Frequently Asked Questions About Committee Participation

How do I get involved in test development activities?

The first step is to complete an application and fax it to Evaluation Systems at (866) 565-4877 (toll free). In order to have fair and equal representation, committee members will be chosen based on responsibility (teacher, district subject area coordinator, university/college faculty member), areas of expertise, and a fair distribution from across the state.
In what activities might I participate? What is the time commitment?

Your involvement in one or more of the following test development activities will take place over a 6–12 month period:
- Develop and validate competencies, skills, and blueprint. This work is based on matching competencies and skills to the Sunshine State Standards, surveys of content experts in Florida, and the activities completed by content experts. Content experts review the competencies and skills as well as information collected and recommend changes to bring them up to date. Then the competencies and skills are revised and incorporated into the blueprint, the document used to develop the certification examinations. Content experts review the blueprint and determine the weight that each of the competencies and skills should have on an examination. Once the competencies, skills, and blueprint are developed, they are sent out to a sample population for feedback. The validation committee will incorporate the feedback results into their review process.
- Develop and validate test item specifications. Test item specifications are instructions to test developers for creating new items. Each specification is coded to the appropriate competency and skill it represents, describes the skill, and provides the context and content for the test item. A sample test item is included. Once the development process is complete, the test item specifications are validated.
- Develop and validate test items. Subject matter experts use the blueprint and test item specifications to revise or develop test items. The test items are pilot-tested in secure settings around Florida. The test items and the results of the pilot tests are then presented to the validation committee for review. Once validated, the test items become part of the test bank and are field-tested on future certification examinations.
- Revise test information guides. Once the test item development process is completed, the test information guides are updated to include the new information. The test information guide committee will provide input into the development of online versions of the test information guides.
- Validate test forms. Once the banks are updated, new certification tests are drawn from these banks. A committee of content experts will review the tests and verify the answer keys.
Will I be expected to participate in all of these test development activities?

We understand that educators have many other commitments and may not be able to participate in all of the meetings. The successful review and updating of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations relies upon the participation of multiple educators throughout the test development process.
How does my school district get reimbursed for a substitute teacher?

You will receive a form at each meeting you attend that is to be completed and submitted to your district for substitute reimbursement.
Will I receive a stipend for my time and effort?

For individuals whose attendance requires their school district to hire a substitute teacher, reimbursement is available to the district. Other individuals will receive a stipend of $250 per 8-hour meeting day. Individuals should refer to their district or institution policy to determine if they are eligible to receive the stipend.
Do I make my own hotel reservations?

We make all hotel reservations for committee members and provide you with a confirmation letter.
How do I get reimbursed for my travel and meal expenses? How do I get reimbursed for my mileage?

Please hold on to all your receipts and keep track of your mileage. You will receive reimbursement forms and information about completing them at each meeting.
I have colleagues who would like to attend. May I invite them to participate?

All participants need to submit an application, which must be approved. Please ask your colleagues to obtain and submit an application from this Web site.