County preps for 'No Child Left Behind' adjustments

MANATEE COUNTY — As Florida becomes one of 10 states to be granted a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind act, Manatee County parents can expect to see improved student learning, despite a projection of lower test scores for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Manatee School District officials say.

Superintendent Tim McGonegal said all of Florida’s 67 school districts are expecting to see a decrease in “A”-ranked schools within their districts as a result of the change. But, McGonegal said, the new accountability system will better guarantee students are learning while providing more flexibility for local school districts.

“The state accountability system is going to be more rigorous,” McGonegal said, noting “A” grades will be harder to achieve. “The level of education the students receive is going to reflect that as well.”

The state already has increased the rigor of the FCAT exam and now is readying to release the more difficult version of the test. Test results have been used to assess how students are doing at certain grade levels and how the school is performing overall.

“It’s going to be a lot easier to understand for our parents,” McGonegal said of the new setup, noting some schools, such as Braden River High School, earned “A” grades on the FCAT but failed to meet the adequate yearly progress mandated by No Child Left Behind. “You’ve got to be high achieving in every area.”

Under No Child Left Behind, test scores were used to monitor the progress of subgroups of students from year to year. If a school missed adequate yearly progress for any one subgroup of students — even if by only one student — the entire school failed to meet adequate yearly progress. Additionally, penalties imposed by the federal government for failure to meet adequate yearly progress applied only to Title I schools, at which 50% or more of students receive free or reduced-price lunches, because they receive federal funding.

McGonegal said Florida districts still are unsure how the new regulations will affect sanctions placed on Title I schools but expect answers to come in the next several months.

The Florida Board of Education is slated to meet Feb. 28, to discuss the state’s grading system and see if any changes are needed, McGonegal said.

President Barack Obama announced the first round of waivers from No Child Left Behind at a ceremony Feb. 9. Other states receiving waivers from No Child Left Behind include Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].