SEBRING — Highlands County's Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores constantly trailed the state scores released Tuesday by the Florida Department of Education. Except for a few high points at individual schools at the elementary and middle school levels, the percentages of students performing on or above grade level on the math, reading and science FCAT were lower than the state-wide percentages. Statewide, 38 percent of the 10th-graders scored on or above grade level on FCAT reading, compared to only 30 percent in Highlands County and only 25 percent at Avon Park High School. On the 10th-grade math FCAT statewide 69 percent scored on or above grade level compared to only 62 percent in Highlands County and 49 percent at Avon Park High School. ...more

June 10, 2008

TAMPA PALMS - The school year has ended, but most students are waiting to find out how they scored on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. While scores are usually released before students end the school year, the Florida Department of Education didn't release the bulk of reading, writing and mathematics scores until this week. Schools alerted families to the release of scores by calling their homes with a recorded message. Families that want to see scores have two options: They can access scores through the state's FCAT Parent Network site, www.fcatparentnetwork.com, beginning 6 a.m. Thursday, June 12, using the secure login and password provided by their school. Printed scores will be available for pickup at schools. Families will not be able to get test information over the phone. ...more

June 10, 2008

Finally, Florida may have to honestly calculate its high school graduation rate. ...more

June 7, 2008

When Wimauma Elementary improved its school grade from a C to an A two years ago, a lot of the credit went to the school's third-graders. ...more

June 7, 2008

TAMPA - The Polk County School Board has received a federal grant of nearly $197,000 for school-based random-drug-testing programs, officials said. ...more

June 6, 2008

Twenty-five years ago, several advocates for children huddled at the University of South Florida to discuss how to better help children with special needs early on, when nurturing and stimulation are so critical. ...more

June 5, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Pasco County students continue to perform better in reading and mathematics than most of their peers across the nation, according to Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results announced Thursday. ...more

May 28, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Pasco County third-graders showed improvement in FCAT scores for reading and math, but their math scores still lag behind the state average. ...more

May 22, 2008

The state is reporting that a greater percentage of Florida third-graders are reading and performing mathematics at or above grade level compared with last year, according to the 2008 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. ...more

May 21, 2008

No wonder people are skeptical when educators claim some new whiz-bang program will help children do better in school. ...more

May 21, 2008