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Schools

Grades 3, 12 are a study in contrast

The county's high school seniors did worse on the FCAT's reading and math sections this year, and most failed. Third-graders improved over last year, and most passed.

By MELANIE AVE and JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published May 2, 2006

TAMPA - While Hillsborough County's high school seniors struggled to pass the FCAT, third-graders made significant strides on the test this year, mirroring improvements seen statewide.

Just 15 percent of the county's 12th-graders who took the test earned a passing mark on the reading section, based on state scores released Monday. That's slightly better than the 14 percent state average, but significantly worse than Hillsborough did the past two years.

At least 1,183 of the district's roughly 9,400 seniors may not graduate with a full diploma.

"We have a way to go with our 12th-grade students," said Hillsborough superintendent MaryEllen Elia.

The bad news for seniors stood in marked contrast to the progress made by third-graders in math and reading - even as the district continues to trail the state overall in both subjects.

Scores on the reading section of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test showed that of the district's 15,000 third-graders, about three of every four are reading at or above grade level.

The percentage of third-graders who may have to repeat third grade dropped to 16 percent from 21 percent last year - proof of the district's focus on reading through extra tutoring and intensive afterschool sessions.

The percentage of third-graders reading at level 3 or above - on a scale of 1 to 5 - rose from 66 percent to 73 percent. Statewide, 75 percent of third-graders earned top scores.

"I'm glad we're still moving in the right direction," said Glenda Brown, Hillsborough's elementary reading supervisor. "Our goal is to keep it moving."

Of Florida's largest school districts, Hillsborough ranks in the middle of the pack on its third-grade scores, behind Pinellas, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Countywide, most elementary schools saw both their reading and math scores rise.

All three of the district's F-graded schools - Edison, Just and Potter elementaries - improved. Of the 11 D-graded elementary schools, only two - Foster and Graham - saw both sets of scores drop.

D-graded Shaw Elementary in East Tampa showed the most improvement of all schools, more than doubling the percentage of students scoring on grade level and higher in reading and math.

Shaw principal Gloria Kolka was in her office when her staff saw the results.

"I could hear everyone screaming and cheering and yelling outside the door," she said. "I visited all third-grade classrooms. They were making up songs and raps for me."

Just Elementary, west of downtown Tampa, also more than doubled its percentage of high scorers in reading and math.

"We are already talking about what we need to do to get higher scores next year," said Just principal Tricia McManus.

The county's third-graders did not do as well in math as they did in reading, though they improved over last year. The county had 69 percent score at or above grade level in math, compared with 64 percent last year. Statewide, 72 percent were at or above grade level.

The county's percentage of students below grade level in math also improved, decreasing from 35 percent to 31 percent.

Bryant Elementary, the county's most crowded campus, was one school that didn't see dramatic increases in third-graders passing the test, though its passing rate remained near 90 percent on both sections.

Principal Karen Bass said she already had begun looking for new ways to improve the school's performance. She also planned to seek ideas from schools such as Tampa Palms Elementary, where 98 percent of third-graders passed the FCAT despite having a more mixed socioeconomic population than upper-middle-class Bryant.

"We are high and should be higher," Bass said.

On Monday, the state released math and reading scores for the most critical grades, third and 12th grades.

Scores for the remaining grades, which help determine a school's letter grade, will be announced in the coming weeks. School grades are not expected until around June.

Hillsborough's high school seniors did not meet the same success that the third-graders did.

Most of the 15 percent who passed the reading section scored a level 2 - not considered proficient - with just 4 percent reaching grade level or above.

In 2005, 22 percent of senior test-takers in Hillsborough passed the reading FCAT and in 2004, 39 percent.

The results were similar on the math portion of the test.

This year, 29 percent of seniors passed the math exam, equaling the state average but missing the 2005 county mark by 10 percentage points.

School officials noted that the numbers taking the test are relatively small - 1,392 for reading and 536 for math. That's out of 9,434 seniors enrolled in the district as of April 20. Also, said assistant superintendent for curriculum Mike Grego, the district saw many of its seniors take and pass the test in the fall - numbers that were not reflected in these most recent FCAT scores.

"You have your most struggling students remaining," Grego said.

Still, he acknowledged the need to better reach the students who cannot pass the test despite repeated efforts, beginning in 10th grade. He said curriculum specialists will look at each student's results to determine his or her specific academic needs and how to best meet them.

Students must pass both sections of the FCAT to earn a diploma.

Elia said the district would continue to try to help the struggling 12th-graders, some of whom have taken the FCAT as many as seven times.

"We will be offering intensive help to help them pass," she said.

-- Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 2, 2006, 06:40:03]