[Brevard County, FL] - - At the School Board Work Session held on Tuesday, June 18th, Tara Harris, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction (C & I) delivered an encouraging update regarding the preliminary Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) data for Brevard students.
The district saw an increase across the board regarding English and Language Arts (ELA) scores for FAST metrics; with all grades performing higher than state averages in ELA. Notably, Grade 6 students averaged 67% proficiency compared to the state average of 54%. Additionally, a substantial increase for Grade 10 ELA was observed with a growth of 6% in comparison to last year's, 2022-2023 BEST data.
Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell stated, “The increases in English and Language Arts are remarkable. Our scores increased in every grade level. Our teachers and students worked very hard in the classrooms this year and these results reflect that. Our entire community should be proud of these results.”
When looking at the Math metrics, solid increases were seen for grades third through sixth and Geometry. However, the preliminary data did note areas for improvement regarding Algebra scores. Curriculum and Instruction plan to address these by incorporating more algebraic instruction into grades seventh and eighth.
Harris further discussed the plan for corrective measures, by stating “District staff continue to analyze data and instructional practices to support increased student learning in math. Additionally, supplemental instructional resources were purchased through grant funding to support hands-on learning opportunities for students in Algebra courses and intervention materials for elementary students.”
Although these figures are still preliminary and no official data has been received from the State, the early indicators are positive. Harris highlighted, throughout her presentation, noticeable trends in learning gains and increased proficiency rates, attributing these successes to the unwavering dedication of teachers and staff.
Looking ahead, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) will convene on July 24th, for the state board meeting, to establish the metrics for determining school grades for the 2023-2024 academic year. The timeline for grade release remains uncertain.
However, with the current FLDOE proposed options, Brevard Public Schools is looking at favorable return on school grades for the 2023-2024 academic year. Depending on grading metrics used by the FLDOE, various schools across the district will see their school grades improve.
FLDOE has released three options for decision making during their July 24th state board meeting. Option 1 returns to the 2021-22 scale for the 2023-24 school year using the same grading scale for all school types. Option 2 uses the 2022-23 informational baseline scales for the 2023—24 school year with varying scales based on elementary, middle, high, and combined schools.
When running a simulation on school grade data, C & I referenced the two common metrics for school grade calculations by the state: Option 1 and Option 2.
With Option 1, BPS is looking at the possibility of 26 elementary schools earning an A, 4 middle schools, and 7 high schools. While Option 2 simulates 26 elementary schools earning an A, 3 middle schools, and 6 high schools. The high school numbers include our combination schools.
Within both options, however, only 1 to 2 schools in total will see the allocation of a lesser grade.
To view the PowerPoint of the 2024 Preliminary FAST Results & Projected School Grade Information utilized during the work session presentation, visit here.
For media inquiries or further information please contact: [Ryan Dufrain] [Assistant Superintendent to Human Resources] [321-633-1000 ext. 11200] [dufrain.ryan@brevardschools.org]
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