She thought her school might earn a B -- or at least keep a C -- thanks to after-school tutoring, 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading and math instruction daily, and computers in every classroom.

Then she got a call Wednesday that had her wiping away tears.

Blanton and Gulfport elementary schools became the first in Pinellas to earn F's in the state's A-through-F grading system that began four years ago. They will carry that letter into the county's new school choice plan.

"F is for focus, not F for failure," Turner said.

The two F's -- and four elementaries with D's -- overshadowed what otherwise was an impressive report card for Pinellas. The county earned 48 A's, up from 24 last year.

Eight schools jumped from a C to an A.

Garrison-Jones, Highland Lakes and McMullen-Booth elementaries had reason to be especially festive: They are the only schools in the county to earn four straight A's.

"If I could market it, I would be a millionaire," said Garrison-Jones principal Joan Minnis. "But you can't just say one process or one initiative is the answer."

The annual release of school grades has always made principals edgy. But it takes on greater significance this year as Pinellas schools move toward a new school choice plan. This fall, parents will pick schools for 2003-2004, when the plan begins.

The grades announced Wednesday are the ones schools will tout -- or painfully explain -- to parents.

Superintendent Howard Hinesley said he has confidence in administrators and teachers at both Blanton and Gulfport, and will help them overcome the negative perceptions.

The test scores still must be analyzed, but Hinesley said he wants to get more one-on-one instruction for struggling students. Experienced teachers will visit Gulfport and Blanton to offer encouragement and training. Business partners might be brought in to boost parents' involvement.

What's frustrating to some educators is that the grading system has changed every year, making the state's standards a moving target. This year, the standards were raised. And for the first time, the state measured individual student progress.

By last year's standards, it appears Blanton's and Gulfport's writing scores would have kept them from F's. This year, Gulfport was 16 points short of a D. Blanton missed a D by two points.

Separated by 6 miles, Blanton and Gulfport have similar student populations. About three-quarters of their students qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch. Blanton has numerous students with limited English skills, and half of Gulfport's students move frequently.

"I don't want to use that as a reason (for the F)," Gulfport principal Sharon Jackson said. "When you're coming up with a plan to meet the needs of your kids, you should take that into consideration, but it's not an excuse."

Jackson looked pained as she discussed Gulfport's fall from C to D to F. The school has started initiatives to boost student achievement, but she said it takes time for test scores to reflect those changes.

Gulfport's school year is 30 days longer than most schools'. Tutoring is offered after school. Class sizes were reduced. And a federal grant is funding a transition to the Montessori teaching philosophy, which puts students in charge of their own learning.

Montessori is being phased in, starting with the lowest grades. That means Montessori students haven't faced the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The FCAT, used to calculate the school grades, begins with third-graders.

Until Jackson studies her students' test scores, she will not know what went wrong.

Lisa Stoler's two children like the small school's family atmosphere and individualized instruction.

"When people look at the grade, they're going to think that the teachers are failing the students," she said. "That has absolutely not been my experience."

Turner, of Blanton Elementary, is also puzzled. So she plans to study every student's scores to make sure the state didn't err.

She acknowledged recent challenges, such as 27 pregnancies in her teaching ranks that forced her to hire numerous long-term substitutes.

But Turner saw progress: Fifty-seven percent of kindergarteners started the year reading below grade level. In May, 97 percent were reading at grade level.

"What breaks my heart is the kids," Turner said. "They work so hard."

In one year, Octaverie Hall's older son has gone from three C's, two D's and an F to the honor roll.

"If I was not a Blanton parent, I would probably think, "I don't know about that school,' " Hall said. "But I am a parent there. The school is an awesome school. Lord knows she's tried."

-- Times staff writer Stephen Hegarty contributed to this report.

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