Bevis Elementary Ranks Tops in State

Once again, in FishHawk Ranch has ranked at the top of the state for elementary schools based on points derived from FCAT scores.

Last year, Bevis ranked third-highest in the state.

Bevis tied with Melbourne Elementary School for Science in Brevard County with 722 points, according to the Florida Department of Education's School Ranking website.

"Since the 1998-99 school year, Floridians have used school grades to help assess the quality of their local schools," the website notes. "The school rankings, based on the points used to determine school grades, are part of the Department of Education’s ongoing effort to increase transparency by providing clear measures and metrics to help parents of school-age children, educators and taxpayers in Florida evaluate their local schools."

Schools are ranked statewide within the following categories: elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, combination schools that include high school grade levels, and combination schools that do not include high school grades.

Schools are ranked according to the number of school grade points they received for the 2010-11 school year. For elementary and middle schools these points are derived from FCAT scores. Schools are awarded one point for each percent of students in the school who were enrolled for the full year who score on grade level or higher on the FCAT and make annual learning gains (800 possible points).

Florida’s high schools are graded using the FCAT and learning gains components described in the grading criteria for elementary and middle schools (800 points), plus several non-FCAT based components; including graduation rates, accelerated coursework participation and performance, and postsecondary readiness; that account for 50 percent of the high school grade (another 800 points). The total possible points for high schools is 1,600.

Also scoring high was with 658 points, with 648 points, with 632 points and with 606 points.

ranked 13th in the state with 665 points while Burns Middle School ranked 53rd in the state with 621 points.

was the top-ranking Hillsborough County high school, ranking 19th in the state with 1,368 points. was 95th out of 404 high schools in the state with 1,224 points.