Florida Math Scores Improve and Student Achievement Gaps Narrow
June 29, 2022 Updated 10:00 A.M. ET
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida Standards Assessments data shows overall mathematics scores for students in third to eighth grades improved by 4 percentage points, bringing proficiency to 55%. The FSA English Language Arts statewide score percentage stayed the same at 52% for third to tenth grade levels.
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. said the data showed African American students, students from economically disadvantaged families, and Hispanic students improved in all Mathematics and ELA metrics.
Achievement gaps narrowed between White and African American students in third to tenth grade English Language Arts, and third to eighth grade Mathematics and Algebra 1.
Gaps also narrowed between White and Hispanic students in third to eighth grade Mathematics and third to tenth grade English Language Arts.
“Every child deserves access to the best possible education available, regardless of income or background,” said Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. “Today’s increases – spanning grade levels, subject areas, and demographics – would not have been possible without our hard-working teachers and staff and their dedication to student success. Now is the time to double-down on our efforts to accelerate student outcomes.”
Click here to view the statewide and district-level results.
The Department said the positive test scores are a result of Florida’s efforts to keep students in the classroom so students do not fall behind.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida’s public schools would remain closed for the end of the 2019-2020 school year because of the pandemic. However, the Florida Department of Education boldly became the first state to reopen schools for in-person instruction five days a week during the 2020-2021 school year.
Since then, reports have surfaced showing Florida saw fewer learning gaps than lockdown states that did not provide in-person instruction.
REPORT: Florida Saw Less Learning Gaps Than Lockdown States Due to In-Person Schooling
The study said in states like California, New Jersey, and Virginia, high-poverty schools had higher rates of remote instruction, therefore, leading to a larger gap in learning loss compared to low-poverty schools.
