Freedom, Wharton Earn B Ratings

When the Florida Department of Education released grades for high schools today, Hillsborough County found reason to celebrate.

Twenty-five of the district’s 27 schools earned A or B grades for the 2010-11 school year – a record, according to Hillsborough school district spokesman Stephen P. Hegarty.

Both New Tampa high schools — and — made the grade, bringing home B’s, according to the department of education’s website.

The district as a whole had 93 percent of its high schools earn A or B grades. This is an increase from last year’s 79 percent. Five of the county’s schools – Brandon, Chamberlain, Steinbrenner, Plant City and Spoto – earned A grades for the very first time.

Statewide 78 percent of high schools made A or B grades.

“I knew the quality and hard work my peers put in on a daily basis. Their hard work has been recognized,” Wharton High School Principal Bradley Woods said of the 93 percent. “It’s a great accomplishment.”

Freedom High School made a B for the second year in a row, while Wharton dropped from an A to a B this time. Wharton made a C in 2008-09.

School grades are based on a number of factors including FCAT scores, participation in accelerated courses and graduation rates. Woods said he anticipated Wharton would not maintain its A rating after seeing the school's FCAT scores.

"We didn't move the bottom quartile students (up)," Woods said. "It’s frustrating for us when you’ve got those points to make (an A rating), but you end up being penalized back down. We need to do a better job with the bottom quartile. Some staff changes have taken place over the last year and I think it will help."

Woods said the other reason for losing the A rating was Wharton's at-risk graduation rate of 73 percent. You need to have at least 75 percent, which was a difference of "one or two" students, Wood said.

For more information about school grades, visit the department of education online.