Every year High School Performance Grades are issued by the state of Florida in order to rate high schools based on certain components including standardized testing and graduation rates. This year, Gables earned enough points to obtain an ‘A’, however, the school’s score was deducted to a ‘B’ rating after a two year streak of an A rating.

“We excelled in everything, our AP scores went up, math and reading scores went up and the only reason Gables was scored down was because of the ‘at risk’ graduation rate” test coordinator Mrs Andrews said.

The guidelines for high school ratings according to the state of Florida are mainly based on the progress of students assessed through standardized testing and the rigor of the students’ coursework. In order to give high schools a letter grade, a 1600-point scale is used where 1050 are enough to obtain an ‘A’ rating. Points are awarded for passing and above passing scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and End Of Course Assessments (EOC). Also, enrollment and performance on Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses are also considered.

“[The scoring system] Is not fair. There is no ‘fair’ method to assess the progress of such a diverse population. Results should be assessed every four years with every graduating class. For instance, in a marathon the winner is not determined every 4 miles, it is determined at the finish line” Principal Adolfo Costa said.

One of the biggest factors in the process of rating a school is “At risk” population graduation rate. The “At risk” population is comprised of those students that obtained a score of 2 out of 5 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in eighth grade. Gables was deducted points for failing to increase the “At risk” graduation rate from the previous year.

“[The grading system] puts a burden on the school by forcing us to graduate a certain percentage of students each year. ESOL students are at a disadvantage since they do not know the language and have to take standardized tests. I do think that there should be standards in the curriculum but not in the way it is being done now.” ESOL coordinator, Ms Sorondo, said.

For the past 6 years Gables has received enough points to achieve an ‘A’ rating and it has been consistently lowered due to the ‘at risk’ population. Each year, the proportion of students whose FCAT scores are lower tend to decrease, however, these are almost inevitable and out school should not be penalized for the small proportion of low-performing students. For this reason, the state is reevaluating the scoring system for schools in order to avoid including the ‘at risk’ population into account.

“‘Triggers’ such as the ‘at risk’ population will most likely be removed” Principal Adolfo Costa said.

In essence, our school has worked arduously to achieve an ‘A’ rating for the last several years. Hopefully, the grading system is reevaluated so that Gables can rightfully achieve the ‘A’ rating it deserves.