FCAT Results Released for Third Graders

BRADENTON -- Even in the face of more rigorous assessments and standards resulting from the transition to FCAT 2.0, a full 50 percent of Manatee District Schools recorded gains in third-grade reading and math according to Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results released today by the Florida Department of Education. Individually, the percentage of Manatee District third graders scoring at grade level or above dipped slightly in relation to 2010, according to the results released today. Just over 3,600 third-grade students in Manatee County took the FCAT this year.

In FCAT reading, 18 of 36 Manatee District schools recorded gains over 2010 in terms of the percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or above. The largest school gains in reading were recorded at Abel and Willis Elementary Schools, which both saw the percentage of students reading at grade level or above jump up by 10 percentage points. Wakeland Elementary registered a 9 percent gain in reading while Gullett and Mills Elementary Schools both saw gains of 7 percent in reading.

”The state of Florida is making a transition to more rigorous standards and we are all committed to raising the bar,“ said Dr. Louis Robison, Executive Director of School Improvement and Accountability. ”We are looking forward to analyzing the data provided by these results so we can give our students all of the tools necessary to reach their highest potential.“

As a district, the percentage of Manatee third graders scoring at or above grade level in reading decreased from 68 percent in 2010 to 66 percent in 2011.

In FCAT math, again 18 of 36 Manatee District schools recorded gains over 2010 in terms of the percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or above. The largest school gain in math was again registered at Abel Elementary, which increased the percentage of students scoring at grade level or above in math by 23 percent. Wakeland Elementary recorded a 13 percent gain in math while Witt Elementary saw gains of 11 percent in math.

As a district, the percentage of Manatee third graders scoring at or above grade level in math dropped slightly, from 70 percent in 2010 to 69 percent in 2011.

FCAT 2.0 is a criterion-referenced test that measures student achievement of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. The transition from FCAT to FCAT 2.0 is now being phased in, with 2011 FCAT 2.0 Reading (grades 3 – 10) and Mathematics (grades 3 – 8) being the first assessments to begin this transition. FCAT 2.0 Science (grades 5 and 8) will be administered to students for the first time in the spring of 2012. The proposed transition schedule for FCAT 2.0 is provided on the FCAT 2.0 website.

All Florida schools are required to teach the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, and the FCAT 2.0 will provide parents, teachers, policy makers, and the general public with an understanding of how well students are learning these standards. The best understanding of a student’s academic achievement comes from looking at multiple pieces of evidence (including test scores) collected over time.FCAT Results Released for Third Graders 

BRADENTON -- Even in the face of more rigorous assessments and standards resulting from the transition to FCAT 2.0, a full 50 percent of Manatee District Schools recorded gains in third-grade reading and math according to Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results released today by the Florida Department of Education. Individually, the percentage of Manatee District third graders scoring at grade level or above dipped slightly in relation to 2010, according to the results released today. Just over 3,600 third-grade students in Manatee County took the FCAT this year.

In FCAT reading, 18 of 36 Manatee District schools recorded gains over 2010 in terms of the percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or above. The largest school gains in reading were recorded at Abel and Willis Elementary Schools, which both saw the percentage of students reading at grade level or above jump up by 10 percentage points. Wakeland Elementary registered a 9 percent gain in reading while Gullett and Mills Elementary Schools both saw gains of 7 percent in reading.

”The state of Florida is making a transition to more rigorous standards and we are all committed to raising the bar,“ said Dr. Louis Robison, Executive Director of School Improvement and Accountability. ”We are looking forward to analyzing the data provided by these results so we can give our students all of the tools necessary to reach their highest potential.“

As a district, the percentage of Manatee third graders scoring at or above grade level in reading decreased from 68 percent in 2010 to 66 percent in 2011.

In FCAT math, again 18 of 36 Manatee District schools recorded gains over 2010 in terms of the percentage of students scoring at Level 3 or above. The largest school gain in math was again registered at Abel Elementary, which increased the percentage of students scoring at grade level or above in math by 23 percent. Wakeland Elementary recorded a 13 percent gain in math while Witt Elementary saw gains of 11 percent in math.

As a district, the percentage of Manatee third graders scoring at or above grade level in math dropped slightly, from 70 percent in 2010 to 69 percent in 2011.

FCAT 2.0 is a criterion-referenced test that measures student achievement of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. The transition from FCAT to FCAT 2.0 is now being phased in, with 2011 FCAT 2.0 Reading (grades 3 – 10) and Mathematics (grades 3 – 8) being the first assessments to begin this transition. FCAT 2.0 Science (grades 5 and 8) will be administered to students for the first time in the spring of 2012. The proposed transition schedule for FCAT 2.0 is provided on the FCAT 2.0 website.

All Florida schools are required to teach the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, and the FCAT 2.0 will provide parents, teachers, policy makers, and the general public with an understanding of how well students are learning these standards. The best understanding of a student’s academic achievement comes from looking at multiple pieces of evidence (including test scores) collected over time.