School grades took a dip this year in Central Florida, according to scores released Friday morning by the Florida Department of Education.

  • School district grades in Central Florida drop or stay the same
  • Brevard, Sumter, Seminole drop from A to B
  • Lake, Marion, Osceola drop from B to C
  • Flagler, Orange, Volusia maintain B grades

But because Florida has a new, more difficult grading system, superintendents across the area are asking parents, students, teachers and community members to look at the new school and district grades as a starting point.

Kathleen Oropeza is a passionate education advocate, even though both her children attend “A” rated schools.

“I think that what we really have to ask ourselves is, 'Have we ever seen an “F” school in an affluent neighborhood?'" said Oropeza, cofounder of Fund Education Now. "No, we haven’t, and until we can really understand why that inequity exists, we shouldn’t be dancing to the tune of great because have an 'A' or to sorrow because we have an 'F.' ”

According to the Department of Education’s 2016 grading scale, we don’t have any “A” rated school districts in Central Florida. Brevard, Sumter and Seminole counties all dropped from “A” to a “B.” Lake, Marion and Osceola counties dropped from “B” to “C.”

Flagler, Orange and Volusia maintained “B” grades.

“I think that the school district and parents and even teachers need to understand that these grades don’t matter," Oropeza said. "Whether they go up or down, they’re still based on failed metrics.”

Oropeza says that right now, there’s only one way she can make sure her children are receiving a high-quality public education.

“What I do is I go and assess myself whether or not my child is really learning, and I learn a lot about the school. I think that that’s something that other parents can do.”

District leaders said they stand behind the hard work of their students, teachers and administrators, but they will continue to advocate for an accountability system that’s not based on a single letter grade.

Meanwhile, the president of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association weighed in on the new school grades, saying the organization knows that good schools are an important factor who people buying and selling real estate.

“The public grading systems are very important, but we know that we’re dealing mostly with B's and a few A’s for schools, and we take pride in that,” John Lazenby said. The association primarily represents Orange and Seminole counties.

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