Florida's Department of Education releases school grades from 2023-24 achievements
The Osceola County School District earned a ‘B’ overall district grade for the 2023-24 from the Florida Department of Education.
Twelve county schools received ‘A’ grades, and a number of schools raised their grade from 2022-23.
The DOE and the district both noted the state used an updated grading scale this year, with the formula focused on five student success measures: achievement, learning gains, graduation, acceleration success and focus on students who need the most support. Learning gains, including those of the lowest 25% in previous testing were highlighted the most in English language arts and math. Between achievement and gains, up to 12 components made up a school’s grade.
To avoid an “incomplete” grade, schools must test at least 95% of its students, and have available data for a sufficient number of those components.
The full report, with all school and district grades, can be found here: https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades. The page has a PDF document dedicated to the methodology behind it.
The 12 county schools earning “A’ grades using the new metrics were Harmony Community School, Canoe Creek K-8, Celebration K-8, Narcoossee Middle School, Neptune Middle School, Neocity Academy, Osceola County School for the Arts, Osceola Virtual School, Professional and Technical High School (PATHS), New Dimensions High School, Osceola Science Charter and Sports Leadership Arts Management (SLAM).
The Osceola district has no ‘F’ schools and only one ‘D’ school, Thacker Avenue Elementary. Most schools reside in the “bell curve” of ‘B’ and ‘C’ schools, including the county’s eight public non-charter high schools (5 ‘B’s, 3 ‘C’) — they represent likely the best cross-section of student achievement, with their school size, various locations around the county and number of minority students.
Of schools that changed their grade, more went up than down in Osceola. Statewide, 113 of the 3,400 schools earned a ‘D’ or ‘F’, down from 211 the prior school year and 1,290 earned ‘A’s, up from 1,102.
Going into his second year leading Osceola’s schools, district superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff said the grades celebrate notable improvements.
“These achievements underscore our ongoing efforts to provide a supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. I commend the schools and educators for their unwavering commitment to excellence, as evidenced by their continuous improvement and dedication to student achievement,” he said. “Together, we remain focused on our mission to ensure that all students receive a quality education and are prepared for future success.
Osceola School Board Chair Heather Kahoun said the district is “Making great strides towards an ‘A’ (grade.)”
“This reflects the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff. While we celebrate this progress, we're not resting on our laurels. We are committed to pushing forward, closing achievement gaps, and ensuring every student in Osceola County receives the best education. Our goal remains clear: to become an ‘A’ district and provide the highest quality education possible for all our students”
