Preliminary data released today shows that only 27 percent of all Florida fourth graders scored a Level 4 or higher on the writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Last year 81 percent scored at Level 4 or higher. The other grade levels didn’t score much better– Eighth graders had 33 percent at Level 4 or higher, compared to 82 percent last year; Tenth graders 38 percent, compared to 80 percent in 2011.
The Florida Board of Education has called an emergency conference call session for tomorrow morning to discuss how to deal with this huge decline in the percentage of students scoring a passing mark on the FCAT writing exam.
County and school results are not yet available. Last year Escambia County’s percentages of scores ate Level 4 or higher were below the state percentages in writing: 4th Grade: 74 percent; 8th Grade: 78 percent; 10th Grade: 76 percent
Writing was the one area Escambia County nearly as well as other districts in the state.
Here is the report.