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Middle, High School FCAT Scores Released
May 28, 2009
Middle and high school FCAT scores were released today by the Florida Department of Education. The following details how each North Escambia school performed.
Numeric scores are based upon the percentage of students to score at grade level or above.
At Ernest Ward Middle School, sixth grade students improved from 68 to 77 percent in reading and improved from 56 to 68 percent in math. Seventh grade students improved from 66 to 80 percent at reading grade level and improved from 73 to 75 in math. Eighth grade students improved from 51 to 61 in reading, fell slightly from 76 to 75 in math, held steady at 91 in writing and fell in science from 49 to 44 percent.
At Northview High School, ninth grade fell from 52 to 44 percent in reading and 70 to 66 percent in math. Tenth grade students held steady at 35 percent in reading, improved from 72 to 74 percent in math and decreased in writing from 86 to 83 percent. Eleventh grade science scores decreased from 40 to 37 percent.
Comments
12 Responses to “Middle, High School FCAT Scores Released”
Well, now we can finally see that the ninth grade teacher undoubtably wasn’t doing her job in math. Students struggled all year and learned nothing. Now what do you do? Parents after parents went to the school and nothing was done because nothing could be done because she was a transferred teacher from Carver. Can we do something now?
I am a teacher and think your comments are appalling. It IS not easy teaching these days, but we do it because we care about children. The teachers at my school are VERY professional and spend their summers improving instruction for YOUR children. FCAT covers the Sunshine State Standards, which is what we are supposed to be teaching in that grade and what YOUR CHILDREN are supposed to be mastering. The FCAT is not a difficult test if the child understands what is required in that grade.
Teaching is MUCH more that receiving a degree. YOU obviously have no idea. We not only have to put up with criticism from YOU that have never been in the classroom for more than Open House of parties, we also have to try to overcome YOUR LOW Expectations for your children. WE Teachers are trying to improve Education and society. We are trying to prepare your children for a difficult job market . Your children are going to need to be specialized in the future. I DARE you to substitute for a week. AND that does not require the awesome responsiblity that teachers have to TEACH your children. One Bad teacher does not represent the majority!
Jay–I agree, there would be some kind of test…..I am sure the FCAT is hard. I have been on the FCAT explorer —what I saw was pretty tough…. not to mention all the stress that the teacher’s and school’s put on the student’s—–It is a big stress problem for our student’s…..they are unable to relax and actually enjoy school due to the stress of the FCAT
Everyone needs to quit belly aching over FCAT. If it weren’t for FCAT, there’d be some other test to measure student knowledge, and then you all would be complaining about that.
hello northview heres your sign ! When multiple kids say a math teacher” for 9th grade” has toled them it is not her job to each it to them she just needs to get through the book ! have you ever-Even kids who have always done well were having trouble even asking her to explain to them. And GOD forbid you have a child who struggles a little . But as I explained to my child no matter were you go you will always find one that wants the pay check but not the job.
It is not the students,although some don’t try, it is not the teacher, although some don’ teach, it is that stupid test, FCAT. It is all that students hear from the time they start school. You see students who are excellent but can’t master that test. If you have ever read any of the passages or stories and then tried to answer the questions, then you would understand. It is a terrible test. I am not making excuses for any student because many do not try but the truth is that there is more to education than one test. The teachers are under so much pressure to teach “the FCAT” that most subjects are skipped to teach only what is on the test. Teaching is an art, so just because you have a degree doesn’t make you a teacher. Mrs. Green is right that teachers may be good teachers without a teaching degree. Going to college doesn’t mean that you are smarter, you just went further.
Yes, I have passed my certification tests in two different states. They were not intimidating at all because I was tested in my field. Therein, lies the problem. You are wrong if you thing that a middle school integrated curriculum test qualifies someone to teach any field. Does passing that certification qualify you to teach science, English, math? I don’t think so. Let’s see. Last I looked, a regular 4-year degree with the core curriculum only requires two courses (that’s two courses, not two years) in science, two courses in math, two courses in English, two courses in history. Do you think two college courses in any of those fields qualifies a teacher to teach in that particular field? Absolutely not. Most states realize how important it is to require teachers to have pure degrees in whatever fields they teach. The certification test is just icing on the cake and something that that teacher should be able to breeze through because the test is in his/her field.
The middle grades integrated curriculum exam does not qualify anyone to teach reading. Anyone who passes the math portion (I have taken it) knows enough math to teach middle grades math curriculum. Also, teachers without an education degree have to attend further training and are closely supervised. Some of the best teachers I know came into teaching through that program.
I did not come into teaching through that program. I have a M.ED. in learning disabilities and did student teaching practicums in TMH, EMH, and SLD. That doesn’t mean someone who came into teaching through a different route can’t be a good teacher.
Usually a student’s FCAT score reflects his or her ability, classroom behavior and attentiveness, and motivation. The teachers are teaching. Some students aren’t listening.
To the Doer: Have you ever taken one of those certification test? It’s not as easy as you think.
THE DOER, I don’t see anything wrong with the middle school scores. From the looks of it, Ernest Ward must have very well qualified teachers in order for the grades to increase in areas especially in reading and math!
Here is something that a lot of people may not realize. At the middle school level, any person with a four-year degree can simply take the middle school integrated curriculum certification test and then is supposedly certified to teach any subject area offered in middle school. A person can have a degree in hotel management, but as long as he/she passes that middle-school integrated certification test, he/she can teach any subject area. This is definitely part of the problem in middle school. This is a Florida thing, not a district thing.
I find these numbers to be rather shocking! William how do they compare to the rest of the county?
The science scores in particular seem to me to be a huge problem. 44 and 37 percent at grade level or above? They obviously are not being exposed to the material required.