Florida Shows Gains in Education Outcomes, Policy
High School Graduation Rate Outpaced Nation
Atlanta, Georgia — July 12, 2016 — Florida continues to improve public education by several key measures, according to a new report from the Southern Regional Education Board.
Gauging Progress, Accelerating Pace reports on recent growth on outcomes and policy activity in the SREB region. The reports show the 16-state SREB region leading the nation on early childhood education access and quality, narrowing some achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups, and surpassing the national average for high school graduation rates. Yet the report’s demographic and student achievement data foreshadow the difficult job states face: getting more students college- and career-ready so they can become successful adults and states can meet future workforce needs.
This report focuses on the region’s progress — and on determining what it will take to help each state accelerate pace.
Notable outcomes for Florida students
- The state is one of seven states in the nation to serve more than half of its 4-year-olds in state-funded pre-K. It led the region with the highest percentage of 4-year-olds in state pre-K.
- Fourth-graders outperformed the nation in reading and math achievement on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) at the Proficient level. They outpaced the nation and region in gains in reading and math at the Proficient level.
- Florida’s high school graduation rate outpaced the nation in growth.
- The percentage of graduating seniors who took an AP exam while in high school increased at a rate that outpaced the national rate. Of these seniors, the percentage who passed at least one exam exceeded the nation and region.
- The six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time freshmen who entered public, four-year colleges and universities topped the national and regional rates.
Strong policy in Florida
- The state’s learning standards are aligned from birth through grade 12.
- The state has led the region in implementing a comprehensive teacher evaluation model.
- The state has career-academic and readiness standards for career and technical education completers.
“Higher graduation rates are great news for Florida and other states,” said SREB President Dave Spence. “Far too many of these high school graduates are still unprepared for college-level work, though. States need to renew their focus on closing this readiness gap and hold schools accountable for being sure students have the skills they need.”
Florida: Gauging Progress, Accelerating Pace details:
- state demographic and income trends
- student achievement from pre-K through postsecondary
- priorities for teacher evaluation and educational technology
SREB monitors progress of its 16 states on the SREB Challenge to Lead Goals for Education adopted by state leaders to help the region lead the nation in educational progress at all levels.
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The Southern Regional Education Board works with 16 member states to improve public education: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Based in Atlanta, SREB was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislatures to help leaders in education and government advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region.
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