Pasco High Schools Make Gains in Reading Proficiency

Every high school in Pasco County has reported gains in the reading proficiency section of the ninth and 10th grade FCATs, according to the Pasco County School District.

“This accomplishment is particularly impressive considering the fact that the state increased the rigor of the assessment last year and increased the minimum score required to achieve proficiency this year,” district officials stated in a press release.

Statewide scores on the writing FCAT were so low that the. The writing test is taken by fourth-, eighth- and 10th-graders.

However, the Pasco School District exceeded the state average in reading proficiency on the ninth and 10^th grade FCATs, according to the district.

Fifty-four percent of ninth graders in the district achieved reading proficiency on the most recent test, 6 percent more than the previous test. Results showed that 51 percent of the district’s 10^th graders achieved reading proficiency, a 13 percent increase.

According to state stats, the average school district in Florida reported 52 percent of ninth graders achieving reading proficiency and 50 percent of 10th graders achieved proficiency.

"Our students and staff continue to excel in the face of significant financial adversity and ever changing expectations,” district superintend Heather Fiorentino stated in a press release. “This is a testament to their fortitude and unwavering commitment to excellence.”

The following schools made noteworthy gains in reading proficiency, according to the district:

• Pasco eSchool : 79 percent of ninth graders achieved reading proficiency.
• Land O’ Lakes High School (69 percent of ninth graders achieved reading proficiency 70 percent of 10^th graders achieved proficiency).
• "Anclote High School had the largest gains throughout the district in ninth grade, with a 14 percent gain," according to the district. 
• J.W. Mitchell High:  The percentage of proficiency increased at J.W. Mitchell High School by 24 percent. According state stats, 66 percent of ninth grade students at Mitchell Highin the most recent test, and the same percentage of 10th graders achieved proficiency.

The school district’s writing results were in line with state trends and reflected the “difficulty of adapting to new state expectations within a compressed time period," according to the district.   

Districtwide, writing proficiency was achieved by 77 percent of students in fourth grade, 77  percent of students in eighth grade and 86 percent of students in 10^th grade. The district’s 10^th grade grade percentage exceed the state average, according to the district.