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Florida Leads in Longitudinal Analysis The Data Quality Campaign and the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) conducted a survey in September 2007, with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about state data systems to determine the number of states that have built the infrastructure to tap into the power of longitudinal data. Similar surveys were conducted by NCEA in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. This website provides an overview of the findings of the survey in addition to a state-by-state analysis of the policy implications of each state's data system. Longitudinal data matches individual student records over time, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and into post secondary education. States are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to improve student achievement. But without quality data, they are essentially flying blind. Policymakers need to act now to put in place the policies and resources to ensure that each state has a longitudinal data system and the culture and capacity to translate the information into specific action steps to improve student achievement. When states collect the most relevant data and are able to match individual student records over time, they can answer the questions that are at the core of educational effectiveness. The Data Quality Campaign believes that there is a set of 10 essential elements that are critical to a longitudinal data system. Currently, only 4 states' data system includes all 10 essential elements. Florida is one of those four states. See complete article: http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org/survey_results/ Florida’s High School Graduation Rate on the Rise Florida’s graduation rate rose to 72.4 percent in 2006-07, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to last year’s rate (71.0 percent) and an overall increase of 12.2 percent since 1998-99 (60.2 percent). Meanwhile, Florida’s annual high school dropout rate declined from last year, dropping 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent, a decrease of 2.1 points since 1998-99. This year’s graduation rate is the highest it has been since Florida employed new, more accurate data collection methods during the 1998-99 school year. Graduation rates for African-American and Hispanic students showed the largest growth this year, increasing by 1.8 and 2.3 percent, respectively. The Florida Department of Education bases its graduation rate on data that follows every single student from ninth grade to graduation yielding a more precise calculation. Florida currently stands alone nationally in its practice of compiling and following individual student records to determine a true, four-year graduation rate. In a 2005 report released by the National Governors Association, Florida is cited as a national leader and model for calculating graduation rates. The latest annual decline in the state’s dropout rate occurred primarily as a result of continuing improvements by minority students. From 2005-06 to 2006-07, the dropout rate decreased for Hispanic, American Indian and multiracial students, with American Indian students showing the greatest decrease (improvement) in the dropout rate. National studies of dropout rates, including the one recently conducted by Johns Hopkins University, use a generalized methodology when calculating their findings. This approach only examines the differences between enrollment numbers rather than account for the actual enrollment status of each student. Florida’s calculations for the dropout rate factor in the status of each student. For instance, a student who transfers schools is not considered a dropout. FCAT Reading Lessons Learned: 2001-2005 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications and FCAT Mathematics Lessons Learned: 2001-2005 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications, provides educators with detailed trend analyses of student reading and mathematics performance in grades three through 10. The publications include summaries, observations and statistical trends that provide a comprehensive study of student performance by grade. In 2006, the DOE convened a task force of curriculum supervisors and specialists, resource teachers, school administrators and Florida educators to examine and review the DOE’s data analyses of student performance. The task force used these insights to draft observations and instructional implications to improve instruction in the classroom. To view the publications: Reading: http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/FCAT07_LL_Reading.pdf Math: http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/FCAT07_LL_Math.pdf Release of Five Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests The reading and mathematics tests for grades five and six and the science test for grade eight are actual tests taken by students and are no longer in use. In addition to the tests, the Department of Education released test answer keys, a fact sheet explaining uses for the test, a document explaining how to score the released tests, and Frequently Asked Questions. Released tests are identical to those taken by students, except for questions that will be used on future exams. Parents and teachers can use the released tests as additional resources to increase students’ comfort level and familiarity with Florida’s accountability measures. The released tests can also be used to illustrate the length of an actual exam and the variety of the questions, in addition to providing a “test-like” experience prior to actually taking a real test. Test questions are written according to specific guidelines developed by Florida educators and are designed to assess how well students are meeting or exceeding the Sunshine State Standards. Questions are reviewed and revised by teachers, curriculum experts and school and district administrators to ensure they are appropriate for the grade level tested. Each year, more than 500 classroom teachers, special education teachers, English language learning instructors, administrators, curriculum specialists, policy leaders, college and university experts, school board members and parents take part in the question review process. The Department began releasing full-length FCAT tests in the fall of 2005, starting with grades four, eight and ten reading and mathematics tests. As funds permit, the Department will release other tests in future years. The released FCAT tests, as well as supporting documents, can be found at http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatrelease.asp. Florida's Statewide Four-Year Graduation Rates - 1998-99 through 2006-07: A Comprehensive Assessment of Florida Virtual School The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) has released a white paper entitled Access and Equity in Online Classes and Virtual Schools. Online education is one of the fastest growing phenomena in K-12 education in the United States today. More than half of the states currently have some form of state-run virtual school, with additional state programs in the planning stage. Nineteen states have full-time virtual schools. Additionally, more than one-third of school districts have online education programs or make virtual courses offered by other providers available to students to address individual student needs. Michigan is the first state to require an online learning experience as a prerequisite to high school graduation, beginning with the graduating class of 2010. As with many innovations in education, there’s the perception that the innovation has a limited audience. These beliefs influence both program design and which students are given access to the program, especially since resources are generally limited in the early stages of new programs. Access and Equity in Online Classes and Virtual Schools suggests that online education is needed and appropriate for students of all grade levels, abilities and regions. Full report: http://www.nacol.org/docs/NACOL_EquityAccess.pdf Also see: Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning: A Review of State-level Policy and Practice SREB States Lead the Nation in State Funded Pre-kindergarten, But More Work Needed The Southern Regional Education Board member states lead the nation in providing access to high-quality, state-funded pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds, but a new report from SREB recommends that states take further action to ensure that all children are ready for school. SREB states are considered trailblazers in pre-kindergarten access and program quality, according to the report, Ready to Start: Ensuring High-Quality Pre-kindergarten in SREB States. In fact, the majority of all 4-year-olds attending pre-kindergarten in the United States last year were enrolled in the SREB region, and nearly all SREB states now offer sufficient access to pre-kindergarten for children from families with annual incomes at or below the federal poverty line. Research makes clear that high-quality pre-kindergarten for all children is worth the investment, the report notes. Children who are not prepared for school are the ones most likely to drop out, to find only low-paying jobs, to become unemployed and to face a lifetime of problems. The report shows that five SREB states enrolled 40 percent or more of their 4-year-olds in state-funded pre-kindergarten in 2006: Oklahoma with 70 percent, Georgia with 51 percent, Florida with 47 percent, Texas with 44 percent and West Virginia with 40 percent. Some SREB states serve very few or even no children in state-funded pre-kindergarten. Half-day programs and language barriers continue to make enrollment difficult for some families, the report says. Sustainable funding for pre-kindergarten also continues to be a challenge in some SREB states. To make further improvements, SREB calls for state leaders to focus on per-student spending for pre-kindergarten, better coordination of statewide programs for young children, teacher training and other actions, including the creation of statewide assessments of children’s readiness for school. To see the full report, including state-by-state details: Nation’s Fourth Largest School District Upgrades Voice Systems Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has awarded a series of orders to supply voice equipment and installation services to the school district. The value of the orders may exceed $10 million. M-DCPS is the fourth largest school district by enrollment in the country with approximately 400 schools, 50,000 staff members, and more than 360,000 students. |
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