How has the process changed since we started using a letter grade?
In 1999, graduation, dropout, attendance and school discipline rates were included in the letter grade. While these are important statistics, they were removed in 2000, at the request of school districts, to keep the focus on the most important measure in a school – learning. In 2001, school grading was expanded to include the “progress” of students in reading and math. Including “progress” was a very important factor requested by educators to acknowledge the gains being made by students who may still be below grade level, but are still improving. In 2004 scores of students with disabilities and English language learning students were included in school grades – but only in the calculations of “progress”. Additionally, the standard was raised for grade level performance in writing. Most recently, in 2007, school grades began including student performance on the science portion of the FCAT, the learning gains of students scoring in the lowest 25 percent in mathematics and the performanc
