Schools and Education Manatee High Schools Show Improvement in Accountability Grades

BRADENTON -- Three Manatee District high schools earned A grades for the 2011-2012 school year; four of seven high schools raised their school grades from the previous year; and for the first time in five years, all Manatee District high schools earned a C grade or better, according to High School Accountability Grades released today by the Florida Department of Education.

Braden River High, Lakewood Ranch High and Manatee High all earned A grades. Manatee High maintained its A grade from the previous year, while Braden River and Lakewood Ranch High Schools raised their grades from a B in 2011 to an A in 2012.

In addition, Bayshore High raised its grade from a C to a B, and Palmetto High raised its grade from a D to a C. Southeast High School maintained a B grade this year, while Manatee School for the Arts slipped from an A grade to a B.

Florida’s High School Accountability system grades schools based not only on student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), but also on their ability to graduate students, increase student participation and performance in advanced coursework, and better prepare students for college and career. Under the requirements, 50 percent of a high school’s grade is based on the performance of their students on the FCAT 2.0/End of Course (EOC) Assessments, and the remaining 50 percent is based on factors that include the following:

• The school’s graduation rate.

• The performance and participation of students in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Enrollment, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), and industry certification.

• The postsecondary readiness of the students as measured by the SAT, ACT, or College Placement Test (CPT).

• The high school graduation rate of at-risk students.

• Growth or decline in these data components from year to year.

50% of grade based on FCAT components, up to 800 points possible. 50% of grade based on new high school components, up to 800 points possible. A combined 1600 total points possible.

Grade Scale

A >= 1050
B 990 to 1049
C 870 to 989
D 790 to 869
F < 790