Latest news with #schoolgrades
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
After 3 years with a C grade, Polk County school district improves to a B
After three straight years with a C grade, Polk County Public Schools improved its grade from to a B in the 2024-25 academic year, according to a report released July 7 by the Florida Department of Education. In the 2023-24 school year, the district fell one percentage point shy of a B grade. This year, it was one percentage point above the baseline needed for a B, scoring 58% of the total possible points. 'This is an outstanding accomplishment for our schools,' Superintendent Fred Heid said in prepared statement. 'We've been making steady progress every year, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our students, teachers and staff. This is why we always tell our kids that hard work pays off.' School grades incorporate up to 12 components, with five based on achievement in English/language arts, math, science and social studies. The state also measures overall learning gains, gains of the lowest 25% of students, middle school acceleration, graduation rate and college and career acceleration, the report said. Each component counts for up to 100 points in the overall calculation. The points are added, and then the total is divided by the maximum number of possible points to determine the percentage earned. Among Polk Public Schools, 14 improved their grades from the previous year. Two improved from an A to a B: Jewett School of the Arts and Winston Academy of Engineering. Five improved from a D to a C: Crystal Lake Elementary, Stambaugh Middle School, McLaughlin Academy of Excellence and Auburndale and Kathleen high schools. In February, the district received a one-year extension from the state to bring Crystal Lake Elementary's grade up to a C and avoid closure. Prior to this year's grade, the school was rated D for four years running. When a school receives either an F score or two consecutive Ds, the district must create a plan for improvement. A school that improves to a C is not required to continue with the turnaround plan but is monitored for three years, according to the Department of Education. See how your school did: View complete scores for all Polk County schools The state report listed charter schools, as well, which aren't run by the public school district. Among those, three improved their grades this year: Cypress Junction Montessori, from a C to a B; Hartridge Academy, from a B to an A; and Navigator Academy of Leadership, from a C to a B. Nineteen Polk public schools saw their grades fall in 2024-25. Three of those fell from a C grade in 2023-24 to a D grade now: Dixieland Elementary, Eagle Lake Elementary and Kathleen Middle School. Three schools fell more than one letter grade, from an A to a C: Chain of Lakes Elementary, Oscar J. Pope Elementary and Scott Lake Elementary. Among the charter schools in the report, Edward W. Bok Academy North fell from a B to a C. For the third consecutive year, no schools run by the Polk district received an F grade, and the district continued to lower the number of schools rated D. Five schools received D grades this year, compared with seven in 2023-24 and 12 in in 2022-23. Polk County public school students improved in 24 of 36 categories on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking tests in 2024-25, according to results released by the FDOE in late June. The tests cover nine academic subjects and levels: English language arts, algebra 1, algebra 2, civics, U.S. history, biology, mathematics, geometry and science. A higher percentage of students passed in seven of eight grade-level categories for English language arts, the state report showed. In math, Polk students showed gains in three of four categories and in three of six grade levels for algebra 1. Polk County recorded higher passing rates in all four grades for U.S. history and one of two grades for civics. One of two grade levels improved for science, while Polk County had higher passing rates in four of five grades for biology 1. 'We're very pleased with this year's results, but we're not yet satisfied. We'll use this momentum to keep improving,' Heid said. 'With that said, our community deserves to celebrate. So many people have played a role in this great achievement: students, teachers, staff, parents, guardians and volunteers. I'm incredibly grateful for their commitment, and so very proud to be part of Polk County Public Schools.' Information from previous reporting by The Ledger's Gary White was used in this report. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County Public Schools improves overall grade to a B
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Warrington Prep earns D grade again. Charter school at risk of closure
The 2024-25 school grades are out and Warrington Preparatory Academy received a 'D" for a second consecutive year, putting its charter at risk. Overall districtwide, Escambia County Public Schools earned a 'B' grade, and the Santa Rosa County District Schools received an 'A,' according to Florida Department of Education data released today. Escambia schools earned 16 'A' grades, 18 'B' grades, 16 'C' grades and 3 'D' grades. Santa Rosa schools earned 15 'A' grades, 9 'B' grades, 5 'C' grades, and 1 'F.' Find your Escambia County school grades at Find your Santa Rosa County school grades at Warrington Prep earned 41 percentage points this year but needed 44 to earn a 'C' grade. In 2024, the charter school was 2 points from a 'C,' earning 42 percentage points. Warrington Prep students may be moved to Escambia County Schools if the Charter Schools USA site does not earn a 'C' grade by the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. "With regard to Warrington Prep, FLDOE (Florida Department of Education) will make that determination," ECPS spokesman Cody Strother said on Monday. Warrington Prep opened in 2023 under Charter Schools USA, after operating as Warrington Middle School under Escambia County Schools. The school changed hands at the state's direction following years of poor academic performance. Charter Schools USA had four years to get the school's grade up to a C. If the grade improves from a 'D' any time within that time, Charter Schools USA will earn a 15-year renewal. In December, Florida State Superintendent for Charter Schools USA Eddie Ruiz announced the school would add a ninth-grade class in the 2025-26 school year. However, in April he said the expansion had been delayed. During the 2024-2025 school year, the school had over 570 students – 199 eighth-graders, 227 seventh-graders and 148 sixth-graders. Early this year ECPS Supt. Keith Leonard said the district would have a contingency plan in place for Warrington Prep students should the school lose its charter. 'We have to prepare for success whether Warrington Prep makes the C or higher, but we also have to be prepared if they don't. We have a plan in place, that if needed, we would be able to move forward,' Leonard said. Leonard said ECPS has the 2025-2026 school year to finalize its plan, which includes convening a school attendance zone committee and notifying Warrington Prep families of their options. 'We currently have three middle schools that could accept students from Warrington Prep,' Leonard said, adding ECPS also has seven elementary schools that could add sixth-grade classes as another option. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia Santa Rosa County Florida school grades 2024-25
The Guardian
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
End to school rating system could play havoc with house prices, says Ofsted chief
House prices in England could be put in turmoil by the government's scrapping of headline school grades such as outstanding or inadequate, according to Ofsted's chief inspector. Speaking at an education conference, Martyn Oliver said parents and schools had become familiar with headline grades after 30 years of use, saying he knew of house prices shooting up by £15,000 after nearby schools were graded as outstanding. But from November schools and colleges will be given more nuanced 'report cards' with up to 11 different grades given to each institution. Oliver said: 'We're about to take that away and change it to something else that for more than three decades people were used to. I mean, here's the burning question: what's Rightmove going to do?' Rightmove and other property websites prominently display Ofsted's headline ratings for nearby schools on their listing. After laughs from the audience, Oliver said: 'It's a serious point. Ofsted is probably one of the best-known regulators and inspectors in the world, let alone in this country.' Asked what impact the new report cards would have on house prices, Oliver said: 'I don't know but I do know that where I live … we've got two special measures schools right where I live, and the house prices shot up. They were both in special measures, both went outstanding, and the house prices went up £15,000 in a week. It does make a difference. 'Parents obviously put a value on it.' Ofsted inspections and gradings were criticised after the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry, after an Ofsted inspection downgraded her school from outstanding to inadequate. Perry's husband told her inquest that she worried local house prices would fall as a result of the downgrade. Doing away with headline school grades and bringing in report cards was a manifesto pledge by Labour at the last general election. From November, schools and colleges in England will get ratings issued on up to 11 different areas. Each area will be given one of five grades: exemplary, strong, secure, attention needed or causing concern. But there will be no overall or summary grade. So far, headteachers and teaching unions have been unimpressed by Ofsted's proposals, while Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, is said to be monitoring the results closely. The chief inspector apologised for the rushed nature of the changes and consultations. He said: 'The system was saying Ofsted needed urgent and quick reform. And so I chose to put something out that I knew would be just the beginnings, just the foundations.' Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'The mess Ofsted have got themselves into is entirely of Sir Martyn Oliver's making and it is disappointing that he has tried to pass the buck.' In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
