Florida’s education system has another reason to brag, according to a new report from Education Week which shows the state’s high school graduation jumping 5 percentage points in recent years.
Florida had a graduation rate of 76 percent in 2013, an increase of 5 points from 2011. Although the Sunshine State fell slightly behind the national graduation rate of 81 percent, its two-year growth outpaced the national average by 3 points.
“This report is evidence that our hard work is paying off and Florida has made great strides in preparing our state’s students for success in college, career and life. I commend the teachers, principals, and students for their dedication to academic success, and we cannot let up.” said Florida’s Education Commissioner Pam Stewart.
Education Week’s "Diplomas Count" report takes a closer look at state and national data of 3 million high school students nationwide and analyzes their achievement levels, discipline rates, graduation and completion rates and postsecondary outcomes.
The report found the state’s Latino high schoolers have the same graduation rate as the national average.
Florida’s high school graduation rate has continued to climb over the last decade, in part due to an overhaul of the state’s education system implemented by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
When Bush was governor, he spearheaded widespread education reforms, modernizing a suffering education system by focusing on holding schools accountable and raising education standards.
Part of those reforms focused on honing in on fourth-grade reading levels, an aspect highlighted in the "Diplomas Count" report. On top of an increased graduation rate, the report also highlighted Florida’s achievement on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) test, which showed the state’s fourth-graders are outpacing the nation in both reading and math levels.
The NAEP success rate does not carry on as Florida students move on in middle school, however -- the reading and math scores for the state’s eighth-graders still fall slightly below the national average.
Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education said the results should be a source of pride for the state.
"Florida continues to improve on multiple measures of student success," said ExcellenceInEd spokeswoman Allison Aubuchon. "We should be proud of every gain our students make and acknowledge that our state's array of student-centered policies and our hardworking teachers have played a large role in these results."
Pam Stewart seemed boosted by the news, but said the state shouldn’t be quick to slow down on its track to progress. She indicated putting more funding into each student would help the state maintain its focus on moving forward.
“We must remain on this positive track,” she said. “I believe these results underscore the importance of the Florida Legislature making an investment of historic per-pupil funding to ensure we have the resources necessary to remain a national leader in education.”
Reach Tampa-based reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen
