PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV is continuing to dig deeper into Florida test scores just released from the state department of education. They show whether students are performing at grade level in a variety of subjects.

This was Florida’s second year of the progress monitoring testing style, measuring student success three times throughout the year.

Local school district leaders told WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind they really like it. But parents Susskind spoke to aren’t so sure yet.

“I just don’t get it. I truly don’t know how taking away one test to add three, there’s no logic to me. It doesn’t make sense,” said Palm Beach County mom of two Sheena Romano.

Romano shares a popular opinion with many parents Susskind heard from on Tuesday: there’s too much testing in school.

“You have the elementary school sitting three times a year for iReady to grade their progress. And then you have the [Florida Assessment of Student Thinking] to grade their progress. So it’s like, can we eliminate one?” Romano said.

North in St. Lucie County, Superintendent Dr. Jon Prince doesn’t disagree.

“Testing in Florida is rigorous,” Prince told Susskind. “I still say we’ve got a little too much assessment going on.”

But he does support the new style of progress monitoring testing using the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, or FAST. It’s given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year to measure what a student is learning and where they need to focus.

“It’s been a great blessing that we get these results back immediately. So we know exactly where these kids are weak,” Prince said.

Florida education leaders tout this state testing style as the first in the nation. It replaced the high stakes FSA exam, which was given once at the end of the year.

“We are finding there is a lot more interface between parents and schools,” Prince said. “OK, my kid didn’t do very well. What can I do as a parent? And what can we do to partner and help them perform better? So I think it’s helped not just student learning, but that interaction between parents and families and schools.”

While parents like Romano understand that perspective, they still feel there’s too much testing pressure on today’s students.

“I think a good teacher, just like a good parent, should be able to see the progress. If you are honed in on the children,” Romano said.

So why are these tests important? Not only do they measure student progress, but they are used to help determine school and district grades. Those are expected to be released later this summer.

TAMPA, Fla. – The My Safe Florida Home Program, helping cut property insurance costs for Floridians, reopened on Monday and will start offering grants again.

This program offers matching grants for Floridians of up to $10,000 to homeowners who shore up their homes with storm-protective upgrades like hurricane-safe doors or windows.

READ: Florida program aims to help ease sting of high property insurance premiums

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 7028 into law in April to allocate $200 million to the My Safe Florida Home Program.

READ: New Florida laws going into effect on July 1: Here are some of the highlights

The bill also allows applicants under the program to still receive home inspections even if they’re not eligible for a grant.

First-time applicants must complete an initial wind-mitigation inspection to proceed to the grant application. That inspection will then provide homeowners with:

• The opportunity to share that report with their insurance carrier to make sure they’re receiving all possible discounts on the hurricane portion of their home insurance premium
• A roadmap to retrofitting their home with improvements to strengthen it against hurricanes

Existing users can access their portal account to see their Grant Group Category number. 

My Safe Florida Home was established in 2006 and brought back in 2022. 

To apply, click here.

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A local organization said it is prepared to help bring supplies to Haiti if needed following Hurricane Beryl.

Maggie Saint Jean, who runs the Daily Bread Distribution Center in Central Florida, is urging the community to donate items to help both Haiti and local residents.

The organization also said it’s challenging to send supplies to Haiti, but they are determined to help.

“Just because it’s difficult, doesn’t mean people aren’t in need. We still have to make our efforts,” Saint Jean said.

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Saint Jean said whether it’s gang violence or storm damage, their mission doesn’t change.

“The focus has to be the same,” Saint Jean said. Whether it’s one issue or five issues, it’s the people. Once you can see the people and their needs, then your focus doesn’t change. Things will come and things will go, but our focus will never change.”

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