By SARAH CHRISIEN & SAM TUCKER
   
    In order to improve the accountability and accuracy of standardized testing, Florida school systems have instituted a new version of  the annual FCAT exam. Known as FCAT 2.0, this test was designed to better align with national standards in order to ensure students’ success.                          
     The 2011 sophomore class was the first to take the newly modified FCAT. The changes include an extension of the testing to two days, elimination of the math portion, and a transition to entirely computer-based testing.
     “We’re trying to make standardized testing better and more efficient,” said Assistant Principal Joe Trybus. “It’s a continuous cycle of improvement.”
     The primary motivation behind altering the testing standards was to change Florida’s scoring scale to be consistent with the Federal Uniform Rate (FUR), a set of national educational benchmarks. With FCAT 2.0, ninth graders are expected to be 3 percent more proficient, and tenth graders are expected to be 13 percent more proficient. 
      “We’re transitioning from Sunshine State Standards to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards,” said SCPS Deputy Superintendent Anna-Marie Cote. “As the standards change, the tests change.”
      Despite projected improvement in test proficiency for individual ninth and tenth graders, overall graduation rates are expected to drop next year. This is because FCAT currently follows the National Governors Association’s standards;  however, FCAT 2.0. now aligns with the standards of the Federal Uniform Rate. These new standards make earning a Level 3 on the test a requirement for graduation.
     “There has been concern that teachers don’t have the strategies to help teach students better for online versions,” said FCAT test coordinator and guidance counselor Laura Baker. “However, the district gives us materials to deliver to students to ensure success.”
     For some students, the revisions will increase the potential risk of being placed in intensive courses due to the higher score required to pass the FCAT. The  current junior class  has already taken the revised version of the test, but  students outside of this class will be experiencing the changes for the first time this year  
     “People do not like change when they are used to a routine,” said freshman Alicia Richter. “I am not sure that other students are going to welcome the revisions.”
     In order to better evaluate the scores of FCAT and FCAT 2.0, Seminole County uses a company called Caveon Data Forensics (CDF). CDF improves the accuracy of test score statistics by analyzing patterns that indicate types of test fraud, helping to distinguish between general failures on certain questions or collaborative cheating.
     “We use CDF to review the test documents for fairness and validity,” said Cote. “This helps us better align with the national standards.”
     The accountability formula that SCPS uses when scoring FCAT takes into account the lower quartile of students, the 25 percent of students who have not passed. This percentage is expected to play a significant role in the projected decline of graduation rates as FCAT 2.0 takes effect.
     “We have to target the lower quartile,” said Trybus. “A lot of these students are struggling to achieve passing scores, and we need to help them to be successful.”
     Regardless of the recent changes to the FCAT, the state does plan to replace the test entirely with a new form of assessment called Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) by 2015. PARCC is the cooperation of 25 states using a common set of tests for grades K-12 that places a focus on preparation for post-grade school careers. 
     “Other countries have been conducting assessments like this for years,” said Cote. “This will be the final touch in aligning ourselves with the national test standards.”

By ASHTON MARSHALL & VALERIE VELASQUEZ
        Racing to a top ten position in the state, Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) reached its second highest graduation rate since 2000 for the 2010-2011 school year. Despite this high rating, Lake Brantley still ranked lowest among the nine high schools in the district.
     The rate reported is the National Governor’s Association (NGA) rate, which is reported for each district in the state and includes standard and special diplomas but excludes all GED’s, certificates of completion, dropouts, and fifth-year graduates. The NGA rate for Seminole County reached 93.2 percent for the previous school year. This was the highest rank in Central Florida, the eighth highest in the state out of 67 school districts, and among the top 4 percent nationwide.
    “SCPS is one of the highest performing school districts,” said Superintendent of Seminole County Public Schools Bill Vogel. “We are in the top tier of student performance not only in Central Florida but across the nation. We have the best teachers anywhere, and we would not be one of the highest if we did not have students who were committed.”
    Among the nine high schools that make up the district, Lake Brantley had the lowest graduation rate, receiving a 91.25 percent. This rating dropped two percent from the previous year’s rate of 93 percent.
     “I do not like being the last one in anything,” said Principal Mary Williams. “Even if 91.25 percent is terrific and above the majority of schools in Florida, in our district, it is not the best.”
     Williams states that Lake Brantley’s graduation requirements, passing the tenth grade FCAT and obtaining all required credits, are the same for all schools in the county. However, attendance requirements vary among schools, so data may be inconsistently measured from one school to another.
     “One indicator [of our rate] is how we code kids when they leave,” said Registrar Joe Trybus. “Diplomas, being the traditional route, are good for our graduation rate. [However], not all 700 seniors are going to have the traditional route to get a diploma. Some students will not pass the FCAT, not allowing them to graduate; this will hurt us. That student may get a certification of completion, but they will not be considered a graduate of ours.”
     In order to increase the graduation rate, administrators are working to implement certain strategies to keep students from dropping out or leaving school. Trybus states that often times codes are used, which are combinations of letters and numbers assigned to each freshman that determine their whereabouts until senior year. In order to improve the rate, administrators will review codes for students in previous years and will follow up on non-grad withdrawal codes, a code that explains why a student left school.
      “When a student leaves, there will be a new guidance process,” said Trybus. “One of the things we are trying to implement is that a student will talk to me before leaving. I am going to try to give them options about staying in school or pursuing their education in different ways, instead of dropping out.”
     The rate does not affect Lake Brantley financially, but it does play into the school grade calculation as well as the school budget. Administrators and SCPS as a whole hope to provide students with alternative options to maintain graduation rates.
     “As an effort to ensure higher grad rates, all withdrawal paperwork comes to me to examine and to determine if the proper code is being used,” said Trybus. “Additionally, we track ‘at-risk’ students and try to give them extra support through a mentoring program. Curriculum support is also given through our intensive reading and math programs on campus.”

By JANNA OSSINSKY
            
   Beginning in the spring of 2012, students will begin testing their aptitude for college level courses in a new assessment called PERT. This test will have an effect on students’ post-high school education, and determine whether a student is prepared for college.
    The Post-secondary Education Readiness Test (PERT), assesses juniors and selected seniors on math, reading, and writing. Unlike the SAT or ACT, which tests student’s retained knowledge throughout high school, this test only determines the recommended level of course placement upon entering college.
    “The PERT is used by Community Colleges and State Colleges to determine placement in English and Math courses,” said test coordinator Laura Baker. “If a student is not ‘college ready’ according to test scores, the state mandates these students be placed in Math for College Readiness or standard English IV, as these classes will provide specific curriculum designed to meet the college readiness expectation.”
    In 2010, the state of Florida adopted PERT to replace the former College Placement Test (CPT). Although most colleges in the nation have transitioned to PERT, Florida colleges will still accept CPT scores. However, it is still important to take the PERT to accumulate an accurate score according to Florida colleges.
    “Depending on how well the student does on the test, he or she could possibly have a limit to where they can apply,” said Principal Mary Williams. “If a student does not meet the requirements to pass the PERT test, he or she should rethink where they take their next level of education.”
    Regardless of whether a junior or senior has already taken the SAT and the ACT, all juniors will take PERT between the months of February and March. If a student’s PERT scores do not measure up to the state’s standard, remedial classes could be required for them.
    “I have taken a college readiness test before and have done well,” said junior Brooke Hammerly. “I hope that this test will help or even replace a bad ACT or SAT score since some people do not always do well on those tests.”
     The test questions are customized for each student based upon answers from previous questions, which means students will not be able to go back and alter their answers. McCann Associates, a company that distributes assessment tests such as the PERT, will provide the PERT twice a year, starting in the 2012-13 school year.
    “I hope fellow students take this test seriously because it is really important for our future,” said Hammerly. “Junior year is the deciding factor for many colleges. Whether we want to take this or not, this test is a requirement for our future success.”
     This test is given on a computer to reduce PERT’s cost, which is covered by the state. Intermediate algebra, grammar, and literary analysis are key test subjects that are required for first-year college entry and will be covered on PERT. Each subject consists of 30 questions per section, with a total of 90 questions for the whole test.
     “My hope is that it will improve college readiness numbers and decrease the amount of students being placed into college readiness classes,” said Williams. “It takes lots of time and money to distribute this test, but we have high hopes that our students will do well.”

By GABRIELLA NICHOLAS & ERICA CLEMENTS
   
   Seminole County public schools has implemented a new concept called “ePathways” in order to accommodate students and raise graduation rates. The term “ePathways” refers to the plan of giving students options such as evening and weekend classes, traditional face-to-face learning, magnet schools, online courses, and different times for extracurricular activities to create their own personalized education plan.
    Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, students will be given the opportunity to create schedules that suit their personal needs and desires. With these options, students are expected to fulfill all graduation requirements.
    “We have to be a little bit more accommodating,” said Executive Director of High Schools Walt Griffin. “Our students are very different; they deserve and need a 21st century education.”
    By allowing students this freedom, the school board hopes to increase graduation rates and student productivity. One option for Seminole County schools is the addition of periods to a school day. 
    “Many of our students come from middle-class families who, for the first time in their lives, are working, so they can help mom or dad pay bills,” said Griffin. “They’re working until eleven at night, catching the bus as six in the morning and arriving at school at seven. Why can’t we offer courses for any high school student that start with second or third period, and end with classes such as eighth or ninth period?”
    Each Seminole County school will adjust ePathways according to specific needs and availabilities. Schools will be able to choose unique programs, such as those including iPad use, or even Mandarin courses, according to their preferences.
    “The ePathways plan will not look the same at every school,” said Registrar Joe Trybus. “We need to make course decisions based on what we can offer. It’s not a set program, and it gives students a myriad of options to choose from.” 
    SCPS recognizes that students today learn differently than they did years ago. Through the introduction of devices like iPads, Kindles, and online courses, administrators are redirecting their attention to creating nontraditional learning options outside of the classroom setting. 
     “People want to know what they can do to provide a better education to our children, an education that will get them ready for the global economy,” said Director of Communications for Florida Virtual School (FLVS) Star Kraschinsky. “Our students are our future. Providing our children with the knowledge and the skills they need to succeed in this competitive world is extremely important.” 
    Lake Brantley administrators are approaching options like adding class periods, allowing the select students to start and end later than their peers, and extending the library and computer labs’ hours. Regardless of ePathways’ programs, both the seven-period day and the bus schedule will remain the same. 
     “A  lot of kids rely on bus transportation and will have to go to periods one through seven,” said Principal Mary Williams. “Some of these alternatives will not work for every student, but to flex somebody’s hours where they can take care of the transportation themselves may be doable.” 
     ePathways focuses entirely on the interests of the student. While some students may prefer the standard seven-period day, others may find that online classes work better for them. 
    “Students need variety because some cannot learn by sitting in a classroom for a long period of time,” said junior and FLVS student Caitlin Sheridan. “Others understand the material better if they teach themselves. For me, it all depends on the class. Taking classes online allows you to work at your own pace. Taking classes at school gives you the opportunity to ask questions and obtain deeper explanations.”
      By showing students their available options, educators hope to increase graduation rates and better prepare students for college. Administrators feel that with all these opportunities available, students will get the best education possible.
    “It’s about what’s best for our students who are going through this system,” said Griffin. “It’s what teachers want, what our students are asking for, and what our students deserve.”

By GREG LENAZ & LAUREN KILLER
   

   In January 2011, Seminole County Public School’s (SCPS) Superintendent Bill Vogel announced his decision to retire the following year. One year later, his plans remain intact, and this spring he will hand over his position to a currently undecided replacement.
   Vogel is now finishing his ninth year as superintendent of SCPS, after previously working as superintendent of St. Lucie County for seven years. During his tenure, he has strived to endow students with what he titles the “Triple A experience,” consisting of academics, arts, and athletics.
    “Dr. Vogel is a superior instructional leader,” said principal Mary Williams. “He really looks for everything that is for the best interest of kids.”
    Under the guidance of Vogel, the Seminole County graduation rate has escalated to 93.3 percent and students now score an average of 93 points higher on the SAT than the state average. Over the course of the past year, Seminole County high school students took 11,000 Advanced Placement exams which collectively saved nearly 2.8 million dollars in college credits.
    “I believe when a graduate of Seminole County applies to college, they are given high consideration because of the quality and recognition of Seminole County Public Schools,” said Vogel. “But it is not about my work as a superintendent; it is about the dedicated work of teachers, students, administrators, and parents.”
    Along with the Triple A experience, increasing students’ educational flexibility is a goal Vogel would like to see expanded upon after his departure. With the implementation of ePathways, a program that offers students a greater variety of learning options, Vogel hopes to make schooling more accessible to students.
    “[The next superintendent] should say yes to whatever needs students may have: technology and flexible schedules, and [he or she] should provide emphasis on colleges and careers,” said Vogel. “I have thoroughly enjoyed being superintendent, and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life, [but] it has come time for a transition to a new leader.”
    The school board assembled a citizens committee of 25 individuals last fall to hire a new superintendent. Members include citizens such as teachers, business leaders, and those who will have a vested interest in maintaining Seminole County’s high educational standards.
    “We are advertising throughout the country for a superintendent to come to Seminole County,” said School Board Member Dede Schaffner. “The cut off for the applications is February 20th, and after the applications are all in, the committee will look through them and send [those selected] to the school board for consideration.”
     Along with upholding Seminole County’s level of education, the future superintendent will also have to confront Seminole County’s current budget shortfall. There is also the matter of integrating FCAT 2.0, a new version of the standardized test, into the school system. Vogel believes this could prove to be a challenge, as new standards may make it more difficult for students to pass and for individual schools to maintain high grades.
    “Being a superintendent is a twenty-four hours, seven days-a-week job,” said Vogel. “I am looking forward to spending personal time with my wife.”
     The school board expects to have a final decision by April. From there, Vogel will assist the new superintendent for approximately a month before departing.
     “We are all going to miss him,” said Williams. “I am confident that Dr. Vogel is the kind of person that is going to continue until his very last day of work to do what is best for Seminole County.”

By DARIAN MCCULLOUGH
                                         
 
   The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and its Senate counterpart PROTECT IP (PIPA) were under debate by congress in mid-January. SOPA and PIPA allow intellectual property holders to order ad-operators such as Google to block sites that allegedly infringe upon copyright laws. Internet service providers would also be able to block access autonomously, as long as they deem the sites dedicated to the theft of United States property.
    SOPA is a market-based system to protect U.S. customers and prevent U.S. funding of sites dedicated to the theft of U.S. property. According to OpenCongress, a free, non-profit, and non-partisan public resource, Microsoft, News Corporation, CBS, NBC, Comcast, and the MPAA are supporters of SOPA/PIPA. However, several internet and human rights groups came out against the bills, including Google, Wikipedia, Reddit, and Human Rights Watch. Credit companies such as Visa and American Express oppose the bills as well, due to their potential to shut down online shopping sites and services like Paypal.
    “I use online services like eBay and Paypal to shop online because it’s quick and easy,” said sophomore Miguel Silva. “I would be annoyed if online shopping was censored.”
    Opponents of SOPA/PIPA have expressed their concern for how it could limit media use for education.  Many universities and colleges across the nation have shown opposition to SOPA/PIPA. The most prominent challengers according to CDT (Center of Democracy and Technology) are Harvard, MIT, Berkley, Yale, Stanford, and NYU.
    “Although SOPA/PIPA have a fair use clause for educators, the Attorney General still retains the power to shut down any site infringing upon copyright,” said CDT spokesman Brock N. Meeks. “This gives SOPA/PIPA the power to restrict sits that can be used to enhance the classroom experience.”
    Many teachers at Lake Brantley incorporate media into their curricula. SOPA/PIPA could potentially eliminate the use of media in the classroom, limiting the spectrum teachers can use to re-enforce concepts. The problem teachers face is not the actual use of the media, but rather the outlets they need to access media would close. For example, if YouTube’s advertisements were to have copyright infringed material, the entire site would be shut down.
    “I’m not too worried about SOPA tampering with my teaching style,” said AP United States History teacher Vita Simmons “I’m sure the government will make a provision for use of media by educators.” 
    Additionally, SOPA blocks a large part of the income for businesses that use the internet to advertise. Local businesses like Chick-Fil-A use Facebook as an outlet to advertise events and deals that are happening at their store.
    “The majority of our customers who are teens are informed of our events via Facebook,” said owner of Hunt Club Chick-Fil-A Britt Ratledge. “It does worry me that SOPA can shut down Facebook, and limit advertising and business to our franchise.”
    Several major US politicians including Marco Rubio, who formerly supported the anti-piracy bills publicly stated on January 18 that he no longer back the legislation after an estimated 7,000 websites at least partially shut down to protest SOPA/PIPA. Some major sites like Wikipedia, WordPress, and Reddit shut down entirely, while others like Google and Wired placed black censor bars over parts of their home pages.
     Due to the strong online protests, SOPA and PIPA have been withdrawn from Congress for now. Supporters say that the progress of the bills has been temporarily halted, but continued revision of the bills are planned to resume this month, according to Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith.
    “After consultation with industry groups across the country, I feel we should remove Domain Name System blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision,” said Chairman Lamar Smith “We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign websites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers.” 

By GREG LENAZ

   In the coming school years, teachers will face numerous changes, including a new evaluation system, merit pay, and also a greater risk of potential layoffs.                                                                                                                                          
   In 2009,    President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law, which granted stimulus money to schools across the nation. This funding is now beginning to run dry, and Seminole County is looking for ways to save money. Some teachers are concerned that the school board will choose to eliminate positions due to a lack of funds.
   “Last year I do not believe we had any [layoffs],” said teacher union representative Dan Smith. “But the year before and the year before that, we had substantial cuts, depending on the population of the school.”              
   Apart from laying off teachers, the Seminole County school board has compiled a list of potential deficit reduction methods.  Some of these include closing additional elementary schools, eliminating summer school programs, and implementing a four day school week; however, none of these options can fully cover the amount of money the school must cut.
   “I do not necessarily think that the cost of teachers' salaries puts them in any kind of danger of losing their job,” said Principal Mary Williams. “However, the county will move in whatever direction they need to in order to save money.”
   Apart from the potential surge in layoffs, this financial crisis may also affect the way educators teach. For instance, numerous science teachers have recently had to cut back on the number of hands-on activities due to financial restrictions. Some teachers are given a budget as low as 170 dollars for supplies in class, which must  then be partitioned to last the entire year.
   “When I first started teaching, the county provided funding so that I could have plenty of supplies for the students,” said drafting teacher Peter Parker. “The lack of funding cut back the amount of supplies I could provide for the kids. So, I have had to scale back on what I have been given to make sure I could get supplies to my students.”
   Although teacher merit pay will not be enacted until 2014, the school has already begun preparations for it. A new teacher evaluation system is being implemented and will be the determining factor for how much money a teacher will receive.
   “Each administrator has been trained to use this new web-based tool on iPads,” said Williams. “Every time you walk into a classroom you will see administrators with [iPads] and we will take observations of the class.”
   The administrators' observations are then uploaded to a website where teachers can view comments and track their overall scores. Their final scores are a combination of administrative evaluations and student test scores on end of course exams.
   “When we do a final evaluation, the results will come out in a numeric amount on a four-point scale,” said Williams. “Depending on where they are on that scale will indicate whether or not they receive merit pay.”
   One important aspect of this new system is the absence of seniority. Prior to this, a teacher would be eligible for tenure after three years of work. This new grading scale operates on a year to year basis where a new teacher is just as capable of being laid off as one who has worked for 20 years.
   “In the way it used to be, when you became a teacher, you had a three year probationary period,” said Williams. “On the fourth year, you would move to a professional service which basically means safe forever. If I hire a new teacher today, then they are on annual contract forever.”
   The evaluation program began on November 14 and a variant for administrators will soon be developed. As for the layoffs, the school board will be forced to come to a conclusion before the next school year begins.
   “If we do not close that large gap [in our budget], and if we simply make cuts, then it will be the students who wind up paying,” said Smith. “The school board is going to have to do something.”

By STEPHEN STAFSTROM

   Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.  This was the widely-held belief until September 23, when scientists working on the Oscillation Project with Emulsion-tRacking Apparatus (OPERA) experiment in Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy and the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN), claimed to have identified a particle that breaks this cosmic speed limit, the speed of light.
   The particle, a neutrino, is an extremely small, nearly massless subatomic object that is present everywhere in the known universe and is produced in almost every chemical and physical reaction.  The new results that show neutrinos traveling faster than the speed of light were discovered as scientists in Sweden attempted to measure neutrino oscillations.  The discovery was offered to the general scientific community without explanation from the scientists as to why such results were found.
   "I was surprised, shocked [by the findings],” said OPERA spokesman Antonio Ereditato in an interview with CNN.  “However, we are confident in what we did and we think we did it correctly.”
   The theory that no particle with mass can travel faster than the speed of light comes from the studies of Albert Einstein.  Although the theory was not initially proposed by Einstein, his contributions finalized the theory and included the idea that light’s speed is constant in a vacuum and his validated formula, E=Mc2.
   “Einstein's theory of relativity states that as an object approaches light speed, mass increases,” said Rollins College physics and chemistry teacher Jessica King. “Therefore, in order for a particle to achieve light speed, that particle would have to have a mass of 1 over infinity or zero mass.”
    Einstein’s theory reveals why the results of the OPERA experiment have puzzled many scientists, since it is known that neutrinos have mass.  
   “The simple answer is that it may just be an exception to the rule,” said Physics teacher Dan Cutler. “Newton’s laws were considered infallible for years, but exceptions were discovered.  This did not mean that Newton’s laws were thrown out; they are still taught and still apply to most circumstances.”  
   In the scientific community, an exception to rule will not be marked in the books unless no other ideas can be proven.  However, all possibilities need to be tested thoroughly before any are ruled out.
   “Scientists always look for ways to take new data and make it correlate to old theories,”said Cutler. “It may just be certain circumstances that produce these results”  
   Other explanations scientists have for this phenomenon include wormholes, mass converting itself into energy, and even extra dimensions according to particle theorists.  When these extraordinary possibilities are eliminated, the final answer may be found as an error in the scientists measurements.
   “One way the OPERA group could be incorrect could be something called the limit of detection,” said King.  “A calculator can only show a number to a certain digit, and past this digit the number is rounded.  This rounded number could have a great effect on the minute amount of time that the tested neutrinos were recorded ahead of light showing that, at most, they were traveling at light speed.”
   Although the results of the experiment have not been proven or disproven at this time, these findings could change what students learn in physics class in regards to the atom and its subatomic particles.  Knowing that a particle with mass can travel faster than the speed of light affects the way the universe is understood.
   “[This] may not [directly affect the classroom] for a while,” said Cutler. “Take the atom itself.  Most high school students know that there are protons, electrons, and neutrons, yet for years, scientists have known that there are much smaller particles that make up these basic parts of an atom, but we have not changed our teaching too much about them. So it may take a while for it to filter down to the K-12 range.”
   As a possible game changing discovery, students interest is being generated while new results are pending.  
   “I cannot wait to see how these results will affect how the teachers teach physics,” said AP Chemistry student Andy Thorton. “This could be an extremely important discovery.”  
   Although the group that recorded the findings are confident in their results, the same conclusions must be achieved independently by other scientists for the experiment to be confirmed.  Preliminary confirmations using some data gathered during the original experiments could be ready as early as Christmas, but a full confirmation requiring all data to be rediscovered from scratch may take as long as two years to be accomplished.
   “No matter if it is confirmed or not, I like that some students are coming to me and asking if I had heard about [neutrinos],” said Cutler. “It is good that it sparked some student interest.”

By HANNAH WADE

    The SAT has long been statistically more popular among students but the ACT recently trumped the SAT as the favored exam in Florida by high school students.
    In 2011, 66 percent of Florida high school graduates took the ACT, while less than 65 percent who took the SAT. Although this figure may seem marginal, the percent of students taking the ACT has risen by 22 percent in the past five years, while the percent taking the SAT has decreased.
    “It is all about which test the school markets [to] students,” said guidance counselor Sally McCall. “The two tests are competitive. There are positives and negatives to both.”
    Multiple colleges in Florida, including Florida State University and the University of Florida, advise applicants to take both tests. So that the admissions boards can assess which exam better displays a student’s college readiness. Different students do better on different tests, so by taking both the SAT and ACT, students may increase their chances of obtaining a high score.
    “We view each test equally in the admissions process,” said Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Central Florida Dr. Gordon Chavis. “We suggest that students take the test that best reflects and highlights their academic strengths.”
    Although guidance counselors also advise students to take both exams, Lake Brantley does not offer a formal practice test for the ACT. Students take the PSAT, a practice for the SAT in tenth grade, paid for by the school, but they are also able to take the test in both ninth and eleventh grade at their own expense. In addition to helping prepare for the SAT, this test is used as a qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship.
    “Although both tests are discussed by guidance counselors, I would say that the emphasis placed on the PSAT earlier on in high school definitely makes the SAT seem more important in the minds of many students” said senior McKeila Young. “Several factors influenced my decision [on which exam to take].”
    Both the ACT and SAT cover reading, math, and writing, but the ACT also has a science portion and a career interest survey. Because of the additonal areas tested on the ACT, some colleges exempt students from having to take subject area tests on the SAT.
    “I love the ACT for the career interest inventory,” said McCall. “Students get back a summary of the ideas expressed in their interest survey so that they have an idea of what field they might be interested in.”
    The two tests vary not only on the subjects they cover, but in the time of each section, and how they are scored. The ACT gives students less than a minute per question, and has more questions per section than the SAT. Between 40 and 75 questions are on each of the ACT sections, while only 25 questions are on each of the SAT sections. The SAT is scored out of 2400 possible points, including the writing section, while the maximum total composite score of the ACT is 36.
    “I prefer the ACT because it tests on a broader range of knowledge,” said senior Christopher Pirillo . “I felt like it was easier because it covered science, which is one of my strongest subjects.”
    The ACT is mandatory for all high school graduates in 8 states including Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee. North Carolina plans to follow suit in 2012, and Alabama intends to do the same by 2013 but currently, Florida has no formal plans to make the ACT mandatory. 
    “I would love to have the ACT be mandatory [in Florida], because of the career interest section,” said McCall. “[But] we tell students we will not know which test you will do better on until you take the test. We always suggest taking both.” 

By SARAH SULLIVAN
   As of the 2011-2012 school year, freshmen are required to complete an online virtual school course to meet both high school graduation requirements and Bright Futures.  Florida State Legislature House Bill 7197 orders all public schools to implement the new policy for the 2011-2012 school year. 
    This bill, titled “Digital Learning,” states that all students entering grade nine this year and all subsequent future classes must take at least one virtual school course. Any virtual courses completed in grades six through eight are deemed acceptable, according to the Florida Senate. 
    “Starting this year, all incoming freshmen are required to complete an online course before graduating,” said registrar Joe Trybus. “The new policy is in effect now for freshmen; all public schools must comply.”
    Virtual classes offer Learning Recovery, which is the opportunity to retake previous classes or get ahead in the curriculum. Seminole County public high school students may take online courses via Seminole County Virtual School as well as Florida Virtual School (FLVS). FLVS offers over 110 free courses, including Advanced Placement. 
    “I think it would be beneficial for a student to take a virtual school course,” said biology teacher Lourdes Hilson. “It would provide an opportunity to experience learning in a different format or pace.  On the other hand, I feel that it might be difficult for those students who are not disciplined or self-motivated.”
    Although students are able to customize their pace of completion, a minimum of four to five assignments must be submitted each week to prevent eviction from a course. Foreign language courses require monthly calls to the teacher, including numerous verbal assignments and tasks, acorrding to the FLVS’s   website.  
    “I do not like the idea of having to take a virtual school course to graduate,” said freshman Casey Sutherland. “It not only demands extra time, but access to a computer. I would much rather take a class in school than online.” 
    This new policy can work in the favor of students who choose to take courses that are outlined by the curriculum guide as highly recommendedfor 4 year universities, such as foreign languages, speech and debate. Getting ahead in the curriculum by taking online courses is becoming more common among students.
    “Since two hours of my schedule are already taken up by BC Calculus, I decided to take honors US History online this year,” said junior Stephanie Elkin. “This way, I have more room for other classes in my schedule so that I can get ahead.”
    Students can enroll in virtual school full time and earn a regular high school diploma or enroll concurrently with classes at their zoned school, according to the online curriculum guide.  All courses offered by FLVS are NCAA approved. 
    “I believe that actual school is more beneficial than virtual school,” said Sutherland.  Being able to socialize with friends and teachers is an important part of learning that virtual school does not offer.”