Keys to Closing the Gap in Florida:Accountability, Technical Assistance, and Targeted Resources

Presentation to the National Governors’ AssociationJohn L. Winn, Assistant Secretary

Florida Board of Education

Fundamental Premise

Every child can learn and

no child should be left behind.

Florida’s Emphasis

Accountability Technical Assistance Targeted Resources

Accountability

Measure Annual Student Learning Grade Schools and Report Progress Eliminate Social Promotion

Annual Learning Gains

Measures student progress from year to year

Provides a diagnostic tool for addressing the needs of individual learners

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Grades 3-10 Assessment program includes both

criterion- and norm-referenced components

Data used to report educational status and annual progress for individual students, schools, districts, and the state

FCAT 1999-2001: Mean Scores

Mathematics

Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 10

1999 2001 1999 2001 1999 2001

White 318 331 313 325 320 336

Black 273 283 260 276 280 293

Hispanic 292 305 284 296 297 311

Asian 329 346 327 339 331 348

Native Am. 309 320 301 313 308 329

Multiracial 313 323 299 316 309 328

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

1999

2000

2001

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Percentages of Black Students in FCAT Levels 1-5 Grade 5 Mathematics

1999

2000

2001

Level 1 Level 2Level 3

Level 4Level 5

1999

20002001

05

1015202530

3540

45

Grade 5 FCAT Math Achievement Levels for Hispanic Students

1999

2000

2001

FCAT 1999-2001: Mean Scores

Reading

Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 10

1999 2001 1999 2001 1999 2001

White 306 317 309 315 314 322

Black 255 269 267 264 276 272

Hispanic 273 281 280 275 290 286

Asian 310 318 315 316 315 313

Native Am. 296 302 299 300 301 314

Multiracial 298 313 305 311 306 312

School Grades

Current Performance of Students Annual Student Learning Gains Improvement in the Lowest 25%

Performing Students

2001-2002 School Accountability Report for: All Elementary Schools – Simulation

Data

Draft Report

Grade Component Reading (Gr 3, 4, 5)

Math (Gr 3, 4, 5)

Writing (Gr 4)

Grade Points

% Meeting High Standards 60% 53% 68% 181

% of All Students Making Learning Gains

68% 69% -- 137

Adequate Progress of Lowest 25% in the School?

49% = No -- -- 49

School Grade Points 367

Additional Bonus Points +13

Total Points 380

Total School Grade ?

1999-2001School Grades

2135

41

28 17 13

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent

A's & B's D's & F's

School Grade Distribution

1999 2000 2001

Elimination of Social Promotion

No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely on age or other factors that constitute social promotion

All students must read by grade 4 or be retained

Technical Assistance

Data Driven School Improvement– School Improvement Plans– School Reports

Use of Diagnostics Sharing of Best Practices

Example of School Improvement:Wimauma Elementary School,

Hillsborough County

School Enrollment99-00

White

15%

Black

5%

Asian/Am.

Ind./Multiracial

1%

Hispanic

79%

93.2% Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch

Schoolwide Title I

Wimauma’s School Accountability ReportGrade Year % in

Lowest Reading Levels

% Level 2 and Above FCAT Reading

% Level 3 and Above FCAT Reading

% Level 2 and Above FCAT Math

% Level 3 and Above FCAT Math

% 3 and Above FCAT Writing

A 2001 .. 82 67+ 85 60+ 96+

D 1999 91 22- 9 77 45 55

State 2001 22 78 61+ 82 55+ 90+

Targeted Resources

Resources– A+ Supplemental Academic Instruction

Fund– One Florida

A+ Supplemental Academic Instruction Fund

2001 Legislature appropriated $676.6 million Must be used to help students gain at least a year

of knowledge for each year in school Districts provided services to 71% of K12 students Most frequent services provided: reading

instruction, math instruction, class size reduction, dropout prevention programs, remedial classes, attendance activities to prevent truancy, counseling, and parent and family contacts

One Florida College Board Partnership Need Based Financial Aid Florida Virtual School Free College Entry Testing College Reach Out Talented 20 Program Expanded College Recruiting Postsecondary Opportunity Alliances Mentoring Programs Equity in Education Task Force

The Talented 20 Percent

This initiative guarantees admission to one of the state universities to the Top 20% of each graduating public high school class in Florida without regard to SAT or ACT scores.

These students are given preference for need-based financial aid.

Expect higher achievement,

support higher achievement,

obtain higher achievement.