The first batch of FCAT scores for this year shows that just over half of Duval County Public School third-graders are reading at or above grade-level.
The Florida Department of Education released results from the FCAT 2.0 in third-grade reading and math as well as scores from this year's writing assessment for fourth-, eighth- and 10th-graders.
The number of reading proficient third-graders--51 percent--fell short of the statewide average of 57 percent. It also lagged slightly behind the state in the percentage of students proficient in math as well as fourth and eighth-grade writing; but it came out slightly ahead of the average in the number of 10th-graders who passed the writing exam.
The percent of Duval County Schools third-graders who received at least a 3 on the reading exam--the state-established level of proficiency--is down this year, from about 55 percent in 2013, but it is on level with 2012.
Under state rules, third-graders who receive less than a 2 on the exam are in danger of retention. In Duval County, more than 20 percent of third-graders fall into that category. Statewide 19 percent of students face possible retention.
Despite concerns among school officials around the state that next year's new assessment will lead to more students with lower scores, Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said the department will take steps to ensure that the number of third-graders held back does not increase.
"What we will do as we move forward in the first year of implementation of the new assessment is we will reflect back, so that the percent of students that are retained does not change," Stewart said. "We will parallel that performance so that we don't retain anymore than were retained this current year."
Duval County School Board Chairwoman Becki Couch said she will be reviewing the FCAT data with Superintendent Nikolai Vitti soon.
"We're just now getting the data so it's difficult to determine where the problem lies," she said Friday afternoon.
Despite the decline in reading scores, Vitti said there is reason to be optimistic. He noted the double-digit gains seen by some schools particularly in math this year. For example, the number of math proficient third-graders at Hyde Park Elementary jumped from 26 percent last year to 50 percent this year.
Across the district, 57 percent of third-graders received a passing score this year--a point higher than last year and a point lower than the state average. That places the district in third place among the state's seven largest urban districts.
"I think we're going to see math scores and science scores increase district-wide because of the new systems and professional development that we put in place and moving kids to applying the information," he said.
On the district's lagging reading numbers, he said there is still much work to be done.
"The Achilles' heel in Duval has always been reading proficiency and I'm excited about next year's implementation of a district-wide intervention system where we will have an interventionist, which is really a teacher on special assignment at schools with high levels of non-readers," he said.
That program will begin in schools across the district next year, with a focus on kindergarten, first- and second-graders.
"We have to stop thinking that we're going to teach students how to read in third-grade," he said. "When we start seeing them behind in kindergarten and first-grade, we have to intervene rapidly and systematically."
Overall, 57 percent of third-graders in the state scored at or above grade-level reading, just like the year before. And like last year, 58 percent of third-graders received passing scores in mathematics.
Earlier this year, the State Board of Education established new passing scores for all FCAT 2.0 assessments. For third-grade reading, a 3 is considered passing, however a 2 is the minimum needed to be eligible for fourth-grade promotion; for math, a 3 is also the passing score; and for writing, it's a 3.5.
When questioned about how the state determined the new cut scores, Stewart provided few details.
"What I can tell you is, historically, what we find is that this policy has worked very well for Florida students and as a result of this our students are performing better subsequently as they are promoted," she said.
Statewide results showed slight gains of about two percentage points in the number of eighth and tenth-graders who received a 3.5 or higher in writing.
However, in Duval County, the percent of students who received a 3.5 or higher in writing this year fell from 68 percent in 2013 to 65 percent for 10th graders and from 54 percent in 2013 to 45 percent for fourth graders. It increased slightly for eighth-graders from 53 percent in 2013 to 54 percent this year.
Stewart noted that this year's fourth-grade test included a different writing prompt than in previous years.
"It was an expository writing prompt which means students had to write to explain and display critical thinking," she said.
In neighboring St. Johns County, 73 percent of third-graders were at or above grade level in math; 76 percent were proficient in reading. In writing, 51 percent of fourth-graders, 65 percent of eighth-graders and 73 percent of 10th-graders scored at or above grade-level.
In nearby Clay County, 64 percent of third-graders were proficient in math, while 66 percent of third-graders were in reading. Forty-one percent of fourth-graders, 47 percent of eighth-graders and 68 percent of 10th-graders achieved at or above grade-level scores.
You can follow Rhema Thompson on Twitter @RhemaThompson
