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Pinellas schools weigh FCAT scores with caution
By KELLY RYAN GILMER, Times Staff Writer Pinellas County middle and high school students outshone their peers around the state in annual reading and math tests while scores for elementary students were about average. Fifth-graders beat the state average in reading, but missed the math mark by a point. In reading and math, third- and fourth-graders either met the state average or fell short by a point. In writing, Pinellas students excelled at all school levels, penning essays that beat out students around the state. Eighth- and 10th-graders had among the top dozen writing scores of the state's 67 counties. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores released Wednesday also tell 10th-graders who can graduate -- and who must sit for the FCAT again.
Only 65 percent of Pinellas' 10th-graders passed reading, with 77 percent passing math. Statewide, 58 percent passed reading, and 72 percent passed math. Pinellas educators had eagerly awaited the scores' arrival. The mind-boggling spreadsheets showed some minor gains and losses since last year, but beyond that, educators weren't sure what to make of all the numbers. They found their appetites whetted for the main course: school grades, which are due next month. "It's the old thing: It's too early to tell," said Robert Evers, principal of Forest Lakes Elementary School in Oldsmar, whose scores easily surpassed the county's. In previous years, reading, writing and math scores helped schools predict their A-to-F grades. This year, the grading system is different. For the first time, the state will look at the scores plus analyze individual students' "learning gains" -- their progress from one year to the next. Student learning gains will be released later this month. Plus, the scores reflect how all students performed, including those who have limited English skills or who are in special education classes. Those students' scores are not counted in the final grades. Without learning gains and clean data, Pinellas' director of testing wouldn't guess whether the county will continue its no-F's streak. "It would be futile," testing director Alex Epanchin said. "It's just pages of numbers." Campbell Park Elementary School principal Jim Steen is also waiting to draw conclusions. He said he can't compare his school to others in Pinellas or around the state when he doesn't know how many special-needs kids they tested. Campbell Park, which has lowered class sizes and added classroom aides to improve test scores, tested many. "This really doesn't tell us a lot," said Steen, whose school earned a C last year. "It just really upsets me when all the curriculum groups are reported. That really doesn't give a fair shot to the schools." Superintendent Howard Hinesley said his staff will use the data to figure out how accurate county tests are at predicting FCAT scores. Deanna Texel, the elementary reading and language arts supervisor, will look to see which schools need help with training or new programs. Joan Minnis, principal at Palm Harbor's Garrison-Jones Elementary, doesn't need time to figure out how the scores made her feel. In a word, fabulous. "Oh my gosh. Again?" Minnis said when she learned that her school, three times an A, had posted another round of high scores. "My teachers and my kids are going to be so proud of themselves."
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