Today the Florida Department of Education released the 2012 FCAT writing scores for fourth, eighth and 10th grades and the FCAT reading scores for ninth and 10th grades.

Lee County writing results bettered state averages in all three grade levels. Reading scores were mixed, with Lee County scoring higher than the state average in ninth grade and slightly below in 10th grade.

The 2012 results represent all students, including exceptional education students and students who speak English as a second language.

This year, FCAT writing scores are being reported as 3.0 and higher. In Lee County, 85 percent of fourth-grade students scored at a level 3.0 or higher compared to the state average at 81 percent.

At eighth grade, 80 percent of students were at 3.0 or higher versus 78 percent at the state level. The district saw 85 percent of 10th-graders score at 3.0 or higher – 84 percent at state level.

The test remained essentially the same – essay writing – but the scoring criteria used by the state changed significantly in 2012, which produced lower scores across the state.

“With the significant changes in scoring criteria, it’s not really fair to compare this year’s results to past years,” said Dr. Constance Jones, chief academic officer. “It’s really a new benchmark – we’re increasing academic rigor and expectations, and that’s a good thing.”

This year, the new FCAT 2.0 test was administered in reading and math with brand new Level 3 cut-scores in place. Only the ninth-grade and 10th-grade reading scores were released.

At ninth-grade, 53 percent of Lee County students scored a Level 3 or higher, while that number was 52 percent across Florida. In 10th grade, Lee County was at 49 percent as compared to the state at 50 percent.

FCAT 2.0 assesses student progress on the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, which is a more rigorous set of standards than was in place in past years.

All students in third through 10th grade participate in FCAT testing in reading.

“We knew the new FCAT 2.0 was going to be more rigorous, and we’ve been preparing since school started this year,” said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Burke. “Yes, it’s a harder test, but it’s never a bad thing to increase expectations – in the long run this will benefit our students tremendously.”

Source: Lee County School District