School grades in Florida remained "relatively stable" in 2011, the state Department of Education announced Thursday.
More than three-quarters of campuses continued to receive A or B grades this year, with the biggest change being an increase in "A" schools.
The annual grading system, based on FCAT scores and other factors, assessed 2,547 schools:
1,481 earned an "A" (58 percent), an increase of 82 schools compared to last year;
458 earned a "B" (18 percent), a decrease of 33 schools compared to last year;
460 earned a "C" (18 percent), a decrease of 35 schools compared to last year;
117 earned a "D" (5 percent), an increase of 16 schools compared to last year;
31 earned an "F" (1 percent), a decrease of 13 schools compared to last year.
High-performing campuses receive financial rewards under the Florida School Recognition Program. Schools that earn an A, or improve at least one performance grade from the previous year are eligible to earn an additional $70 per student.
In 2011, 1,146 schools maintained their A, 23 schools that were not graded last year earned an A, 312 schools improved to an A and 187 schools improved to a grade other than an A.
Our teachers, principals and school district leaders deserve tremendous credit this year for answering the call of higher standards with resounding success, said Education Commissioner John L. Winn.
Over the last decade we have continued to raise the achievement bar to ensure our students are learning the skills they need to be successful in todays economy, and every time that bar has been raised our schools have redoubled their efforts to the direct benefit of children, Winn said in a statement.
But the school grading system, devised during then-Gov. Jeb Bush's administration, isn't earning universally rave reviews.
In a report also released Thursday, William Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center, found that "the policy of assigning letter grades to schools has been followed by a growing gap and greater inequities between higher- and lower-rated schools.
The Boulder, Colo.-based NEPC went on to declare:
"A great deal of money and effort is being spent to promote a package of reforms known as the 'Florida Formula,' but this policy push, led by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education, rests on overstated and ungrounded claims about the existence, extent, and causes of improved achievement."
In response, Foundation spokeswoman Jaryn Emhof said, 'The stunning rise in student achievement since 1999 -- as evident on national tests -- can only be explained by the reforms implemented through the Florida Formula.
"Since then, the percentage of students earning a [lowest] Level 1 on the FCAT reading test has dropped nearly in half. And minority students have made incredible gains. Florida fourth-grade Hispanic students are reading as well or better than the average of all students in 31 states."
Other national critics have questioned the validity of a school-grading system that issues a majority of "A" and "B" grades while FCAT reading scores remain lackluster.
This year's reading scores showed the percentage of students scoring at Level 3 (proficient) or above ranged from a high of 72 percent in third grade to just 38 percent in 10th grade. Scores generally dropped with each advancing grade level.
The Florida Education Association did not respond to Sunshine State News' request for comment.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
