Florida FAST Assessment Overview
1 min read
FAST Assessment
fast
assessment
florida
testing
pm1
pm2
pm3
Florida FAST Assessment System
What is FAST?
- Florida Assessment of Student Thinking
- Replaced FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) in 2022-23
- Progress monitoring assessment given 3 times per year
- Measures student achievement and growth in ELA and Math
- Computer-adaptive format
Testing Windows
- PM1 (Fall): First 45 days of school
- PM2 (Winter): Middle of year checkpoint
- PM3 (Spring): End of year, accountability assessment
Achievement Levels
| Level | Description | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Inadequate | Well below grade level, intensive intervention needed |
| Level 2 | Below Satisfactory | Below grade level, strategic intervention needed |
| Level 3 | Satisfactory | On grade level, meeting expectations |
| Level 4 | Proficient | Above grade level, advanced understanding |
| Level 5 | Mastery | Well above grade level, exceptional performance |
Subjects and Grades Tested
ELA (Grades 3-10): - Reading comprehension - Vocabulary in context - Multiple text types
Mathematics (Grades 3-8 + Algebra 1, Geometry): - Number sense and operations - Algebraic reasoning - Geometric reasoning - Data analysis and probability
Using FAST Data
- Identify students by level - Triage for intervention
- Look at category scores - Pinpoint specific skill gaps
- Track growth - PM1 to PM2 to PM3
- Form small groups - Skill-based grouping
- Adjust instruction - Target weak areas
- Monitor intervention effectiveness - Is it working?
Important Notes
- PM3 counts for school grades and accountability
- Third grade reading (PM3) used for promotion decisions
- Students can retest for promotion in summer
- Accommodations from IEP/504 apply to FAST
Need help putting this into practice?
Our AI Teacher Assistant can help you create standards-aligned plans, differentiated activities, and intervention strategies based on this knowledge.
Try Fast Action Edu Free