Central Florida School Districts Improve Student Performance on FCAT Reading Mathematics and Science
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Central Florida School Districts Improve Student Performance on FCAT Reading, Mathematics and Science
Tallahassee, Fla., June 6, 2014 - Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today recognized school districts in Central Florida for improved student performance on state assessments in reading, mathematics and science."I applaud teachers and school leaders for their focus on increasing student academic performance," said Commissioner Stewart. "As we transition to new standards and assessments next year, I am confident students will continue to succeed."
- Flagler County improved from 2013 in five of the seven assessment areas announced today. Both fifth and eighth grades increased by five percentage points in science, while grades 6-8 increased in reading by four percentage points.
- Lake County students showed improvement from 2013 in four of the seven assessment areas. Grades 9-10 went up by three percentage points in reading while fifth graders increased two percentage points in science.
- Orange County increased in five of the seven assessment areas from 2013. Grades 3-5 had a four percentage point increase in math and both fifth and eighth graders improved by two percentage points in science.
- Osceola County is one of five Florida counties to improve in all seven assessment areas announced today, led by a three percentage point increase in eighth grade science.
- Volusia County had improvements in four of the seven assessment areas over 2013. Grades 3-5 jumped five percentage points in math while eighth graders increased by four percentage points in science.
Overall, statewide student achievement improved in most of the assessment areas released today. Compared to last year, students improved in reading by one percentage point in grades 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10. In math, students improved by two percentage points in grade 4 and one percentage point in grades 5, 6 and 7. For science, students across the state improved two percentage points in grade 8 and one percentage point in grade 5.
Next year, a new assessment based on the Florida Standards will replace the FCAT 2.0. The Florida Standards for mathematics and English language arts stress a broader approach for student learning, including an increased emphasis on analytical thinking. With the new and more rigorous standards, a new assessment was needed to measure student progress.
Florida's recent academic gains have received national attention. The Sunshine State jumped from 11th to 6th in the nation for educational quality in 2013. Florida has the highest graduation rate in the nation for Hispanic students. In the past decade, the number of Florida graduates participating in AP courses has more than doubled, and the number of low-income graduates taking AP courses has increased tenfold. And Florida's graduation rate is 75.6% for 2012-13 - an increase of 1.1 percentage points over the prior year and up five percentage points since 2010-11.
The 2014 FCAT 2.0 Reading, Mathematics and Science results are available at 2014 Statewide Assessment Scores.