1

Florida Formula for Student Achievement:Lessons for the Nation

2

Florida Student Population

• 2.7 million students

• Majority minority student population

• Large population of students learning English as a second language

• About half of students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch

3

NAEP

215

212

215217

216 217

220 220

208

205 206

214

218219

224226

190

195

200

205

210

215

220

225

230

1992 1994 1998 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009

Average NAEP 4th Grade Reading Scores, Florida and National Average 1992-2009

National Average Florida

4

NAEP

40%

34%

47%

27%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

1992 2009

Percentage of Florida and National Average Students Scoring at the "Below Basic" level on the NAEP's 4th Grade Reading, 1992 and 2009

National Avg Florida

5

NAEP

60%

66%

53%

73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

1992 2009

Percentage of Florida and National Average Students Scoring at the "Basic" or Better level on NAEP's 4th Grade Reading, 1992 and 2009

National Avg Florida

6

NAEP

27%

32%

21%

36%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

1992 2009

Percentage of Florida and National Average Students Scoring at the Proficient level on NAEP's 4th Grade Reading, 1992 and 2009

National Avg Florida

7

NAEP

6%

7%

3%

8%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

1992 2009

Percentage of Florida and National Average Students Scoring at the Advanced level on NAEP's 4th Grade Reading, 1992 and 2009

National Avg Florida

8

4744

4038 37

3432

29 2826 26 25 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 18 18 17 16 16 16 16 14 14 14 13 12 11 10 9 8

65 5 5

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Combined Gains for All Four Major NAEP Exams for Free and Reduced Lunch Eligible Children, 2003-2009

9

10

11

12

53

40 4037 37 37

35 35 33 3230 30 30 30

27 2725 23 22 22 21

20 19 19 19 18 18 17 16 16 16

11 11 10 107

5 4 31 1

0

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20

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Combined NAEP Gains on the Four Major NAEP Tests for Black Students, 2003-2009

13

Florida Formula for Student Achievement:A Roadmap of Reform

14

Florida Reforms 1999-2011

• A – F School Grades

• Rewards for Results and Opting Out of Failure

• Promotion and Graduation Requirements

• Funding for Student Success

• Quality Educators

• Choices, Choices, Choices (charter, private, digital)

15

A-F School Grades

“What gets measured, gets done.”– Jeb Bush

16

Measuring Student Learning

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)– Aligned with state academic standards– Subjects: Reading, Math, Writing and Science

Testing expanded from 3 subjects in 3 grades to:– In 2001, Reading and Math expanded to all grades 3 to 10– In 2003, Science added to grades 5, 8 and 11– Writing in grades 4, 8 and 10

Performance Levels1 2 3 4 5

BelowGrade

Below Grade

Grade Level

Above Grade

Above Grade

17

History of School Grades

1995: Florida began “grading” schools:– High Performing– Performing– Low Performing– Critically Low Performing

1998: Moved to Performance Levels: I, II, III, IV, V

1999: Adopted Letter Scale of A to F

18

School Grades: A - F

• School Grade is based solely* on students’ performance on the FCAT.

• Proficiency / Achievement: 50% of the grade– Percent of all students performing on grade level

• Progress / Learning Gains: 50% of the grade– Percent of students learning a year’s worth of knowledge,

regardless of whether they are on grade level– Percent of lowest performing 25 percent students who are making

a year’s worth of progress

*In 2010, high school grades began including graduation rates, at-risk student graduation rates, acceleration rates, college readiness rates

19

Defining Progress

• Progress is when a student:

– Increases a performance level (example: move from level 3 to level 4)

– Stays at same level -- levels 3, 4, or 5 – from one year to the next (example: same level in 4th and 5th grade)

– Moves up sufficiently within the lowest two levels

1 2 3 4 5BelowGrade

Below Grade

Grade Level

Above Grade

Above Grade

20

School GradesEach category has 100 possible points (percent of students)

Reading Math Writing Science

Proficiency Proficiency Proficiency Proficiency

Progress(all students)

Progress(all students)

Progress(lowest 25%)

Progress(lowest 25%)

21

Sunshine Middle School

Reading Math Writing Science

Proficiency63%

Proficiency59%

Proficiency90%

Proficiency51%

Progress(all students)

66%

Progress(all students)

68%

508 points = BProgress

(lowest 25%)57%

Progress(lowest 25%)

54%

22

School GradesA B C D F

Points* 525 or more 495 – 524 435 – 494 395 – 434 Less than 395

Percent ofEligible

StudentsTested

At least95%

At least90%

At least90%

At least90%

Less than 90%

AdequateProgress with

Lowestperforming

students In Reading and

Math

Within one year

Within two years

Within two years

*Beginning in 2011-12, if at least 75% of elementary, middle or high school statewide are As or Bs, the point scale will increase by 5% for that school type statewide the following year.

23

Grading Florida High Schools Next Generation of Education Reform

In 2010, high school grades calculation also includes: • Graduation rates for all students• Graduation rates for at-risk students

• Graduation rates for 8th grade students entering high school below grade level in reading and math

• Acceleration rates (both performance & participation)• Number of students taking and passing Advanced Placement,

International Baccalaureate, dual credit or industry certification courses

• College readiness rates • Based upon SAT or ACT

24

Results of Florida A+ Plan

515

8451004

1447

1809 18021844

20771952

21272317

2044

677

401307 249

173 233 308143

299200 217 181

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Num

ber o

f Sch

ools

School Grades in Florida 1999-2009Number of A & B versus D & F schools

A and B schools D and F schools

Arrows indicate years when school grading standards were increased.

25

Florida Formula for Student Achievement:Results

As the bar keeps rising on the FCAT, students and educators have met the challenge.

Miami Herald, July 29, 2009

26

Florida Elementary Students

54 5660

6568 69 70 70

72 71

30 2824

20 18 16 16 16 15 16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

Elementary School FCAT ReadingGrades 3, 4 and 5

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

48 4951 51 51

57 5861 62

64

30 2927 27 26

20 1917 16 16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

Middle School FCAT ReadingGrades 6, 7 and 8

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

27

Florida Middle School Students

Dotted line indicates first year the first class of the 3rd grade retention

policy reached 6th grade.

28

Florida High School Students

3233 33 34

37

38

42 4244

39 38 3837

3332

3028

26

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

High School FCAT ReadingGrades 9 & 10

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

29

All Florida Students

47 4750 52 53

57 58 60 61 62

32 31 29 27 2622 21 20 18 18

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

FCAT Reading All Students Grades 3-10

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

30

Florida Students with Disabilities

19 19 21 23 2528 29 31 33 33

66 6662 60

5752 50 48

45 45

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

FCAT Reading Students with Disabilities Grades 3-10

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

31

Florida English Language Learning Students

11 13 1417

2124

27 27 28 29

7672 70

6661

5652 51 51 50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Perc

ent

FCAT Reading English Language Learning Students Grades 3-10

Level 3 and Above (On Grade Level and Above) Level 1

32NAEP Grade 4 Reading

33NAEP Grade 4 Reading

34

Contact Information

Foundation for Excellence in EducationP.O. Box 10691Tallahassee, FL 32302

850-391-4090www.ExcelinEd.org