Sarasota County School District earns A grade for 15th consecutive year

Overall score up by 4 percentage points over last year’s figure

The school district offices are located at The Landings in Sarasota. File photo

The Sarasota County School District has earned an A grade from the State of Florida for the 15th consecutive year, beginning with the start of grading in 2004, the district announced this week.

Sarasota County was one of the 20 Florida districts to earn an A for the 2017-18 school year, a news release notes. “The school district saw improvements in eight of 11 categories and maintained scores in the other three,” the release says, adding, “There were no declines.”

Sarasota County Schools’ overall score improved by four percentage points year-over year, the release continues. The district is ranked No. 3 in the state behind St. John and Lafayette, which tied for No. 1.

“I am elated,” said Superintendent Todd Bowden in the release. “In a year filled with incredible distractions in our schools, including Hurricane Irma and school safety concerns, our teachers, students, administrators and staff did an amazing job of staying focused and inspiring learning. Our teachers should feel especially proud of these outcomes, and the incredible work they do every day to help our students succeed.”

On June 27, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) released the official school grades for the 2017-18 academic year.

A total of 42 schools in the Sarasota County District received an A or B, with seven schools earning a C. None received a D or F, the release points out.

Nine schools saw grade improvements, 32 schools maintained their grades and eight schools saw their grades decline.

Oak Park and Triad are assessed differently, the release notes; their ratings have not been released yet.

The state’s grades are based on 11 factors, including student achievement, learning gains statewide, high school graduation rates and standardized tests, the release explains. “Overall, Sarasota County Schools improved by 37 points in these key areas,” the release says.

To learn more about school grades across the state, visit the FLDOE online.

These charts offer details about each school’s grade in the district and compare the grades for previous years. Image courtesy Florida Department of Education