PANHANDLE SCHOOLS OF FLORIDA - ON TOP ONCE AGAIN

Just another reason, why businesses and others are flocking to the panhandle of Florida. Quality of Life. PERIOD!!!!!

Local school districts earn top honors again
The A grades were based on FCAT scores from elementary and middle school students
By KATIE TAMMEN
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4440 ktammen@nwfdailynews.com  

The grades are in, and the news is good. Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton County school districts all received A grades based on elementary and middle school students’ performances on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. School grades were developed in 1999 to help the public gauge how well schools were performing. Each school’s grade is based on how many students earn a proficient score on the FCAT. In Okaloosa County, 23 schools received a grade of A and two received a B. Walton County schools received nine A’s and one B. Of the 20 middle and elementary schools in Santa Rosa County, one received a B and the rest earned A’s. “My first impression was it’s working,” said Walton County Superintendent of Schools Carlene Anderson. “All the strategies … the performance appraisals, all the hard work is making a difference in how students achieve.” Each school district improved from last year. Okaloosa had five schools with B’s last year while Walton County had a B school and a C school. Santa Rosa had four B schools and one C school. This year was especially exciting for Maude Sanders Elementary School, which had not earned an A in a number of years. “They did some very specific skills strategies to make that happen. It didn’t just happen,” Anderson said. “They specifically taught to each student’s needs and that’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to teach each child.” For educators, the grades are even more impressive because not only was the FCAT more difficult this year, the scoring method also changed. For example, in order for students to be considered proficient in writing, they needed to earn a 4.0 score instead of a 3.5. “I think that one of the best accolades that you can give our district, and the surrounding districts, is that our teachers and our students did this in a year that the rigor was increased, the bar was raised,” said Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Alexis Tibbetts. Tibbetts and Santa Rosa County Superintendent of Schools Tim Wyrosdick credited teachers, parents and community support with helping ensure the students’ success. “The grade report today demonstrates the power of students, teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and partners in education working together with excellence as a benchmark,” Wyrosdick said. Grades statewide remained fairly stable. About 58 percent of the schools earned an A grade, which is up by about 82 schools from last year, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Education. High school grades will be released later this year.