What accounts for the delay between student assessment in March and the return of FCAT scores?
The scoring process for the FCAT is a complex one. In order to assure accuracy, the test scoring contractor scans the FCAT answer sheets and puts them through a rigorous quality control process. This includes a mock data component which simulates the entire scoring process for the whole state. Mock data are created and checked in random sets of student test answers that replicate every possible response that can occur on the multiple-choice questions. Then, as real student responses are returned to the scoring contractor, student results from several counties are hand-checked at every line and bubble on the answer sheet. Lastly, a rechecking of the results of the whole state takes place, and answer sheets undergo a third, lengthy process of intense scrutiny. Additional time is needed to score each of the short-response and extended-response performance task items, as these are each read and hand-scored by two different scorers. If the scorers two scores are not adjacent, a third scorer
