FCAT scores improve for local students

By TIFFANY LANKES

Students in Sarasota, Charlotte and Manatee counties in nearly every grade level improved their performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in 2007.

The Florida Department of Education on Wednesday released statewide reading and math scores for students in grades 4 through 11, and science scores for 5th, 8th and 11th graders.

Locally, reading scores edged up or stayed the same for students in every grade, except for 6th graders in Charlotte, 7th and 9th graders in Manatee and 6th and 9th graders in Sarasota.

Math scores also improved, except among the region's 6th graders. Also, students in 10th grade in Charlotte, 9th and 10th grades in Sarasota and 7th and 10th grades in Manatee had their scores decline.

The region's students showed the greatest improvement on the science FCAT. Scores went up in all three counties in all grade levels, except for 11th graders in Sarasota and Charlotte counties.

For the first time, science scores count toward the school grades.

State education officials also announced that they will be re-scoring last year's third-grade test scores because of a problem with the test. The state will be hiring a consultant to audit last year's third grade reading test and re-score all of the exams. Students who took that test will get new scores, and the change could affect this year's school grades and No Child Left Behind reports.