Social Studies. While 562 or 20.50 reported
  they spent 3 hours, and 11.66 reported they
  spent 4-6 hours on Social Studies instruction in
  any one week.

21
Q. 6 Table 6- How many instructional hours are
dedicated to Social Studies instruction in your
classes each week?
22
Q. 7 Table 7- Since the introduction of the FCAT
in Florida schools, Social Studies instructional
minutes has declined.

• This question was intended to ascertain the
  perceptions of teachers with respect to the
  impact of the FCAT tested subject areas on the
  amount of time devoted to non-tested subjects
  such as Social Studies.
• The data suggest that 1,082 or 61.27 agreed or
  strongly agreed that since the FCAT there has
  been a decreasing amount of time devoted to
  Social Studies instructional minutes. Only
  10.59 disagreed or strongly disagreed that there
  has been a change in instructional time devoted
  to Social Studies.

23
Q. 7 Table 7- Since the introduction of the FCAT
in Florida schools, Social Studies instructional
minutes has declined.
24
Q. 8 Table 8-If you strongly agree or agree that
the amount of reduced Social Studies
instructional time is

• The reduction of time devoted to Social Studies
  instruction was an important question to get
  specific data from respondents. Thus the
  responses were very revealing and provide a sense
  of what challenges the elementary teachers face
  with respect to balancing all of the required
  instruction such as Social Studies.
• The data in Table 8 suggest 793 or 73.70
  reported that between 1-2 hours were reduced from
  Social Studies instruction a week 203 or 18.87
  reported a loss of 3-4 hours a week.

25
Q. 8 Table 8-If you strongly agree or agree that
the amount of reduced Social Studies
instructional time is
26
Q. 9 Table 9- Since the advent of the Science
FCAT, the number of instructional minutes
dedicated to Science has increased.

• In order to determine whether there was evidence
  that there was an increase in the amount of
  minutes devoted to the recently added test i.e.
  Science, the responses were intended to shed
  light on this issue.
• The data in Table 9 suggest that 1,001 or 56.68
  felt that since Science was introduced, there has
  been an increase in the instructional time that
  is devoted to Science.

27
Q. 9 Table 9- Since the advent of the Science
FCAT, the number of instructional minutes
dedicated to Science has increased.
28
Findings

• Q.1. The number of School districts that
  participated in the study
• The survey results involved nine (9) of the 67
  School Districts from seven (7) regions. The
  districts were Brevard, Collier, Escambia, Lake,
  Orange, Monroe, St. Johns, St. Lucie and Volusia
  in the State of Florida. Approximately 1,766
  Elementary school teachers in these 9 districts
  completed the nine (9) question online survey
  instrument.

29
Findings

• Q.2. The grade level of teachers.
• A total of 1,766 teachers completed the survey.
  The data suggest that K-5 grades were well
  represented with an average of 254 teachers in
  each grade level. Additionally, there were 137
  teachers who taught in multigrade and other
  classroom settings.

30
Findings

• Q.3. Number of years taught in Florida public
  schools?
• The survey found that about 38.73 of the
  teachers had 5 years or less experience while
  19.37 had 6-10 years experience. Thus 1,026 or
  58.10 of the respondents had 0-10 years of
  experience. However, the majority of the
  respondents or 38.73 are considered relatively
  new to teaching with less than 5 years teaching
  experience. Nevertheless over 61.27 have up to
  26 years of experience.

31
Findings

• Q.4. The major focus of Social Studies
  instruction.
• The data suggest that the 1,766 teachers taught a
  variety of Social Studies subjects. The greatest
  emphasis was in the areas of History,
  Neighborhood Interactions, and Communities
  Ancient History 26.46, School, Family
  Citizenship 26.33 and Basic World Understandings
  and other. 10.2 of Florida K-5 teachers
  indicated they taught something other that
  curriculum identified from the Sunshine State
  Standards.

32
Findings

• Q.5. The Social Studies Sunshine State Standards
  provide clear direction on the essential Social
  Studies content and skills that are to be taught.
• The data suggest that over 63.76 of the 1,766
  teachers agreed that Social Studies is provided
  with clear direction in the Florida Sunshine
  State Standards about essential areas of learning
  in the area of Social Studies.

33
Findings

• Q.6. The number of instructional hours dedicated
  to Social Studies instruction each week. The
  data found that 67.83 spent less than 2 hours
  each week in Social Studies instruction while
  20.50 reported they spent 3 hours, and 11.66
  reported they spent 4-6 hours on Social Studies
  instruction in any one week (compare these
  numbers to Reading which has a minimum of 7.5
  hours, Math 5 hours and 4 hours in Science).

34
Findings

• Q.7. Teacher perception that since FCAT has been
  used in Florida schools, Social Studies
  instruction has declined.
• The data found that 61.27 of teachers reported
  that Social Studies instruction has declined in
  their classrooms while only 10.59 felt that
  there was no decline.

35
Findings

• Q.8. With respect to the reduction of Social
  Studies instructional time, the data found that
  73.7 of the respondents reported that they
  affirmatively reduced Social Studies instruction
  by 1-2 hours while 18.87 reported a reduction of
  3-4 hours a week. This data suggest that 92.57
  of the respondents agreed that Social Studies
  instruction time has been substantially reduced
  in order to focus on the Reading/Language Arts,
  Math and Science FCAT preparation.
• Q.9. Perception of increase in Science FCAT
  instructional time.
• The data found that 56.68 felt that
  instructional time has increased for Science
  while 14.77 felt there was no increase in
  Science FCAT time.

36
Conclusions

• An encouraging fact was the majority or over
• 95 of the teachers reported that the Sunshine
• State Standards provide clear content
• information with respect to the essential Social
• Studies content that should be taught at each
• grade level in Social Studies. When taught,
• instruction included the following topics
  History,
• Neighborhoods Interactions, Communities
• Ancient History, Global Studies, etc.

37
Conclusions

• 2. The 1,766 responses by elementary school
  teachers indicate that there is general agreement
  that there is an issue of the extent to which
  there has been a decrease in instructional time
  for non-tested FCAT subject areas like Social
  Studies. This reduction in time devoted to Social
  Studies remains a concern of Elementary school
  teachers.
• 3. Since the advent of FCAT, 72 reported a
  decrease of instructional time ranging from 1-4
  hours each week that was previously devoted to
  Social Studies instruction.

38
Implications

• 1. Sunshine State Standards require Social
  Studies instruction K-12 but, only Language Arts,
  Math, and Science are tested on the FCAT. The
  result is a reduction of instructional time spent
  on Social Studies. The loss of time ranges from
  1-4 hours a week.

39
Implications

• 2. The intentional de-emphasizing of time and
  effort on these subjects not tested on the FCAT.
• 3. Despite Florida statutory requirements for
  Social Studies instruction such as 1003.43, the
  reduction of Social Studies instruction continue
  pervasively in elementary schools in Florida.
• 4. How will our society provide Social Studies
  content in character, citizenship, democratic
  systems, government processes, global affairs,
  and the history of the United States?

40
Recommendations

• 1.FASSS should conduct a follow-up study that
  focuses on those
• Florida school districts that did not participate
  in this initial study. The goal
• should be to ascertain the perception of
  elementary school teachers with
• respect to the decreasing instructional time
  devoted to Social Studies
• content.
• 2. The results, though preliminary, should be
  used to persuade the
• Department of Education to include Social Studies
  in the Student
• Progression Statute and to phase in Social
  Studies on the FCAT in the
• near future.
• 3. FASSS should encourage school districts to
  conduct their own study like
• the core subject survey conducted by Broward
  County during the summer
• of 2006 to ascertain the amount of instructional
  time devoted to all subjects
• including Social Studies, Reading/Language Arts,
  Math, Science and other
• areas of study.