Florida FAST Testing 2026–27: What St. Johns County Parents Need to Know About PM1

The first few weeks of school are filled with new teachers, new schedules, and new routines. For Florida students, they also bring the first round of FAST testing for the 2026–27 school year.

When your child’s results arrive, you may see terms like PM1, scale score, achievement level, FAST ELA, or FAST Math. It can be a lot of information to take in, especially when all you really want to know is:

Is my child where they need to be, and what can I do to help?

At Tutoring Club of Johns Creek (CR 210), we encourage parents to think of PM1 as a starting point. The results can help you better understand your child’s academic strengths, recognize areas that may need additional attention, and make informed decisions about support throughout the school year.

What Is the Florida FAST Test?

F.A.S.T stands for the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking. It is Florida’s progress-monitoring assessment system and is aligned with the state’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards.

FAST measures student performance in ELA Reading through grade 10 and Mathematics through grade 8.

Instead of relying on one assessment at the end of the school year, FAST gives families and educators three opportunities to look at student progress:

• PM1 – Beginning of the year: Provides a starting point for the school year.
• PM2 – Middle of the year: Helps measure progress after several months of instruction.
• PM3 – End of the year: Measures student achievement after a full year of grade-level instruction.

Looking at these results together can help parents see not only where their child is performing, but also how they are growing throughout the year.

When Is FAST PM1 for the 2026–27 School Year?

For the 2026–27 school year, Florida’s PM1 testing window for grades 3–10 ELA Reading and grades 3–8 Mathematics runs from August 10 through September 25, 2026.

Individual schools choose their testing dates within the state’s testing window, so St. Johns County families should check their school’s calendar and communications for specific dates.

What Does Your Child’s PM1 Score Mean?

One of the most important things to remember about PM1 is that it happens at the beginning of the school year.

Your child has only recently entered a new grade and has not yet received a full year of instruction on that grade’s standards.

That is why we encourage parents to look at PM1 as a starting point rather than a final judgment of a child’s abilities.

When you receive the results, instead of focusing only on the level, consider asking:

What does this tell me about my child’s strengths, and are there skills that may need some additional support?

That question can help turn a test score into useful information.

Understanding the Five FAST Achievement Levels

FAST results are reported using five achievement levels.

Level 1: The student may need significant additional academic support.

Level 2: The student is developing skills but is not yet demonstrating grade-level performance.

Level 3: The student is performing on grade level.

Level 4: The student is demonstrating strong performance.

Level 5: The student is demonstrating the highest level of performance measured by the assessment.

Parents may also see a scale score and information about performance in specific reporting areas.

All of this information can help provide a more complete picture of your child’s performance. One number alone rarely tells the entire story.

Looking Beyond the FAST Score

If your child receives a Level 1 or Level 2, it is completely understandable to be concerned.

The next step is figuring out where your child is having difficulty.

Students can receive similar overall scores while struggling with very different skills.

For example, a child who is having difficulty with ELA Reading may need additional support with:

• phonics and decoding
• reading fluency
• vocabulary
• reading comprehension
• identifying key ideas and details
• understanding more complex text

In math, a student may have gaps in areas such as foundational computation, fractions, problem solving, algebraic thinking, or skills introduced in previous grades.

Understanding the skills behind the score can help parents and educators determine what kind of support may be most helpful.

What Can Parents Do After Receiving PM1 Results?

1. Consider What You’re Seeing at Home

Think about whether the results match what you have been noticing.

Does homework seem to take longer than expected?

Does your child avoid reading?

Are basic math skills making new concepts more difficult?

Does your child understand the material during homework but have difficulty showing what they know on a test?

Sometimes PM1 confirms something a parent has already been noticing. Other times, the results may come as a surprise.

Either way, they give you an opportunity to ask questions early in the school year.

2. Talk With Your Child’s Teacher

Your child’s teacher can provide important context.

Ask whether the FAST results match what they are seeing in the classroom and whether there are particular skills they recommend practicing or monitoring.

FAST is one piece of the picture. Classroom work, teacher observations, grades, and what you see at home all provide valuable information as well.

3. Give Your Child Time to Grow—But Pay Attention to Significant Gaps

Not every lower PM1 score means a child immediately needs tutoring.

Students are at the beginning of a new grade, and growth is expected throughout the year.

However, if the results show significant gaps and you are also seeing academic frustration at home or hearing similar concerns from the teacher, addressing those areas earlier can give your child more time to build the skills they need.

4. Consider an Academic Assessment

Sometimes parents want more information than a FAST score alone can provide.

An academic assessment can help identify specific strengths and learning gaps and give families a clearer understanding of where additional support may be beneficial.

At Tutoring Club of Johns Creek, we begin with an assessment so we can get to know the student academically and develop an individualized plan to help them strengthen skills, make progress, and build confidence.

Flynn’s Story: What Can Happen When Students Receive the Right Support

One of our students, Flynn, is a wonderful example of why we encourage parents not to let one FAST score define what they believe their child can accomplish.

Flynn came to Tutoring Club after scoring a Level 1 on the FAST ELA assessment.

His score gave us a starting point.

From there, Flynn received personalized tutoring focused on building his reading skills and supporting his academic growth.

And he worked hard.

Just six weeks later, Flynn was only two points away from reaching a Level 4 on his FAST ELA assessment.

We were incredibly proud of his progress.

Of course, every student is different, and every student’s timeline for growth will be different. Flynn’s results are his own. But his story is a wonderful reminder that a beginning score does not have to determine where a student finishes.

For us, the most meaningful part isn’t simply seeing a number change.

It is watching a student begin to experience success, strengthen skills, and develop greater confidence in what they can do.

Way to go, Flynn!

Why Addressing Learning Gaps Early Can Help

Academic skills build on one another.

When students have gaps from previous grades, learning new material can sometimes become more difficult.

A student may be working on grade-level reading comprehension while still needing help with vocabulary or fluency. A math student may be learning a new concept while still working to master a foundational skill needed to understand it.

This doesn’t mean a student isn’t capable.

It simply means there may be skills that need more time, practice, or instruction.

Finding those areas early in the school year gives students more time to strengthen their foundation while continuing to learn new material in the classroom.

PM1 Is a Starting Point

Whether your child’s PM1 result is a Level 1 or a Level 5, the goal is continued growth.

PM1 shows where your child is beginning.

PM2 gives you another opportunity to look at progress.

PM3 shows where your child finishes after a year of instruction.

Parents don’t need to become testing experts. What matters is understanding enough about the results to ask questions, recognize when your child may need support, and celebrate the progress they make along the way.

Have Questions About Your Child’s FAST PM1 Results?

If you’re concerned about your child’s PM1 results or simply want a better understanding of their academic skills, Tutoring Club of Johns Creek (CR 210) is here to help.

We provide individualized tutoring in reading help, math, writing, study skills, and test preparation for students throughout the St. Johns County area.

We begin by identifying your student’s strengths and learning gaps so we can create an individualized plan to help them build skills, make progress, and grow in confidence.

Give your student a strong start. Schedule an academic assessment today.