. . .The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is crowding too much else out of our schools, which soon might be turning out students whose only real achievement is passing the FCAT.

The test's weaknesses were revealed earlier this year when it was found that many, if not most, of the people hired to grade it were not even certified in their subject area.

Davis, refreshingly, calls for ending the FCAT's chokehold on our schools. He would keep it as an evaluative tool, but expand the criteria for evaluating schools while dropping the dreaded grading system. He wants students who get their tests back to be able to use them for understanding where they are.

Crist seems to like the FCAT as it is, although under pressure has been modifying his stance, as he has done on a number of key issues lately. . .