Mitchell High Gets an A

Some Pasco County high school principals and teachers had a reason to celebrate at the end of 2012.

The education department released the preliminary grades Friday, Dec. 21, showing that Florida high schools receiving an A grade rose to 231 from 148 schools last year.

The improvement comes despite higher standards imposed on the state's high school students, Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said.

"This year's results reflect both higher standards and temporary safeguards the state Board of Education approved to help smooth the transition as we continue toward implementing Common Core State Standards and assessments," she said.

Three Pasco County high schools received grades: Mitchell High, Wiregrass High and Land O' Lakes High. In West Pasco, Gulf High stayed at a B grade. Ridgewood rose to a B grade from a C grade. Anclote High remained at a B. River Ridge fell from an A to a B.

Find the full list of list of preliminary grades for Pasco County schools at the Department of Education website.  

The high school grades are released later than elementary and middle because factors other than test scores – such as graduation rates and accelerated courses – are figured into the grades. The elementary and middle school grades were announced in July.

For the first time, the state assigned school grades to exceptional student education centers in a new and controversial way. The state gave districts a choice to either allow ESE centers to be graded like any other school or allow the district to opt out of grading ESE centers. In the latter case, the students' performance would count toward the traditional school they would have otherwise attended.

In addition to higher achievement levels this year, the state moved to a more rigorous graduation rate formula for high schools and expanded the basis for college readiness measures, focusing on all on-time graduates. Next year, high school grades will include biology and geometry end-of-course assessments.