Is poverty really an excuse for poor public education

Earlier this week, Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas blamed the district’s low assessment scores on Escambia County’s poverty.

“Children in poverty don’t have the resources prior to going to school that students in school have. Not an excuse. That’s why we exist.”

Malcolm Thomas

Escambia County had one elementary school with 100-percent economically disadvantaged students that earned a B – Montclair Elementary with 391 total points, 56%.

Other Escambia County elementary schools with 100-percent economically disadvantaged students didn’t fare as well:

  • Ferry Pass 368 pts., 53%, C
  • Brentwood 366, 52%, C
  • West Pensacola 351, 50%, C
  • O.J. Semmes 340, 49%, C
  • Navy Point 336, 48%, C
  • C.A. Weis, Ensley, Longleaf, Myrtle Grove 333, 48%, C
  • Sherwood 313, 45%, C
  • Oakcrest, Lincoln Park 306, 44%, C
  • Bellview 296, 42, C
  • Global 293, 42, C
  • Warrington 265, 38, D
  • Holm 244, 35, D

Inweekly analyzed how non-charter elementary schools with 100-percent economically disadvantaged students in other districts fared – 373 schools statewide:

  • A’s – 21 schools 5.6% Escambia 0% of 17
  • B’s – 78 schools 20.8% Escambia 5.9%
  • C’s – 217 schools 58.2% Escambia 82.4%
  • D’s – 61 schools 16.3% Escambia 11.8%

Poverty does make education challenging for elementary school students, but 26 percent of the elementary schools in Florida that have 100 percent poverty are performing at A and B levels.

Has the district administration shadowed those schools to find out how they’re doing it?


MIDDLE SCHOOL

Escambia County has two of the lowest performing middle schools in Florida. Both Workman and Warrington have 100-percent economically disadvantaged students and received D’s.

There are 82 middle schools in the state with greater than 94 percent economically disadvantaged students that scored higher. One is a A, 10 are B’s.

District SchoolPoints %Total Grade % Minority% Economically Disadvantaged
CALHOUNBLOUNTSTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL55462A31.2100
SUMTERSOUTH SUMTER MIDDLE SCHOOL53760B31.996.6
TAYLORTAYLOR COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL52258B38.1100
MIAMI-DADETHOMAS JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL51657B98.895.3
MANATEEW. D. SUGG MIDDLE SCHOOL50156B78.3100
ST. LUCIEFOREST GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL49555B80.5100
LEEHARNS MARSH MIDDLE SCHOOL48854B85100
PINELLASLARGO MIDDLE SCHOOL48554B60.6100
HENDRYLABELLE MIDDLE SCHOOL48354B82100
PINELLASMEADOWLAWN MIDDLE SCHOOL48354B51.5100
LEONFAIRVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL48254B86.7100
BAYEVERITT MIDDLE SCHOOL47753C55.7100
OSCEOLAKISSIMMEE MIDDLE SCHOOL47753C91100
SUWANNEESUWANNEE MIDDLE SCHOOL47653C43.398
MIAMI-DADEHENRY H. FILER MIDDLE SCHOOL47553C98.996
DIXIERUTH RAINS MIDDLE SCHOOL47152C15.3100
POLKBARTOW MIDDLE SCHOOL47152C53.197.6
PALM BEACHL C SWAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL46652C93.394.3
ORANGESTONEWALL JACKSON MIDDLE46452C90.6100
MIAMI-DADEMADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL46452C98.497.4
PINELLASPINELLAS PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL46452C52.794.3
HERNANDOWEST HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL46051C36.297.8
POLKKATHLEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL45851C56.4100
LEONRAA MIDDLE SCHOOL45851C62.999.9
ORANGEPIEDMONT LAKES MIDDLE45551C76.697.5
OKEECHOBEEYEARLING MIDDLE SCHOOL45450C5997.3
ORANGELIBERTY MIDDLE45050C85.7100
OSCEOLADISCOVERY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL45050C91.4100
COLLIERIMMOKALEE MIDDLE SCHOOL45050C98.198.2
HERNANDOD. S. PARROTT MIDDLE SCHOOL44850C38.1100
PINELLASBAY POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL44750C75.2100
HARDEEHARDEE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL44650C74.9100
ORANGEJUDSON B WALKER MIDDLE44650C91.2100
ORANGECARVER MIDDLE44049C99.2100
DUVALLAKE SHORE MIDDLE SCHOOL43949C79.8100
LAKECARVER MIDDLE SCHOOL43949C55.7100
MANATEEELECTA LEE MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL43949C76.2100
ORANGEMEMORIAL MIDDLE43749C95.9100
BRADFORDBRADFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL43749C29.896.6
PALM BEACHLAKE SHORE MIDDLE SCHOOL43548C97.296.5
MIAMI-DADESHENANDOAH MIDDLE SCHOOL43348C97.794.8
LEELEHIGH ACRES MIDDLE SCHOOL43048C81.9100
PUTNAMC. H. PRICE MIDDLE SCHOOL43048C33.9100
BAYMERRITT BROWN MIDDLE SCHOOL42948C18.9100
LEEOAK HAMMOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL42948C81.3100
OSCEOLADENN JOHN MIDDLE SCHOOL42948C88.9100
PUTNAMGEORGE C. MILLER JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL42948C71100
ORANGELOCKHART MIDDLE42848C89.4100
POLKSLEEPY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL42848C71.8100
DUVALARLINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL42447C76.4100
PINELLASJOHN HOPKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL42247C75.8100
MIAMI-DADEBROWNSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL42147C99.294.6
HILLSBOROUGHMEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL41746C9294.3
ORANGECOLLEGE PARK MIDDLE41646C83.6100
PINELLASOAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL41646C58.996
POLKWESTWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL41346C77.6100
ORANGEROBINSWOOD MIDDLE41246C97.9100
DUVALALFRED I. DUPONT MIDDLE SCHOOL40845C81100
POLKCRYSTAL LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL40845C65.6100
DUVALFORT CAROLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL40545C80.9100
LEEFORT MYERS MIDDLE ACADEMY40445C89.5100
ESCAMBIABELLVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL40345C75.9100
MIAMI-DADEGEORGIA JONES AYERS MIDDLE SCHOOL40145C99.595.9
MIAMI-DADEHOMESTEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL40044C96.998.8
HERNANDOFOX CHAPEL MIDDLE SCHOOL39944C37.4100
MIAMI-DADECAROL CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL39644C99.495.8
POLKLAKE MARION CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL39344C90.4100
ORANGEWESTRIDGE MIDDLE39143C97.6100
POLKJERE L. STAMBAUGH MIDDLE38543C54.1100
DESOTODESOTO MIDDLE SCHOOL38443C58.3100
POLKSOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL38343C67.3100
MIAMI-DADEJOSE DE DIEGO MIDDLE SCHOOL38242C9995.8
LEONR. FRANK NIMS MIDDLE SCHOOL37942C95.2100
ST. LUCIEDAN MCCARTY MIDDLE SCHOOL37842C89.4100
MIAMI-DADECITRUS GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL37842C99.595.2
DUVALJEAN RIBAULT MIDDLE SCHOOL37442C95.6100
LAKEOAK PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL37442C68.6100
POLKSHELLEY S. BOONE MIDDLE SCHOOL37141C87.3100
PINELLASTYRONE MIDDLE SCHOOL37041C52.899.9
DUVALMATTHEW W. GILBERT MIDDLE SCHOOL36841C96100
ORANGEMEADOWBROOK MIDDLE36641C97.8100

High School

There are 40 Florida non-charter high schools that have larger percentages of economically disadvantaged students than Pine Forest and Escambia High but also have higher graduation rates and scores.

  • Pine Forest 447 pts., 82% graduate rate, 93.1% economically disadvantaged;
  • Escambia High 454 pts., 80% graduation, 86.7% economically disadvantaged
District School NameGradRate Points % Total Grade % Minority % Economically Disadvantaged
LIBERTYLIBERTY COUNTY  8869369A21.8100
MIAMI-DADEMIAMI SENIOR   8861562A9887.4
CALHOUNBLOUNTSTOWN   9161361B31.7100
MIAMI-DADEWILLIAM H. TURNER TECHNICAL ART 9861161B99.686.9
DUVALROBERT E. LEE   8559760B85.192.5
DIXIEDIXIE COUNTY   9757357B16.894.2
HENDRYLABELLE 8957057B7388.1
JACKSONSNEADS 8256256B29.488.5
DUVALANDREW JACKSON   9455956B90.3100
MIAMI-DADEMIAMI EDISON9155455B10088.1
LEONJAMES RICKARDS  9354655B92100
ORANGEOAK RIDGE 9454154B95.695
ORANGECOLONIAL 9753654B88.995.7
MIAMI-DADENORTH MIAMI SENIOR   8753153C98.587.6
MIAMI-DADENORTH MIAMI BEACH 8951552C97.487.9
MANATEESOUTHEAST 8251151C7788.8
PINELLASPINELLAS PARK 9350951C53.291.1
HARDEEHARDEE 8150751C70.890.8
DUVALTERRY PARKER 9350250C80.695.7
DUVALEDWARD H. WHITE   8950150C8094.5
MIAMI-DADEMIAMI NORTHWESTERN 8949950C99.787.9
DUVALENGLEWOOD   9149750C74.187.5
LEELEHIGH 9249449C8590.4
MIAMI-DADEHOMESTEAD   8449449C97.390.2
TAYLORTAYLOR COUNTY   9649249C36.9100
DUVALWESTSIDE  9648849C85.2100
PALM BEACHGLADES CENTRAL  8747948C96.795.6
HENDRYCLEWISTON 8047648C82.598.2
PUTNAMINTERLACHEN 8947447C30.8100
LEONAMOS P. GODBY 9447347C85.6100
DUVALJEAN RIBAULT 8747247C97.8100
ORANGEMAYNARD EVANS 8847247C98.697.4
PINELLASGIBBS 9146847C71.297.1
MANATEEBAYSHORE 7846747C73.893.8
HOLMESHOLMES COUNTY   8546647C11.696.7
DESOTODESOTO COUNTY 6946246C65.693.8
MIAMI-DADEMIAMI CAROL CITY 8546246C99.487.6
DUVALWILLIAM M. RAINES 9246146C98.6100
PALM BEACHLAKE WORTH8445946C93.791.4
ST. LUCIEFORT PIERCE WESTWOOD 9245445C80.986.8
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