Sarasota Schools Rank High in State

Several Sarasota schools are faring well compared to their counterparts across the state, according to ratings released by the Florida Department of Education.

Gifted and talented school, Pine View High, claimed the No. 1 spot for Combination Schools with High School elements, according to the state. Fifty-five schools are in that category.

"Floridians care about education, and it is critical that our students have access to world-class schools that will give them a pathway to a successful career," Gov. Rick Scott said in a news release. "Measuring each school's performance helps gauge our progress toward that goal."

Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson explains on his Florida Common Ground blog what the rankings show:

"Measuring a school’s ability to boost academic achievement helps ensure that we are providing a high-quality education for our students. Having the data available in an easy-to-use format allows parents, educators, and business and community leaders to view the information and make decisions about how they can be involved in education decisions in their local communities."

Here are the top schools in Sarasota, according to WWSB:

"Sarasota County

Top elementary schools (out of 1,795):
- 91st
- 105th
Cranberry Elementary - 110th

Top middle schools (out of 583):
- 12th
- 16th
Student Leadership Academy - 70th

Top high schools (out of 404):
- 119th
- 161st
- 174th"

The high honors don't tell the whole story, The Herald-Tribune reports:

"But critics question the value of a list that they say is mostly led by schools in affluent neighborhoods, or by specialist schools like Pine View that only accept top-performing students.

They fear it will give a wrong perception of how well schools are doing, given the challenges some schools inherently face.

...

"The rankings themselves don't really provide any additional information for us," said Scott Ferguson, Sarasota school district spokesman. "It certainly doesn't say anything about the quality of instruction. There are other factors like socio-economic and other factors that come into play."

The state Department of Education says grades are based on a combination of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, graduation rates, and a combination of other technical factors:

Elementary, Middle and High Schools:

• Points are derived from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) scores.
• The total score includes the sum of the percent of students:
  • Enrolled for the full school year who score at certain achievement levels on reading, mathematics, science and writing.
  • With learning gains in reading and math.
  • That previously scored in the lowest 25 percent on reading and math who make learning gains.

Additional Components for High Schools:

• Graduation rates.
• Student participation and performance in accelerated coursework.
• Postsecondary readiness.

Sarasota County Schools as a whole earned an A.