SOUTHWEST, Fla. (WINK) — As students return to classrooms across Southwest Florida, families are getting a closer look at how their schools performed last year.
For Ariel Almquist, whose daughter is starting kindergarten this year, back-to-school is about new opportunities.
"I'm excited for her to start kindergarten and just starting to get new friends and meet her teachers... she's really excited."
For Jessica Allen, who moved her children from private to public school, it's about making sure they have the support they need to succeed.
"I transitioned my kids from private school to public school to take advantage of the accommodations that the public school offers. My experience has been pleasant. It really made a difference,” Allen said.
Those are the kinds of experiences families hope to find when they send their children to school—and the annual school grades offer one way to measure how districts are performing.
Schools can earn points in up to 12 accountability categories, and those points determine each school's final letter grade. Schools also must test at least 95% of eligible students.
WINK Investigates examined school grades within our largest school districts: Charlotte, Lee or Collier counties.
This year, there was plenty to celebrate across the region.
No traditional public school in Charlotte, Lee or Collier counties received a D or F.
Still, a deeper dive into the data shows each district has its own successes—and its own challenges.
Charlotte County earns first A in 15 years
Charlotte County Public Schools reached a major milestone, earning its first A district grade since 2011.The district increased its overall accountability score by 39 points, ranked 21st among Florida's 67 school districts and finished among the state's fastest-improving districts.
Ten schools earned an A:
- Deep Creek Elementary
- Florida SouthWestern Collegiate High School
- L.A. Ainger Middle School
- Lemon Bay High School
- Liberty Elementary
- Meadow Park Elementary
- Port Charlotte Middle School
- Punta Gorda Middle School
- Sallie Jones Elementary
- Vineland Elementary
Only two schools earned a C, down from six the previous year, and no district-operated school received a D or F.
Charlotte County Schools that earned a "C" grade:
- Peace River Elementary
- Neil Armstrong Elementary
Charlotte County Superintendent Mark Vianello was not available for an interview with
WINK Investigates but did send the following statement:
“Our A district rating is proof that sustained focus, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement produce meaningful results for students. I could not be more proud of what our schools have accomplished together. We will celebrate this milestone, but we will also continue challenging ourselves to provide every student with the opportunities and support they need to succeed."
Collier County remains among Florida's elite
The district earned an A rating for the ninth consecutive year and finished sixth out of Florida's 67 school districts.
The district says only one district larger or comparable in student population scored higher, and no district with a comparable percentage of English Language Learners (ELL) students scored as high as CCPS.
Among traditional public schools, 51 of 52 earned either an A or B, with none receiving a D or F.
Superintendent Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli sat down with WINK Investigates to talk about school grades.
"I think it's the consistency of support that we provide to the schools... consistency in leadership, consistency in support,” Ricciardelli said.
Seven schools improved to an A this year:
- Eden Park Elementary (first A)
- Everglades City School
- Golden Gate Elementary
- Herbert Cambridge Elementary
- Highlands Elementary
- Lake Trafford Elementary
- Village Oaks Elementary
"It's really hard to keep stable numbers... but the love and the passion are there for the kids and the families... I'm really proud of their efforts," Ricciardelli said.
Not every school improved.
Pinecrest Elementary dropped from an A to a C after earning A ratings the previous two years.
Ricciardelli said the district is already working with school leaders.
"We're looking into it. We're supporting the staff, supporting the principal... I can tell you that is priority number one,” Ricciardelli said.
She said every school faces unique challenges and believes Pinecrest has the leadership to recover.
“I have no doubt they'll pick it back up. I'm not worried about them... they'll take it personally, and they're going to fix it.,” Ricciardelli said.
Ricciardelli said charter schools receive district support even though they operate independently.
"They're still part of us. We are part of the same team,” Ricciardelli said. “Whatever it is they need, we are here to provide the support."
Looking ahead, Ricciardelli said she's confident the district can maintain its success even as Florida raises grading standards.
”I'm never afraid of the challenge. And really, we've really been very consistent. I think we'll be just fine. They've done it before. We'll continue to prove ourselves."
Lee County posts strongest performance in more than a decade
29 schools improved their grades and no traditional public school earned a D or F.
The district now has 24 A-rated schools and 29 B-rated schools.
Several schools improved by two letter grades includingTortuga Preserve Elementary, J. Colin English Elementary, Hancock Creek Elementary, and San Carlos Park Elementary.
Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin told WINK Investigates she’s “over the moon” with the school grades.
“Really proud of our students and our teachers and our principals for the great job they did this past school year,” Carlin said.
She explained the district's improvement comes from focusing on student performance throughout the school year, not just at testing time.
"We don't wait for the end-of-the-year test. We look every week at how children are doing, and then we make instructional decisions based on what's next for them,” Carlin said.
Despite the progress, Carlin said the district still has work to do.
"I want to see no C schools, no Ds or Fs. It's not about the accolade. It's about more children walking across that stage at graduation,” Carlin said. “That's what I'm after as superintendent."
Thirty traditional public schools remain C-rated, which are:
- Allen Park Elementary
- Anamecer Elementary
- Bonita Springs Elementary
- Colonial Elementary
- Edgewood Academy
- Franklin Park Elementary
- G. Weaver Hipps Elementary
- Lehigh Elementary
- Orange River Elementary
- Patriot Elementary
- Pelican Elementary
- Skyline Elementary
- Sunshine Elementary
- Tice Elementary
- Fort Myers Middle School
- Lehigh Acres Middle School
- Lemuel Teal Middle School
- Oak Hammock Middle School
- Varsity Lakes Middle School
- Dunbar High School
- East Lee County High School
- Island Coast High School
- Lehigh Senior High School
- Mariner High School
- Riverdale High School
- South Fort Myers High School
- James Stephens Community School
- North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
- Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
“For every single school, there is a strategic plan that has been designed,” Carlin said. “We're going to make sure, working with your partner as the regional associate superintendent, that there's a strategy in place or two that can help your school get back on track.
And we know all of our schools can continue to move forward.”
Teachers see room to improve
One of Lee County's C-rated schools is
Colonial Elementary.Teacher aide Maddalena Tumminaro says the school narrowly missed moving up a letter grade."We just missed it by two points. We'll do better,” Tumminaro said. “Our kids are good... I have faith in our teachers. We're going to do it."
This year's grades may not be easy to repeat.More than 75% of schools statewide earned an A or B.The grading scale will become
more rigorous for the upcoming school year which means, schools may have to earn more points next year just to receive the same letter grade.
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