East County schools perform well on FCAT

MANATE COUNTY — Manatee County public schools fared as expected in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test: with lower scores.

According to grade results released Wednesday, July 11, by the Florida Department of Education, 27 Manatee County schools saw their grades drop in 2012, compared to seven district schools in 2011.

In the East County, however, schools performed well, with only three schools dropping one letter grade. Bashaw and Freedom elementary schools dropped from A to B grades, and Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch dropped from a B to a C, compared to 2011.

All other East County elementary and middle schools maintained A grades, except for Myakka City Elementary, which maintained a C grade. Braden River Elementary improved from last year, earning an A grade compared to its 2011 B score.

“These new cut scores dramatically raise the bar for elementary- and middle-school students,” Superintendent Tim McGonegal said. “This FCAT was a much more rigorous assessment (than in years past), and across the state of Florida, we saw many school and district grades drop. The highlight certainly was Braden River Elementary taking it from a B to A. They all did really well (in the East County).”

In Manatee County, 15 schools earned A grades, compared to 20 district schools that earned As in 2011. Twelve schools earned B grades compared to 17 last year; and 12 schools earned C grades compared to 13 last year. Eleven schools received D grades, compared to two in 2011 and only one school earned an F, which is the same as in 2011.

High school FCAT grades still are pending.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].