Update
Tuesday, July 12, 6:16 p.m.
The final grade for Warrington Middle School is a "D."
The Florida Department of Education notified Escambia County School District of the grade Tuesday. Escambia Superintendent Tim Smith released a statement this afternoon.
"It would be a huge understatement to say we are disappointed,” said Superintendent Tim Smith. “Regardless of the grade issued to Warrington Middle School, it is not an accurate reflection of the effort put forth by students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members.”
“I am proud of the determination, grit, and no excuses attitude this team exhibited. They persevered, even as they faced many challenges.”
The school initially received a grade of "Incomplete" due to the state's requirement to test at least 95% of the students. One set of 6th-grade make-up answer sheets missed the state's deadline. They were accepted and added to the final score.
As previously reported, the school has struggled for years and received eight consecutive low-performing grades, including an "F," and not to mention years of lost learning due to the pandemic. Under the state-approved School Turnaround Plan, Warrington was under intense pressure to improve and receive a passing grade of "C" to avoid transitioning to a charter school.
Warrington will continue to be a traditional middle school for the 2022-2023 school year, Smith said in the statement. The Florida State Board of Education approved a plan for the school to be converted to a charter school in the 2023-2024 school year.
The full report of 2021-2022 school and district grades can be found at: https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.
Monday, July 11, 1:26 p.m.
The Escambia County School District sent an update about Warrington Middle School's "Incomplete" grade. In the statement, the school district said it has reached out to the Florida Department of Education to seek clarification regarding the school grade. The "Incomplete" is a result of the state's requirement that a school test at least 95% of their students to receive a school grade.
"Warrington Middle School staff members made every reasonable effort to test as many students as possible, including contacting absent students and facilitating their arrival on campus for testing," the district said in a statement. "While they did meet the 95% requirement, the final box of reading and math test booklets was not shipped in time to be included in the initial score release or their percent-tested calculation."
Escambia District personnel have verified that the final box of test booklets has been received by the state, and is in the process of being scored. No date has been set at this time for the release of Warrington's school grade
Original story:
The state department of education this afternoon releasedgrades for Florida schools.
Santa Rosa County schools were rated an “A” for the 2021-22 school year. Neighboring Escambia County was graded a “B.” However, Warrington Middle School in Escambia was given an “incomplete” grade. School officials there were trying today to determine what the means. The chronically low-performing school is in danger of becoming a charter school if it does not get a “C.” Okaloosa and Walton school districts also got an "A" grade.
“In its initial report, FLDOE issued a grade of ‘Incomplete’ to Warrington Middle School,” the release said. “District officials are currently reaching out to the State Department of Education for clarification. This information will be shared when received by the District.”
In Santa Rosa, a county that has a long history of high-performing students, Superintendent Dr. Karen Barber said that of the 20 schools eligible for school grades, 12 earned an “A,” seven earned a “B,” nine schools earned a “C,” and one earned an incomplete.
In a news release, Barber said: “In reviewing the recently released state assessment scores, we were pleased to see that we scored above the state average in ELA and math for all grades, as well as 5th and 8th grade science, algebra, geometry, civics, U.S. history, and biology. Results place our school district within the top 10 school districts in the state for several categories. We saw overall increases in 3rd grade math, 4th grade ELA, 5th grade ELA and math, 6th grade math, 8th grade math, 9th grade ELA, and algebra. We are extremely proud of our students, and the hard work demonstrated by our dedicated teachers, staff, and school administrators.
“Santa Rosa County Schools could not be successful without them and the continued support from our parents and community.”
Escambia school Superintendent Dr. Tim Smith said the recently completed school year was a challenging one.
“First, I would like to express my gratitude for the tremendous and unprecedented effort each and every member of our ECSD family exhibited during an extremely challenging school year,” Smith said in a news release. “Rest assured, just as we faced the challenges of COVID, we will face these new challenges with a no-excuses attitude. We will not be deterred in our commitment to ensuring our students reach their full potential.
“While the state’s standards for school grades have not changed, the circumstances under which schools have been operating since the spring of 2020 have changed dramatically,” continued Smith. “From shut-downs and remote learning to loss of instructional time and staffing challenges, ECSD employees and families have persevered.”
