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<< Florida Education News Back Issues
Florida's SAT and AP Performance on the Rise Record numbers of students prepare for a post secondary education The SAT consists of three major exam sections including reading, mathematics, and writing. Each section receives a score on the scale of 200–800. For individual exam sections, Florida’s average score was up one point in reading (497), up one point in mathematics (498) and down one point in writing (480) compared to 2008. Florida SAT Report: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/FL_09_03_03_01.pdf
Florida’s AP Participation and Performance The College Board also released Advanced Placement (AP) results, and for the fourth year in a row, Florida had the greatest one-year increase in the number of public school AP exam-takers when compared to all other states. In addition to large increases in the number of test takers, the state also experienced a 13.7 percent increase in the number of AP exams being scored 3-5 compared to a 9.4 percent increase for the nation. Minority student participation is a primary reason for the state’s growing AP success. According to the College Board, Florida continues to have the greatest number of African-American AP test takers and the greatest number of AP exams scored 3-5 when compared to all other states. Florida also ranks third among all states in the number of Hispanic AP test takers and the number of test takers scoring a 3-5. ACT Results The percentage of U.S. high school graduates meeting all four of ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks increased slightly in 2009 as the pool of students taking the ACT® continued to expand, according to the not-for-profit ACT’s annual grad class report on college readiness. Nevertheless, the findings suggest continued effort to improve college readiness is needed on the part of states and school districts. Florida ACT Report: Five-Year Study of St. Lucie County Public Schools Shows Direct Link between Digital Learning and Student Success in Math and Reading Integrated offerings from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt helped to boost St. Lucie County by a full grade St. Lucie County Public Schools and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt today announced the results of an aggressive five-year campaign to turn the Florida school district into a world-class educational system by retrofitting traditional schools with twenty-first-century technologies. The study found not only student performance improvement in math and reading, but also a direct correlation between the amount of instructional time spent on interactive courseware solutions and student achievement in those areas. Over the five-year campaign, St. Lucie County moved from a C-rated to a B-rated district — just shy of an A rating, based on Florida's A+ Plan accountability system. The study tracked the integration and implementation of four digital solutions from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Destination Math, Destination Reading, Assess2Know test-item bank (A2K), and the content management solution Learning Village) into 31 K–12 schools in St. Lucie County. The targeted sample of schools, students, teachers and administrators represented the district's population demographically. In addition to boosting the district's overall rating, 80–90 percent of teachers reported that Destination Math, Destination Reading and Learning Village, coupled with regular performance assessments, provided effective technology tools to improve their teaching and student learning. Ninety-seven percent of teachers agreed that the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) model helped their students to master the content and skills taught in their classrooms, and 90 percent believed that CAI was effective in helping struggling learners. "The integration of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt technologies into the classroom has empowered our teachers and students to optimize teaching and learning and to positively impact student achievement," said St. Lucie County public schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Owen Roberts. "Over the past five years, St. Lucie Public Schools have implemented a suite of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt technology solutions-based curriculum in reading and mathematics that have significantly contributed to students' overall academic improvement — and with our continued partnership improvement, we expect to continue in the years ahead." Middle School Mathematics Education Pilot Project Launched in Pinellas County SunBay Digital Mathematics, a math education pilot project, was launched today in Pinellas County, Florida. The Helios Education Foundation and the Pinellas County School District are partnering with SRI International and the College of Education at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) in a collaborative project to set the direction of the future of middle school mathematics education for Pinellas County. In this one-year pilot, the focus will be on refining and evaluating the use of proven effective mathematics resources in select middle school classrooms. The Pinellas Education Foundation will serve as the fiscal agent for funding of the project. If funding is secured for future years, the project will be expanded to include more teachers and students. Long-term goals of the SunBay project include demonstrating positive outcomes in students' mathematics achievement, including their interest in continuing to take challenging mathematics courses. "Helios Education Foundation is excited about our investment in the SunBay Digital Mathematics Program in Pinellas County because it will help middle school students better engage in math at a time when it has the most potential to lead them toward rewarding careers," said Helios Education Foundation president and CEO Paul Luna. "This program marries innovations in digital curriculum with opportunities for teacher professional development, and we see that all working together to increase student achievement, get students excited about math, and put them on a path toward postsecondary education success." "This initiative will serve as a catalyst in redefining math education for our students," said Pinellas County Schools' Superintendent Julie Janssen. "We believe this exciting and interactive approach will better engage students and build their capacity to be effective problem solvers." The project will address the need for alignment and integration of curriculum materials, professional resources, and strategies that are known to work. The project will provide strategic recommendations for sustainable innovation in Pinellas County middle school mathematics education. The first year of funding has been obtained and the project intends to seek additional support for future years. "We are very pleased to see the SunBay Digital Math project get under way," said Curtis R. Carlson, Ph.D., president and CEO of SRI International. "The initiation of the project was due in large part to the vision and leadership of the City of St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, who brought SRI together with the Pinellas County schools and Education Foundation, the Helios Education Foundation, and the College of Education at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg." "Too many students ask the question, 'Why do I have to take algebra?' This partnership is a major step on the road to helping educators bring the real world into the classroom using 21st Century digital learning to make mathematics education come alive," said Terry Boehm, president of the Pinellas Education Foundation. The pilot project builds on SRI's decade of National Science Foundation-funded work developing curriculum that has been rigorously evaluated to show substantial gains in students' mathematics learning. Earlier SRI research has demonstrated success in educational programs that combine innovative mathematics curriculum with dynamic mathematics technology and teacher training. "Research has shown that middle school students are likely to disengage from the subject of math at the time that mathematics has the most potential to lead them towards a rewarding career in science, technology, or engineering — fields that are critical in today's innovation economy," said Phil Vahey, Ph.D., senior research scientist in SRI's Center for Technology in Learning. "SRI will lead the effort to revise digital mathematics materials that have been shown to be successful in prior work, and evaluate whether they meet Florida's needs." The College of Education at USFSP will continue to build on its 10-year collaboration with Pinellas County Schools. The College of Education's graduate program, with concentrations in mathematics and science, has trained the majority of elementary mathematics supervisors in the school district. The college is committed to teacher training that will lead to advancement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. "This project responds directly to the college's emphasis in strengthening pre-service and in-service programs in STEM fields," said Vivian Fueyo, Ph.D., College of Education Dean, University of South Florida St. Petersburg. "Given our strong partnership with the Pinellas School District, the opportunity to combine SRI's innovative digital mathematics curriculum and the college's expertise in mathematics education has created the ideal combination for achieving sustainable change. We are committed to preparing teachers for STEM fields and having our faculty members share their expertise on the topic with future and current professionals." Project Overview Fifteen seventh grade teachers in seven Pinellas County middle schools will attend workshops and monthly meetings focused on using technology-based curriculum units to teach advanced mathematics concepts aligned with the mathematics components of Florida's Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. The teachers will implement two technology-based curriculum units on advanced math concepts, and have the opportunity to provide input on how the materials can be refined to meet the County's needs. One unit will focus on students' understanding of rate and proportionality in ways that are important to later mathematics and to science and engineering studies. The second unit will focus on core geometry topics. These units will also incorporate important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and communication. Throughout, the project research team will support teachers' use of the materials and also gather data on the effectiveness of the materials and technology. The team will also conduct meetings with key stakeholders in Pinellas County to develop a comprehensive strategic plan with recommendations on expanding the pilot in Pinellas County schools.
About Pinellas County Schools
Pinellas County Schools, an award-winning school district, has been recognized on the national and state levels for its strong efforts and dedication of its students, teachers and staff. The district is located on Florida's west coast and is the seventh-largest school district in the state and 25th largest in the U.S. with a projected K-12 student enrollment of approximately 102,550. Pinellas County Schools is the largest employer in the county with more than 17,000 teachers, administrators and support staff. The district works collaboratively with parents, business leaders and the community to reach the goal of 100% student success and prepares students for success in college or careers. About SRI International Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. SRI, which was founded by Stanford University as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became independent in 1970, has been meeting the strategic needs of clients and partners for more than 60 years. Perhaps best known for its invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing, SRI has also been responsible for major advances in networking and communications, robotics, drug discovery and development, advanced materials, atmospheric research, education research, economic development, national security, and more. The nonprofit institute performs sponsored research and development for government agencies, businesses, and foundations. SRI also licenses its technologies, forms strategic alliances, and creates spin-off companies. In 2008, SRI's consolidated revenues, including its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, Sarnoff Corporation, were approximately $490 million. SRI's Center for Technology in Learning is focused on improving teaching and learning by conducting research in the innovative design, use and assessment of interactive learning environments. Within the Center, a Strategic Learning Consulting practice helps educational technology firms improve their products by providing research insights and strengthening educational designs. About University of South Florida St. Petersburg Established in 1965, the University of South Florida St. Petersburg is a fiscally autonomous institution of the University of South Florida. USF St. Petersburg is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award degrees at the baccalaureate and master's levels. With a commitment to excellence in research and teaching, USF St. Petersburg values faculty-student research collaboration, interdisciplinary perspectives, university-community partnerships and a student-centered environment. The College of Education at USF St. Petersburg, which is a candidate for national accreditation by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs recognized by the Florida Department of Education for accomplishing defined learning outcomes, supported by a foundation of applied research, and committed to meeting the needs of the community and the candidates it serves. In pursuit of this mission, faculty in the College of Education are guided by a respect for evidence, creating and extending knowledge by supporting research, and by the pursuit of scholarship. The College of Education seeks to prepare exemplary teachers and other educational personnel for roles in a diverse and changing society. It promotes life-long learning, is committed to stewardship that reflects the ethics of community responsibility, and continually strives to meet the educational needs of all learners. Polk County Schools The district's financial operations are strong as the district has successfully managed its previously rapid enrollment growth. Despite a $4.4 million drawdown in fiscal 2008 due to reductions in state aid, the district has realized surpluses in five out of the last seven audited years. Unreserved fund balance levels at the end of fiscal 2008 remained sound at 5.8% of spending. District officials expect a small surplus in fiscal 2009 which just ended and the fiscal 2010 budget is balanced with no use of reserves. Debt levels are moderate with above average amortization. The district's capital improvement plan (CIP) for fiscal 2009-2014 totals a manageable $320.1 million including debt service and is substantially smaller than in previous years due to a combination of declines in enrollment growth projections and reductions in property tax and sales tax revenues. Additionally, the plan is anticipated to be reduced further over the next few years with projects spread over a longer period.
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