16 Manatee schools earn final 'A' grades from state

BRADENTON -- After the state Board of Education approved calculation changes in January, the state has formally released grades for schools across the state -- the first set of school grades to be released after students took new tests last spring.

Overall, the district received a B from the state, up from a C last year. Sixteen schools in Manatee County were deemed A schools, 13 were graded as B schools, 11 were rated C schools, 11 were D schools and eight were rated failing schools. Two schools -- Sea Breeze Elementary School and Oasis Middle School, a charter -- were still rated incomplete by the state on Friday.

Last spring was the first year Florida students took exams tied to new Florida standards -- a modification of the controversial Common Core standards. The tests are generally seen as much more rigorous and individual student scores also dropped under the new system. With the new tests, new cut-off points have to be developed for grading, which has caused a delay in individual student scores, school grades and district grades to be released this year.

The grades are not a direct comparison from last year, said Manatee County Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Cynthia Saunders. The grades are based on new tests and the formula was changed for this year so that it doesn't include academic learning gains, which is a measurement of how a student improves year-to-year.

"This gives us a place to start," Saunders said. "We're going to use the information we received to ensure all our students are successful."

Individual districts were able to develop preliminary school grades earlier this year, based on information sent out by the Department of Education. At the time, Manatee County officials did not expect too many school grades to change between the preliminary school grades and the final school grades.

Palmetto High was originally graded as incomplete under the preliminary ratings. Under the final ratings, Palmetto High was graded a C school. Saunders said the district and state are still working together to make sure the state had all the information for Sea Breeze, which currently has an incomplete, but the district's internal calculations show Sea Breeze should receive an A.

Saunders said there is still work to do to ensure that all the district students can succeed, but said she is proud of the efforts by students, teachers and administrators in a year of unknowns.

"We're very pleased," she said.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "16 Manatee schools earn final 'A' grades from state."