Florida’s Big Bend - Florida Schools Improved Their School Grade during the 2015-2016 School Year

July 8, 2016

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Florida Schools Improved Their School Grade during the 2015-2016 School Year
~ Number of “F” schools cut in half since last year ~

Tallahassee, Fla., July 8, 2016 – Today, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released the 2015-2016 district and school grades, and the number of schools earning an “F” dropped by approximately 50 percent from 204 in 2014-2015 to 103 in 2015-2016. Additionally, 58 percent of schools that earned a “D” or “F” in 2014-2015 improved by at least one letter grade in 2015-2016. Overall, a total of 1,137 schools maintained an “A” grade or increased their grade in 2015-2016.

"Even as we have continued to raise the bar for student performance and implemented more rigorous standards by which schools are graded, Florida’s educators and students have continued to excel," said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. "It is clear that our focus on Florida’s most struggling students is paying off, especially in our ‘D’ and ‘F’ schools, 58 percent of which increased their grade in 2016. The great benefit of our state’s accountability system is that it constantly shines a light on areas that need improvement. I applaud the schools which improved, and I encourage all schools to pursue excellence persistently."

Highlights from Florida’s Big Bend include:

Gadsden

One school is graded “A” in 2016 and one school graded “B”.
In 2016, two schools improved their grade from a “D” to a “C”.

Leon

Thirteen schools are graded “A” in 2016 and seven schools graded “B”.
In 2016, four schools improved their grade from a “D” to a “C”.
In 2016, there are two fewer schools graded “F” than in 2015, leaving the district with no “F” schools.
In 2016, one school improved its grade from an “F” to a “C”.

Madison

One school is graded “A” in 2016 and one school graded “B”.
In 2016, there is one less school graded “F” than in 2015, leaving the district with no “F” schools.
In 2016, one school improved its grade from an “F” to a “B”.

Taylor

In 2016, there is one less school graded “F” than in 2015, leaving the district with no “D” or “F” schools.

Wakulla

Two schools are graded “A” in 2016 and four schools graded “B”.
In 2016, 75% of schools are graded “A” or “B”.
The district has no “F” schools.

Florida State University Schools

Both schools are graded “A” for 2016, maintaining their “A” grades from 2015.

Florida A&M University Developmental Research School

The school is graded “B” for 2016, improving from a “C” in 2015.

On January 6, 2016, the State Board of Education adopted revisions to the school grades rule (6A-1.09981, F.A.C.), which establishes the grading formula, to reflect major changes made to Florida Statute during the 2014 Legislative Session. Together, these changes simplified the school and district grading process and ensure that schools receive credit when students make meaningful gains toward grade level performance and beyond. The simplified grading formula focuses on annual student results important for students in elementary, middle and high schools, and removes provisions such as the safety net, which are now prohibited by law.

For more information about school grades, visit http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/.

Florida’s Big Bend - Florida Schools Improved Their School Grade during the 2015-2016 School Year

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