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School Grades: Most Escambia Schools Drop
July 27, 2013
Most Escambia County Schools dropped one letter in school grades released Friday morning by the Florida Department of Education.
Among North Escambia area schools, Jim Allen held steady with a B, Bratt and Molino Park fell from B to C, and Byrneville Elementary feel from A to B. Ernest Ward and Ransom dropped from a B to C.
Escambia County had eight A schools: N.B. Cook, Cordova Park Elementary, Pleasant Grove Elementary, Brown Barge Middle, Longleaf Elementary, Blue Angels Elementary, Pensacola Beach Charter and Newpoint Academy.
There were also five F schools this year: Bellview Middle, Warrington Middle, West Pensacola Elementary, Lincoln Park and A.A. Dixon.
For answers to common questions about school grades, click here.
Protections were enacted this year by the DOE to prevent school grades from dropping more than one letter. School superintendents said they were concerned that grades could plummet this year for many schools. Superintendents pointed, at least in part, to repeated changes in the state’s school-accountability system — 13 this year alone — which they say have made it harder to meet standards and have created uncertainty.
Schools that benefited from the one letter grade drop protection in Escambia County were: Montclair, Navy Point, O. J. Semmes, Ernest Ward, C.A. Weis and McArthur.
High school grades won’t be calculated until later this year.
Escambia County 2013 School Grades
Comments
22 Responses to “School Grades: Most Escambia Schools Drop”
COGITATING UPON:
“Have you thought of maybe some kind of change?”
A large percentage of first year teachers reconsider education as career paths when faced with the reality of the problem and people blaming them for how the children performed.
AND
“I see you still think its the parents.”
The parents produced the children, raised the children, helped form their attitudes, gave them their gene combinations.
So no, surely the parents have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that some children perform well and others do not.
AND
“I know I – - – - do all my ese child’s work that is sent home”
You do their work?
AND
“I still keep on being positive”
Yep, the positivity shines through.
AND
“while sour teachers like you suck the life out of children.”
Possible.
Teachers can sour when faced with impossible tasks. Those who complain about teachers in general should become teachers since they obviously believe they know the better way to do the job.
They might.
To be honest, though, I haven’t noticed any lifeless children. I see some who are frustrated because they aren’t learning, some who are frustrated because disruptive students are taking up too much of their learning time, children who would rather be doing something else.
Not lifeless, though.
AND
” It is sad when children need meds just to go to school.”
And it is good that most do not need meds to go to school, sad for the few who do need them. We all hope they are getting proper doses.
David for happy children,
happy teachers, happy parents
My daughter was in the first grade and all the teacher was teaching her was games, I know this because it happen to my second child and she told me that is all she was learning, and the teacher fail her because my daughter couldn’t read. She was the teacher and that is what she goes to school for to teach her to read and because the teacher fail to do her job my child is behind two grades. She should be in the tenth grade but she is in the eighth grade and she started school one year later because her birthdate came one week after school started and now she will be 15 next month and she wants to be in her right grade and she make good grades. This don’t make sense, you have kids base on their income get to go to head start and then they can go to kindergarten. My child didn’t qualify for head start and she was scared when she started school because she was always with me and they tested her to see if she had a learning disability given by the principal and the results was she was normal and she didn’t have a learning problem. The school wants to blame to parents and that isn’t true, because not every parent is the problem because I’m always checking on my child to make sure she stays on top of her progress but The school system should know not every teacher they have is doing their job they are getting paid for nothing and the child is the ones who suffer. and now my grandchild go to the same school and she was put in the same teacher room and thank God she went to head start to learn to read, because she has told her mother the same thing about this teacher that all she teaches is games all day.
I for one am a proud parent and my kids have never made a bade grade but all because my kid have a bad day or miss one poi one the stupid fcat she doesnt advance to the next grade level the teachers at my kids school are wonderful its the system that’s jacked up and that’s my opinion
@Teacher1 I hope my child doesn’t have you cause you don’t seem very happy with your job. Have you thought of maybe some kind of change? I see you still think its the parents. I know I go to all meetings answer all calls do all my ese child’s work that is sent home and projects and yes I still keep on being positive while sour teachers like you suck the life out of children. It is sad when children need meds just to go to school. I did not vote for Mr Thomas for the simple reason I have delt with him and well…..waste of time….I am just gonna try to pray I can hold it together yet again this year at the wonderful IEP meeting which really is awfull in its self. Maybe if some teachers would stop being so mean to parents they would answer the phone or meet with you all.
As a teacher, stop putting the blame on us and the administration! We work so hard and so many hours. The state has given us some ridiculous mandates. They want first graders to do stuff that they shouldn’t have to do until 3rd grade! It also comes down to parents! There are some parents you NEVER meet and some you don’t talk to because they don’t answer the phone or just plain don’t care. You can not put the blame on us. Maybe Mr. THOMAS should do something to help! Maybe people should care more about teachers and admin rather than whatever hes worried about. Teaching is not an easy job but someone has to do it. I stay away from media and such because of the comments that people post. Come teach my class for a week. Grade papers for 22 kids x 5 tests a week, make lesson plans, copies, call parents, teach, discipline, and everything else that comes with it. THEN, you won’t be blaming us!
I guess Santa Rosa and Okaloosa county parents must spend more time tutoring and mentoring their children since their school grades are consistently higher than those in Escambia County.
Or maybe we have a lack of leadership in the Escambia County school district.
What was that noise? Some of ya’ll high and mighty parents falling off your high horses I suspect…..
I am blessed to have great kids. My children excel at FCAT, 4’s and one with perfect 5’s, but one of them had their grade point average drop from 4.0 to 2.64.Yet not one teacher contacted me to discuss it though I called multiple times. They both HATE FCAT, but love to learn. They both feel school is dummied for slower kids and too easy. I can’t imagine being a teacher, but to stunt a child’s ability to be challenged is very sad.
My children struggle and fail part of the FCAT every year. What parts they don’t fail are just average. My children have Learning Disabilites that we struggle with. We do homework for HOURS every night. Yes, WE. Please do not blame ALL parents. I can’t do more than I am. There is not enough time in the day. For those of you whose children get straight A’s, you are blessed. I know I (we) are doing all I can and I can live with that. =)
It’s always the parents to blame….I get blamed every year because my child can not keep up in class or does not pay attention it’s all my fault that my child is on a second grade level in 8th gen Ed classes. I read all these comments and it makes me sick. People prejudge parents all the time and blame parents I have been told by teachers that my child’s problems are my fault when they have no clue what it’s like to raise children with disabilities. I am very glad that my child’s Doctors support me and understand how messed up our schools are. O yes if I can be blamed for my child having a learning disability yes teachers should be blamed for not teaching them.
This is the reason we moved out of state. My children are happier than they ever have been. The stress to achieve such unrealistic goals hurt them and made school unenjoyable. Since moving away my kids have computers to take home, grades have improved, and they do not fight me to go to school. Good luck Florida! Your neighboring state is much better. I have happier kids.
My student blew the FCAT out of the water~ 5 on each subject~ very bright child~I’m very blessed. This was her 1st year at Ransom~ and although she was a little bored due to being ahead due to coming from a private school she finished the year with Straight A’s~ she had teachers that knew she was a little advanced and worked with her to keep her challenged.
Blaming teachers is not a fair statement~ Parents HAVE to do their part~ these teachers only get your child for 6 hours a day~ what are you doing with your child when you come home from work~ what are you doing with your child on the weekends~ teachers are to teach as much as they can~ but the follow up has to be the parents~ and if you have a hard time understanding what they are learning~ simply making sure the home work is done and they are reading something…anything every night will go a long way! If they do wrong make them write an essay on what their bad choice was and what they could do different~ make everything a learning experience~ remember Behind every successful child is an ACTIVE LOVING PARENT~
WE need to pray for our county school system and do our part to make our children’s education a successful one so they are prepared to be a success in our adult world and hopefully make a difference.
I noticed that a lot of the schools that did not do well do NOT have an active PTA established~ this speaks volumes!
Let’s take back our responsibility,
Ransom Middle School Parent and PROUD!!!!!!!
Given the vast differences in our young people in classrooms and the great gap in their home environments, from caring and encouraging parents who begin to teach their children from a very early age to those riding around with a parent who is making meth in their car, it is a wonder that any learning takes place.
Wonder how many of the critics here would like to be evaluated and paid in their professions based on how successful their clients were?
If the Fla Legislature decided all parents and citizens must be able to run the 100 yard dash as quickly as Mr. Gatlin, I wonder how many could measure up?
Doubt that will happen but keep moving a goal post further away from the players and eventually even the most talented struggle and those whose parents have not prepared them, they fall into a hole.
Just sayin’ if you expect the teacher, principal, superintendent to do all the work of some magical form of education then I think you are smart enough to buy the Grand Canyon.
To Time for Pay for Performance,
Are you kidding me? You can’t blame this on the teacher’s. Bratt Elementary went from a B down to a C. This is where both of my children attend. They both made straight A’s every year they have been there for two reasons. First, we their parents participate in their education at home. Second, they have had outstanding teacher’s every year. It’s the state giving these idiotic standards that they somehow think is going to improve education. As far as the teacher’s pay is concerned, the should all be making a whole lot more money for what they do.
I am sadden to see the comments blaming teachers and administration. Put the responsibility where it belongs…on the students and their parents! I teach at one of the low performing schools and I am a great teacher. However, if the student goes home to nothing, what does it matter? Poverty and lack of education go hand in hand. Warrington MIddle is a prime example. You have wonderful teachers there but the SAME demographics. No change. Wake up people!
Interesting article to say the very least.
We should find a way to reward the teachers and administrators at these top performing schools. Likewise, teachers and administrators at poorly performing schools should be penalized.
At a minimum, Superintendent Malcom Thomas needs to develop a plan to fix the problem or hit the road.
“GOALS” from Malcom Thomas’ own website:
– Create a school District where parents want to send their children, students want to learn, teachers want to teach and employees want to work.
- Double the number of students scoring at the highest levels (4 and 5) in Reading, Math and Science.
- Within 3 years (by the 2012-2013 school year) 90% of all 2nd grade students will read on grade level
- The district will create a premier middle school at Warrington Middle.
Even though his focus appears to be extremely narrow-minded, he was still unable to reach these short-sighted goals.
Hopefully voters will keep this in mind during the next election.
I am so proud to say that my kids attend 3 high-ranking schools on this list! How about finding out what the consistent A & B schools are doing differently than the others. Parents also need to be supporting education at home… don’t make excuses for your kids & let them be lazy; sign those planners, check focus gradebook regularly, email teachers, & follow through on making sure your child’s work is complete & done well!
Kudos to the administration, teachers, & staff at Jim Allen, Brown Barge, & Tate!
Again, FCAT has proven itself to be an extremely flawed system. instead of discovering what needs to be improved in the education system, the state Department of Education sets higher standards and expects the everyone to achieve unrealistic goals. Fix the system before it forces the state to take over public education and privatize it all.
Or is that the real goal of FCAT?
God Bless the teachers who get up in the morning to go to these schools. If they gave us oldsters one week with these kids there would be remarkable improvement.
Parents need to stay home with their children, help them learn from their homework and TURN OFF that TV used as a babysitter every night.
What in heck happened to Woodham since it became a middle school? What is an A in a class now? A D? How can kids go to school and not learn one thing?
THROUGH THE YEARS I HAD SEEN THE GOA L POSTS MOVED TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND “NEW” TEACHING IDEAS, SOME OF WHICH SEEM RIGHT OUT OF DR. SPOCK’S BOOKS( SELF ESTEEM, LEARNING MUST BE FUN, ETC.) INTRODUCED YEAR AFTER YEAR.
I HAD TUTORED MANY A CHILD IN ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS AND IT WAS VERY APPARENT THAT THE TEACHERS WERE TEACHING TO THE TEST AND ABANDONING THE TRIED AND TRUE “BUILDING BLOCK” METHODS.
oLD CARTOON: EDUCATION BOARD AROUND A TABLE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYING, ” IT IS UNANIMOUS THEN. WE GO BACK TO BASICS. aNYONE REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE?”
It seems to make no sense on the continual change in the education system. Teachers can’t teach for for fear of not meeting set guidelines on what they teach and how much time they spend on each subject. When I was in school, if there was ONE student that was having a hard time learning a particular subject, the teacher spent one on one time with that ONE student helping them. Not today, they have to move on and stay on track with the guidelines set on curriculam. Teacher’s used to be able to teach and now they are just there following a set of rules. Let the teachers teach and stop changing everything each year. Sounds to me like they have had to create a position for someone that is well known or has a friend or relative in a postion of authority.
I am VERY proud of the students, teachers, and support staff at Jim Allen Elementary School.
Rachel Watts, Principal