I caught up with Dr. Eddie Ruiz, the Florida superintendent for Charter Schools USA, which operates Warrington Preparatory Academy.
Charter Schools USA, is challenging its the middle school’s “D” grade through an appeal process after discovering significant discrepancies in how students were counted toward their accountability metrics. The school’s leadership believes they have a strong case to improve their rating to a “C” grade.
The Numbers Game
Ruiz explained that the school initially received a score of 41%, falling short of the 45% needed for a “C” grade. However, upon closer examination of the data, the school discovered that 48 students who were not actually educated at their facility were being counted against their performance metrics.
These “tie-back” students represent a common challenge for traditional and charter schools. As Ruiz explained, students who are zoned to Warrington Prep but placed in alternative educational settings due to behavioral issues, court mandates, or other circumstances still have their test scores attributed to the charter school, even though they receive their education elsewhere.
The Appeal Process
The school conducted a meticulous review of their data, examining each of the eight performance buckets student by student. When the misallocated students were removed from the calculations, particularly those in the lower 25% performance categories, the school’s scores improved significantly enough to potentially reach the threshold for a “C” grade.
The appeal was filed directly with the Florida Department of Education under a streamlined process that bypasses the district level. Former Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz has expressed to me confidence that the school has a viable case for its appeal.
Looking Forward
Despite the grade challenges, Warrington Prep Academy continues to invest in improvements. The school has implemented professional development programs, brought in educational experts, and maintained high expectations under new leadership. While they’ve had to delay their high school expansion by one year to ensure quality implementation, the administration remains committed to the school’s mission.
The appeal decision is expected within days, with school officials expressing cautious optimism about the outcome.