K-12 Student Achievement Improves in Florida

The Sunshine State is moving up in student achievement.

According to the 2014 Quality Counts report issued Thursday by Education Week,Florida improved its national K-12 achievement ranking to seventhin the country, an increase from 12^thlast year.

Florida received a letter grade of "C" in K-12 achievement. The average state grade was"C-."

Florida received an "A" grade for transitions and alignment as well as standards, assessments, and accountability. The state received a "B" letter grade for the teaching profession. All three letter grades were higher than the average state grade.

Gov. Rick Scott praised the results, attributing Florida's success to "great work" done by teachers in the Sunshine State.

Todays news that Florida jumped to seventhnationwide in K-12 achievement is the result of great work by our teachers," said Scott. "Florida families depend on an education system that provides every student with a quality education, and thats why in our last budget we fought to provide our teachers with a pay raise and secured more than $1 billion in additional investments for K-12 education.

Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart echoed Scott's praise of Florida's teachers.

I am proud of Floridas teachers who have worked so hard to help their students be successful, she said. Their commitment and dedication is exemplary. Quality Counts is a respected publication and shows that the Sunshine State once again is an example for the rest of the nation.