The results are in from Florida's final year of the FCAT, but preliminary reports from the state showed little to no improvement across the board, especially in third grade.
According to the Florida Department of Education's results, released Friday, 57 percent of third-graders scored a passing grade of level 3 or higher in 2014, the same as the previous year.
In third-grade math, 58 percent percent reached the passing score in math, also unchanged from 2013.
Florida students must score a level 2 or higher in reading on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in order to advance to the next grade. This year, 19 percent scored a level 1, though it was still unknown exactly how many of those students would be retained.
Older students fared better in the FCAT writing test, with 64 percent of 10th-graders and 56 percent of eighth-graders passing, each grade up 2 percent from 2013.
Fewer fourth-graders who took the writing test passed this year — 53 percent — down from 57 percent last year.
The Education Department highlighted a few counties' improved performance this year:
- Orange County improved from 2013 in writing across each of the grade levels assessed, highlighted by a 10 percentage point increase in Grade 10 writing. Grade 8 writing scores increased by four percentage points.
- Hillsborough County improved from 2013 in four of the five assessment areas released today. Grade 4 writing scores increased five percentage points and Grade 3 reading increased by three percentage points while Grade 3 mathematics increased by two percentage points.
- Flagler County improved from 2013 in three of the five assessment areas released today, while maintaining performance in Grade 4 writing. Grade 8 writing scores increased 10 percentage points and Grade 10 writing improved six percentage points. Grade 3 mathematics scores increased five percentage points.
- Manatee County improved from 2013 in all five assessment areas released today. Grade 3 mathematics scores increased five percentage points, Grade 4 writing scores increased nine percentage points and Grade 10 writing was up seven percentage points.
- Citrus County improved Grade 8 writing by four percentage points and Grade 3 reading by one percentage point.
"These impressive gains are the result of district leaders providing teachers with the tools and training they need to succeed," Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said in a statement Friday. "I am confident that with new standards and assessments next year replacing the FCAT, our students will continue to succeed."
This year marks the last administration of the FCAT. Students will take a new exam aligned with the Common Core standards next year.
2014 FCAT Results County by County
The table below shows the percentage of students in each district who passed each section of the FCAT with a achievement level of satisfactory or above.
| SUBJECT | Reading | Math | Writing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVEL | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 8 | Grade 10 | ||||||
| YEAR | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014 |
| FLORIDA | 57% | 57% | 58% | 58% | 57% | 53% | 54% | 56% | 62% | 64% |
| Brevard | 64% | 64% | 57% | 58% | 55% | 47% | 68% | 68% | 47% | 46% |
| Citrus | 65% | 66% | 59% | 59% | 54% | 50% | 63% | 63% | 56% | 62% |
| Flagler | 68% | 65% | 58% | 63% | 67% | 62% | 49% | 59% | 65% | 70% |
| Hernando | 62% | 63% | 59% | 58% | 53% | 53% | 57% | 63% | 66% | 68% |
| Hillsborough | 56% | 59% | 54% | 56% | 64% | 68% | 54% | 42% | 67% | 66% |
| Lake | 59% | 55% | 58% | 58% | 51% | 45% | 44% | 48% | 48% | 57% |
| Manatee | 49% | 51% | 49% | 54% | 45% | 54% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 58% |
| Marion | 51% | 47% | 56% | 51% | 46% | 35% | 37% | 40% | 55% | 51% |
| Orange | 58% | 56% | 58% | 58% | 55% | 56% | 50% | 54% | 54% | 64% |
| Osceola | 53% | 53% | 49% | 49% | 58% | 53% | 61% | 56% | 67% | 61% |
| Pasco | 59% | 58% | 51% | 50% | 53% | 38% | 61% | 56% | 67% | 61% |
| Pinellas | 56% | 55% | 48% | 49% | 60% | 51% | 54% | 55% | 67% | 61% |
| Polk | 50% | 49% | 54% | 51% | 51% | 44% | 47% | 48% | 54% | 54% |
| Seminole | 70% | 68% | 69% | 69% | 56% | 49% | 58% | 56% | 58% | 69 % |
| Sumter | 63% | 64% | 68% | 68% | 67% | 52% | 72% | 64% | 66% | 72% |
| Volusia | 56% | 55% | 54% | 59% | 50% | 42% | 54% | 55% | 58% | 60% |
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