The school year 2008-2009 was the last group of third graders who attended class under former Superintendent Jim Paul. Escambia County third-graders did as well as the state averages in reading and math – in 70’s percentile. The FCAT test has changed and has gotten harder since then so the best way to measure their performance and any gains in the system is to see how the students compared with the state averages.
This year’s third-graders attended K-3rd under Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and his leadership team. New schools have been built, inner-city schools closed, principals reassigned and millions of Obama stimulus dollars received.
Their FCAT scores show no gains when compared to state averages and they actually are down.
Santa Rosa County kept its margin over the state average for reading and improved its math variance slightly.
State FCAT proficiency averages:
* 71 percent in reading 2014: 57
* 78 percent in math 2014: 58
FCAT proficiency Escambia County
* 72 percent in reading Variance vs. State avg: +1 2014: 55 Variance vs. State avg: -2
* 77 percent in math Variance vs. State avg: -1 2014: 49 Variance vs. State avg: -9
Santa Rosa County
* 86 percent in reading Variance vs. State avg: +15 2014: 73 Variance vs. State avg: +15
* 89 percent in math Variance vs. State avg: +11 2014: 71 Variance vs. State avg: +13