MEMORANDUM

May 10, 2003

TO:              School Board Members

                    School District of Palm Beach County         

FROM:         Arthur C. Johnson, Ph.D.

Superintendent

SUBJECT:    FY2004 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Sunshine State Standards (SSS) Results for Grades 3 through 10, Reading, Mathematics, and Writing:  All Curriculum Groups

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you that the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has released the Grades 3 through 10 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test SSS results for all curriculum groups. [1]   The FCAT Reports for the State, districts, and schools are available at the following website: http://firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat.  However, these reports do not include disaggregated data or individual student data.

A preliminary analysis of the March 2004 results revealed the following: 

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring 3 and above (proficient) is higher for most tested grades in all three subjects than in FY2001, the first year in which test results were available for grades 3-10.

·         Of the 19 test score comparisons from FY2003 to FY2004, 18 remained stable or improved.  The one area of decline, 8th grade reading, was mirrored by Florida.

·         Grades 4 and 10 made the most significant gains from FY2003 to FY2004.

FY2004 FCAT-SSS Reading Results for All Curriculum Groups

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring Level 3 and above (proficient) is higher than in FY2001 for most tested grades.  Grades 3, 4, and 5 have shown continuous improvement each year since FY2001.

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring Level 3 and above (proficient) is higher than in FY2003 for half the tested grades. 

·         The SDPBC performs about the same or higher than Florida in most tested grades in FY2004.

 
FY2004 FCAT-SSS Mathematics Results for All Curriculum Groups

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring Level 3 and above (proficient) is higher than in FY2001 for all tested grades.  Grades 3, 4, and 6 have shown continuous improvement each year since FY2001.

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring Level 3 and above (proficient) is higher than in FY2003 for most tested grades. 

·         The SDPBC performs higher than Florida in most tested grades in FY2004.

 
FY2004 FCAT Writing Results for All Curriculum Groups

·         The FY2004 percent of students scoring 3 and above is higher than in FY2001 for all three grades.

·         The SDPBC performs about the same or higher than Florida in all tested grades in FY2004.

In order to understand these scores more fully and for a convenient reference, the Department of Research, Evaluation, and Accountability has developed a table that provides SSS scores for the School District of Palm Beach County and Florida from FY2001 through FY2004.  The enclosed table may be used to review progress over time for all curriculum students.

ACJ/AK/MAD/MB/ds

c:   Chief Academic/Administration/Operational Officers   

      Area/Assistant Superintendents

      Chief Information Officer

      Academic Executive Directors/Directors

      Compliance Directors

      Principals



[1] All curriculum groups include standard curriculum students as well as students in specific Exceptional Student Education programs and/or students who participated in the Limited English Proficient Program for two years or less.  These results are not used for school grades or adequate yearly progress determinations.