BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Local counties were among many in the state that saw third graders’ English language test scores slip in the spring of 2022.
Florida Standards Assessment test scores for the class were released last week. These English scores help determine promotion to the fourth grade and who needs additional help before proceeding. The information offers a glimpse at the average scores for each school and district, as well as what percentage of students received a passing or failing grade. Level 3 represents average proficiency, with Level 5 meaning top achievement. Level 1 is the lowest achievement level.
For example, in Florida, 53% of third graders scored Level 3 or above, a one-point decline from 2021. One-quarter of all third graders scored Level 1.
In Bradford, 45% of third graders scored at Level 3 or higher. This was down six percentage points from last year and 14 points from 2019. (There was no test in 2020.) Bradford’s percentage passing has not been this low since 2016.
Lawtey Elementary School, which is now the district’s smallest school, had the highest percentage of third graders passing in the district — 62%. This was still down 10% from last year.
Starke Elementary School improved from 39% to 46% earning Level 3 or 4. Twenty-six percent were at Level 1. Southside Elementary School was down six percentage points to 38%. Thirty percent were at Level 1.
Districtwide, Bradford only had 9% of third graders score Level 5.
Across the line in Union County, Lake Butler Elementary School third graders fell seven percentage points to 56%. Since 2019, the decline is 13 percentage points. The 2022 percentage was worse than 2015 and 2016.
McRae Elementary School in Clay County was an anomaly for the area, increasing the percentage of Level 3 achievement 11 percentage points to 63% in 2022. McRae even topped the Clay School District average of 61%.
Despite dropping from 67% to 59%, Keystone Heights Elementary School third graders maintain one of the area’s highest achievement levels in English.
In Putnam County, only 34% of third graders scored Level 3 or above. Thirty-nine percent of them were at Level 1. This was not the case for Melrose Elementary School, however. While slipping a little, 54% achieved Level 3 or higher.
Statewide, average proficiency was 53%. Lawtey, Lake Butler, Keystone and McRae all surpassed that percentage.
Lawtey, Lake Butler, Keystone, McRae and Melrose also topped the state’s average test score of 299 points.
Looking at rankings, Baker County was second in the state, right behind St. Johns. Clay County was sixth, Union tied with several counties for 10th, Bradford tied for 23rd, and Putnam was 29th. Jefferson County was last in the state with only 19% of third graders earning proficient scores.
Scores for tests in other grades will also be released.
FSA gone, what’s next
This year was the final year students will take the Florida Standards Assessment English and mathematics test in this format.
With the goal of reducing the amount of time students are tested and eliminating some traditional standardized testing, the FSA will be replaced with a progress monitoring system next year.
The computerized testing system will be administered three times a year to chart language and math progress. The first two administrations will reveal student weaknesses to teachers and parents, giving them an opportunity for targeted improvement. The final administration will be summative, demonstrating yearlong learning in time for summer school enrollment, if needed.
School districts will be held harmless for student performance during the first year. After that, the pressure to demonstrate continuous improvement will be back.
The FSA science assessment for fifth and eighth grade will remain, as will the end-of-course exams for algebra, geometry, biology, U.S. history and civics.
