Scores Improve in Middle School Mathematics, Acknowledges Additional Areas for Improvement

The School District of Lee County (SDLC) is announcing advancements in mathematics proficiency levels in grades 6th and 8th for the 2022-2023 school year, as indicated by the recently released spring assessment results from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). While the District has shown notable progress in middle school mathematics, science, and some ELA grade levels, it also recognizes the need for focused attention in certain areas.

Comparing the 2023 results with those from the previous year, SDLC schools have experienced an increase in math proficiency levels across multiple grade levels. Grade 6 math students demonstrated the largest increase among all subject areas, improving proficiency by 19%. 8th grade math students improved by 11%. Grade 4 and 5 students also showed small improvements in proficiency.

In science, Grade 5 students demonstrated an increase of 2% in students scoring at Level 3 or above on the Statewide Science Assessment. Similarly, Grade 8 students achieved a 2% growth in science proficiency, as measured by the combined results of the Statewide Science. Biology 1 EOC scores also witnessed an increase of 3% compared to the previous year.

“These results highlight the work of our students, our teachers, support professionals and leaders,” said Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Christopher Bernier. “We remain committed to fostering and empowering our students to become proficient as well as critical thinkers and problem solvers in this rapidly advancing world."

While increasing ELA achievement in 4th and 10th grades, SDLC also acknowledges the need for improvement in ELA at other grade levels. The results demonstrate decreases in overall proficiency in six out of the eight grade levels tested. There are also decreases in the Civics EOC and US History EOC, both down 4%. However, it is important to note that the district is analyzing the data to make informed decisions regarding instructional adjustments for the upcoming year.

The new Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is administered three times a year. The May 2023 scores serve as an end-of-year summative assessment to measure student mastery of the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST) Standards. FAST provides teachers, students, and parents with real-time actionable data at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.