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the test is culturally biased

Well, if by "culturally biased" you mean the test is in English, instead of the native language of these students, then, yes, I guess you could say it is biased - biased by being in English in a country where we have no national language by law.

Also, I have to tell you: In this teacher institute I am attending this summer, we are all taking ESOL courses, and many of the teachers really dislike having to take these courses. Here is one teacher's (not mine) solution: Instead of making teachers take 300 hours of ESOL teaching strategies pursuant to the legal consent agreement FL has signed, how about requiring these non-English kids to take 300 hours of English instruction before they are allowed to set foot in a public school? Really, that is how some teachers feel about this, yet, there is no turning back with respect to the high numbers of these students coming to FL.

Have you taken the META course yet? I took it 14 years ago and it was a pain then...and it was one key reason that students have been "DUMBED DOWN" on standards. It mandated that teachers cease correcting the spelling and grammatical errors of non-English speakers as that would have negative impact on their self perceptions and self worth. It was the start of our current troubles. I'm in agreement with your buddy. But it'll never happen.

"the test is culturally biased"--"Well, if by "culturally biased" you mean the test is in English, instead of the native language of these students, then, yes, I guess you could say it is biased - biased by being in English in a country where we have no national language by law."

Well, yes there is THAT. But I was speaking of the common experiences by which many test questions are based especially in the writing and essay and reading areas. If you are white middle class, many are self evident based on your background experiences. But folks from other cultures don't have the benefit of those experiences and values and thus cannot by definition do as well on this portion of the test. Let's just not kid ourselves that the test is completely impartial in all ways to all people. That is impossible.

Look Summer, I'm WITH you on this and as I said, FCAT works in 65 out of 67 Florida counties. I personally think we should mandate a moratorium on all immigration until we can absorb and educate what we have while tending to the needs of our native born poor folks. We don't need the flotsam and jetsam of the entire world washing up on our shores expecting the land of milk and honey without a lick of effort....and that means a free education.