BREVARD COUNTY, Florida — The number of Florida high schools and combination high schools getting an A grade for 2012 rose to 231, up from 148 last year, in preliminary results released today by the Florida Department of Education. While the results are encouraging given the move to more rigorous standards, they include measures approved by the State Board of Education to ease the transition for the 2011-12 school year.
Brevard County Public Schools received and ‘A’ grade overall for the school district with 68% of Brevard County students receiving a satisfactory reading score, 67% satisfactory in math, 82% in writing, and 62% in science. Grades for each school are posted at the bottom of the article.
“I want to thank students, teachers, parents, and school leaders throughout the state for their commitment to academic success,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “This year’s results reflect both higher standards and temporary safeguards the State Board of Education approved to help smooth the transition. As we continue toward implementing Common Core State Standards and assessments, we will continue to raise the bar as we prepare our students for success beyond high school.”
In addition to higher achievement levels this year, the state moved to a more rigorous graduation rate formula for high schools and expanded the basis for college readiness measures, focusing on all on-time graduates. Next year, high school grades will include biology and geometry end-of-course assessments.
An increase in the number of A high schools and combination high schools in Florida is good news for school districts. High school grades determine school recognition funds, which reward schools that have sustained high student performance or have shown substantial student performance improvement. The Florida Legislature approved $134,582,877 for that purpose for 2012-2013.
While Florida elementary and middle school grades are calculated using assessment components, high school grades include both assessment-based components and other components, such as graduation rates and accelerated coursework. In addition, numerous changes were made to the grading formula, such as moving to the federal graduation rate and using more challenging measures of postsecondary readiness. The largest increase in points for assessment-based components came from overall reading gains and reading gains of the lowest performing 25 percent of students.
Statewide Florida Regular High Schools and Combination Schools
(Excluding ESE Center Schools)
| 2012 Preliminary Grades
(Pre-appeals) | 2011 Final Grades
(Post-appeals) | Change |
| School Grade | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage
Point Change |
| A | 231 | 47% | 148 | 31% | 83 | 16% |
| B | 154 | 31% | 223 | 47% | -69 | -16% |
| C | 89 | 18% | 72 | 15% | 17 | 3% |
| D | 14 | 3% | 25 | 5% | -11 | -2% |
| F | 3 | 1% | 6 | 1% | -3 | 0% |
| Total | 491 | | 474 | | 17 | |
Ten exceptional student education (ESE) center schools received Fs. These schools provide specialized services to students with disabilities who cannot be served in the general school setting. This is the first year that ESE centers were included in Florida’s school accountability system – a requirement in order for Florida to get a federal elementary and secondary education act flexibility waiver. ESE centers could either choose to receive a school improvement rating based on student learning gains or a school grade based on student performance and learning gains. Any school that receives an F is placed into the state’s differentiated accountability program, which provides targeted support to schools needing to improve the most. For ESE schools, field teams will include educators with expertise in learning strategies for students with disabilities.
Statewide Florida Exceptional Student Education Center Schools
Choosing to Receive a School Grade
| School Grade | First Year
2012 Preliminary Grades
(Pre-appeals) | 2011 Final Grades
(Post-appeals) |
Schools Choosing
School Improvement
Rating | 72 | NA |
| School Grade | First Year
2012 Preliminary Grades
(Pre-appeals) | 2011 Final Grades
(Post-appeals) |
| Schools Choosing School Grade |
| A | 0 | NA |
| B | 0 | NA |
| C | 0 | NA |
| D | 1 | NA |
| F | 10 | NA |
| Too Small | 16 | NA |
| Total | 99 | NA |
School districts have an opportunity to appeal high school grades through February 1, 2013. The results of that process will determine school recognition funds. To receive school recognition dollars a school must receive an A, increase their grade from the previous year, maintain their grade after improving two or more letter grades, or receive a school improvement rating of Improving.