Area Schools Awarded Top Grades, Bevis Third Highest in State

Today’s release of elementary and middle school grades by the Florida Department of Education gives area schools a cause to celebrate. 

At a 9 a.m. news conference with Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, School Board chair Doretha Edgecomb and two principals, the superintendent pointed out that three-quarters (73%) of the district’s elementary schools earned an A or B grade and half (51%) of the middle schools earned an A grade. 

She also noted that 25 schools improved a letter grade or more and 73 schools maintained their A grade.

These accomplishments are notable because this year's grades were based on student performance on the FCAT 2.0 test, which measures the more rigorous Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, according to a press release from the school district. What made the exams more difficult were longer reading passages and more challenging mathematics expectations.

Another result of the transition is the state “froze” achievement gains so that comparisons could be made. That affects the school grades calculation because schools earn points for achievement gains.

A-rated Bevis Elementary was third highest in the state with 722 points. A school  needs 525 points to earn an A grade, so Bevis students earned almost 200 points more than they needed to earn an A grade.

Also bringing home A grades were Cimino, Alafia, Stowers, FishHawk Creek and Lithia Springs elementary schools and Burns, Barrington and Mulrennan middle schools.

Lithia Springs and FishHawk Creek ranked highest in reading standards with 96 percent. Bevis Elementary earned 98 percent in math standards. Bevis also ranked 99 percent in writing and 91 percent in science.

High school grades will be released in November, when additional grade components are added. These include graduation rates, college readiness rates, and rigorous college and career readiness coursework completion.