Sarasota school district maintains A grade

Sarasota County Schools is an A-rated district for the 15th year in a row, the district announced Wednesday afternoon.

The Florida Department of Education released the official statewide grades fpr the 2017-18 school year, and Sarasota was one of 20 A-rated districts in the state.

According to a release from the school district, Sarasota improved in eight of 11 categories and held steady in the other three, improving overall by 4 percentage points.

The state’s grades are based on 11 factors that include student achievement, learning gains statewide, high school graduation rates and standardized tests, among others.

 A total of 42 schools in the district received an A or B grade with seven schools receiving a C grade. There were no D or F grades this school year. Nine schools saw grade improvements, 32 schools maintained and eight schools declined. Oak Park and Triad are assessed differently and these school ratings are not yet released.

“Our teachers, students, families and administrators should feel proud of their success,” commented Dr. Laura Kingsley, chief academic officer and assistant superintendent for Sarasota County Schools. “I am thrilled with the progress made throughout the school district, especially in math and science, and how we fulfilled the Superintendent’s vision for accelerated coursework in middle schools. Of course, we need to roll up our sleeves and focus on areas that need improvement, especially in the schools where scores dropped, so we can identify how best to support our teachers, students and administrators.”