Two New Tampa Schools Rank Among Top 100 in FCAT Scores

Two New Tampa schools ranked among the top 100 in their group statewide when it came to this year's FCAT scores, according to the Florida Department of Education's School Ranking website.

FCAT scores at  and  earned them rankings of 79 and 97, respectively, against other schools in their category.

Since the 1998-99 school year, Floridians have used school grades to help assess the quality of their local schools. The school rankings, based on the points used to determine school grades, are part of the Department of Education’s ongoing effort to increase transparency by providing clear measures and metrics to help parents of school-age children, educators and taxpayers in Florida evaluate their local schools, according to the website.

Schools are ranked statewide within the following categories: elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, combination schools that include high school grade levels, and combination schools that do not include high school grades.

Schools are ranked according to the number of school grade points they received for the 2010-11 school year. For elementary and middle schools these points are derived from FCAT scores. Schools are awarded one point for each percent of students in the school who were enrolled for the full year who score on grade level or higher on the FCAT and make annual learning gains (800 possible points).

Florida’s high schools are graded using the FCAT and learning gains components described in the grading criteria for elementary and middle schools (800 points), plus several non-FCAT based components; including graduation rates, accelerated coursework participation and performance, and postsecondary readiness; that account for 50 percent of the high school grade (another 800 points). The total possible points for high schools is 1,600.

was the highest ranking New Tampa high school at 180th place.