FCAT: Most Sarasota Elementary, Middle Schools Receive A's, B's

aren't sweating scores released by the state Florida Department of Education today. 

No elementary or middle school received a D or F letter grade in the county for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, according to results released Wednesday afternoon.

"We are pleased with the school grades overall, particularly in light of the more rigorous standards and cut scores,” said Superintendent Lori White in a statement. “Our dedicated teachers and administrators will continue to work hard to ensure that all our students continue to achieve at the highest possible levels on the FCAT and other performance measures.”    

The state increased standards for this new version of the FCAT 2.0 and in Sarasota County, 37 of the 39 Sarasota County traditional and charter elementary and middle schools, or 95 percent, received A or B grades for the 2011-12 school year. Five of the eight elementary and middle charter schools retained the same A grade as last year, according to the school district.

(For a complete list of school grades see the PDF above. Type your school's name in the search box below the PDF to find the scores.)

Among those elementary schools: 

• 20 of 23 elementary schools received an A

• 4 elementary schools earned higher grades this year compared to 2011 ( being the only one from Sarasota going from B to A)

• and decreased from an A to a B score

Among middle schools:

• 5 of seven middle schools earned an A

• went from a B to a C

• decreased from A to B.

Among charter schools:

• Suncoast School for Innovative Studies decreased from an A to a B. 

• Imagine School at Palmer Ranch in Sarasota rose to an A.  

Gov. Rick Scott praised the higher standards set in the FCAT 2.0.

“As part of our ongoing accountability efforts, we’re constantly reviewing the level of and kinds of testing occurring in our classrooms," Scott said in a statement. "Our goal is to make sure we’re not testing for testing’s sake, but working to ensure our students are prepared for college and the workforce.  Common Core assessments are an example of that kind of tool.

“It is never easy to raise the standards for excellence in education.  This year is no exception.  But every time we raise the expectations of our students and teachers, they ultimately get better in later years.  Simply put, raising the bar works."

The school district says that school grades for most high schools and some schools that have middle and high school grade levels in one roof are pending until the new high school accountability component is calculated.

Fifty percent of the grade for schools in those categories will be based on the FCAT component, according to the school district, and 50 percent will be based on new components, including graduation rate, participation and performance in advanced courses, and college readiness.