Each year the State of Florida issues school grades to all public schools that qualify.* School grades are based primarily on the results of state-wide student achievement assessments called the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) which includes End-of- Course Exams (EOCs).
The following components are included in the grade calculation:
- Achievement (percentage of students scoring Level 3 or higher) in reading, math, science. Social studies achievement is also included for middle and high schools.
- Learning gains in reading and math. Learning gains are generally measured by the movement of students from one achievement level (or sublevel) to another.
- Percentage of students in accelerated courses like Algebra 1 and industry certification for middle schools and Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, IB, AICE, or Industry Certification for high schools.
- Graduation Rate (high schools only)
* Some kinds of schools and special programs are excluded from the grading system (e.g. Dept. of Juvenile Justice centers, special education centers, etc.).