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FCAT Writing Scores Are Out: Bratt, Ernest Ward & Northview Among Best; Carver/Century At Bottom

May 9, 2008

Three North Escambia schools were near the top in the county in FCAT Writing+ scores released Thursday, while one area school had the lowest scores in the county.

Bratt Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High had some of the county’s top FCAT Writing+ scores in results released Thursday. Carver/Century K-8 School students scored the lowest scores in the county at both the elementary and middle school levels.

On the Writing+ FCAT exam, a score of 3.5 is considered to be at grade level.

The percent of students scoring a 3.5 or greater on the fourth grade FCAT at Bratt Elementary was 85 percent. That was higher than the score at 35 of the county’s other elementary schools. Only three other schools scored higher, with two of those coming in at 86 percent.

Bratt Elementary Principal Sheryl Pomeroy told NorthEscambia.com that the students and teachers were both to be commended for their hard work to prepare for the FCAT.

The fourth graders at Carver/Center were at the opposite end of the scale, with only 20 percent of them scoring 3.5 or higher on the FCAT Writing+ exam. That was the lowest score in the county, with 39 other schools scoring better.

“Statistically, it is not a valid report, ” Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite told NorthEscambia.com. As an example, he indicated that about one third of 15 students in the school’s fourth graders taking the test are special education students who are likely to make low scores, bringing down the school’s average. “One or two will sway the average a lot,” he added.

“But on the surface, I am very disappointed,” he said. “But there are some students I know came up, and I am proud of them.”

At Molino Park Elementary, 75 percent of fourth graders made a 3.5 or greater on the Writing+ test. At the charter Byrneville Elementary School, 71 percent of fourth graders scored 3.5 or more.

Of 89 students taking the eighth grade Writing+ FCAT at Ernest Ward, 91 percent scored 3.5 or higher, the third best in Escambia County.

Northview High had 86 percent of their tenth graders taking the Writing+ FCAT to score a 3.5 or more. Only students at West Florida and Tate did better, with Tate coming in with 87 percent at grade level.

Parents of fourth, eighth and tenth graders will receive a letter with information on how to access their student’s FCAT score online. Scores are due to be available online for individual students by Monday.

Click a school name below for more information on how that school scored on the FCAT Writing test.

Pictured above: A sign outside Bratt Elementary proclaims that Bratt Elementary is “Making a Positive Difference”. NorthEscambia.com photo.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Education, News