More Southwest Florida students than ever are taking the ACT, but scores are declining and falling below state and national averages.
Some 3,073 Lee County seniors took the college aptitude test last year, 367 more than in the previous year, a 13.5 percent increase.
The rise can be attributed to a plan the district started two years ago that registers all seniors for the ACT who have not completed Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test requirements.
"In this past year's class we had about 200 graduates based on ACT scores who didn't pass the FCAT," said Richard Itzen, director of accountability for the Lee County School District. "Two hundred who were able to get their diploma."
Lee County's composite score, an average of the four subject
tests, declined a tenth of a percentage point to 18.9. ACT scores are broken down into four subject areas: English, reading, math and science reasoning, with a scale of 1 to 36.
The statewide composite score was 19.6; the national composite score was 21.1.
"It's all relative," Itzen said. "Eighteen or 19 is probably a low score if you're wanting to get into a selective college. If you want to satisfy the graduation requirements a 19 would do it."
Erin Harrel, dean of the school of education at Edison State College, said the dip in scores makes sense with students taking the ACT without having passed the FCAT.
"If they didn't do well on one test it's probable they won't do well on the other test," she said.
Harrel said the data would have to be examined further to see a true correlation in scores.
The ACT scores to graduate in 2010-11 are 18 for reading and 15 for math. The county's average for reading and math are 19.7 and 19.0, respectively.
Charlotte County also has seen student participation in the ACT increase. Some 810 seniors took the test last year, and Michael Riley, manager of adult education for Charlotte schools, said in a press release that more than 300 Charlotte students who had not passed parts of the FCAT graduated because of their ACT score. The mean composite score for the Charlotte County School District was 20.5.
Collier County schools had 61.5 percent of the graduating class, or 1,778 students, take the ACT and the district achieved a mean composite score of 19.5. More information about Collier's scores will be released this morning, according to Joe Landon, executive director of communications and community engagement for Collier schools.
Florida's composite score of 19.6 ties the state with Kentucky for 48th place in the nation. Only Tennessee and Mississippi achieved lower scores.
Comparisons between states can be difficult. Some states require the test of all high school students while in others, the test is generally limited to high-achieving students with an eye on attending the most selective colleges.
Florida's participation ranked higher than many states. In all, 117,575 graduates took the test. That's 66 percent of the graduating class, ranking 22nd nationally.
All told, 49 percent of the nation's high school seniors took the ACT last year.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Southwest Florida Scores
- Charlotte County: 20.5
- Collier County: 19.5
- Lee County: 18.9
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Parents, staff banking on Cape Prep's success: Charter school has hands-on approach
A new charter elementary school is opening in Cape Coral.
Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy, 2103 Santa Barbara Blvd., will open its doors Monday for the new school year.
"We have done a great job getting our staff together," said Dr. Myrrha Satow, CEO of Performance Academies, the company in charge of the charter school.
The building underwent renovations to convert the former TIB bank into a school. Just a few finishing touches may still remain.
"(We're) trying to preserve the beauty of the prior building," Satow said. "It looks fantastic."
The main work done was to divide the building into classrooms.
The new academy is a public charter school and thus has no tuition.
Performance Academies runs two other schools in the Lee County School District, in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs, and company officials noticed many parents who lived in Cape Coral driving their students across the bridge. They saw a need for a charter school in the Cape with small class sizes and a hands-on approach.
"(Parents) really expressed a need for a school with a similar focus and we responded to that," Satow said.
Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy will likely have more than 100 students enrolled when it opens.
"As a parent, my whole reason to look at the school was to find a good fit," said Carla Goode, a North Fort Myers resident.
Her grandson Dedrick, 10, attended the Fort Myers academy and is transferring to the Cape location.
The new schoolhouse for Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy at 2103 Santa Barbara Blvd. is undergoing renovations. The building used to house a bank.
Goode said she liked the small classes and family atmosphere.
The school limits its classes to 18 students and has two hours of reading and writing, 90 minutes of math and 90 minutes of science and social studies daily.
"His teacher gave me her personal cellphone number - that is unheard of in public school," Goode said.
Teachers have also been visiting students' families at their home before school starts.
This K-5 school has an extended school day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and offers one hour and 15 minutes of martial arts or physical fitness daily.
"Anybody can teach reading and writing," said Principal Theresa Kern. "But not everyone has the niche that we have of martial arts and physical fitness."
The daily fitness program sets the Cape academy apart from other elementary schools.
"The fitness obviously was a big thing for me," Goode said. "Kids get bored sitting around all day."
The academy also focuses heavily on academics.
"We have a strong back-to-basics curriculum," Satow said.
Their methods appear to work. Both academies in Lee County achieved an "A" rating.
"We're very proud of that," Satow said.
For more information, call 989-2807 or visit performanceacademies.com and click on the Cape Coral link from the drop-down menu.
Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy, 2103 Santa Barbara Blvd., will open its doors Monday for the new school year.
"We have done a great job getting our staff together," said Dr. Myrrha Satow, CEO of Performance Academies, the company in charge of the charter school.
The building underwent renovations to convert the former TIB bank into a school. Just a few finishing touches may still remain.
"(We're) trying to preserve the beauty of the prior building," Satow said. "It looks fantastic."
The main work done was to divide the building into classrooms.
The new academy is a public charter school and thus has no tuition.
Performance Academies runs two other schools in the Lee County School District, in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs, and company officials noticed many parents who lived in Cape Coral driving their students across the bridge. They saw a need for a charter school in the Cape with small class sizes and a hands-on approach.
"(Parents) really expressed a need for a school with a similar focus and we responded to that," Satow said.
Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy will likely have more than 100 students enrolled when it opens.
"As a parent, my whole reason to look at the school was to find a good fit," said Carla Goode, a North Fort Myers resident.
Her grandson Dedrick, 10, attended the Fort Myers academy and is transferring to the Cape location.
The new schoolhouse for Cape Coral Preparatory and Fitness Academy at 2103 Santa Barbara Blvd. is undergoing renovations. The building used to house a bank.
Goode said she liked the small classes and family atmosphere.
The school limits its classes to 18 students and has two hours of reading and writing, 90 minutes of math and 90 minutes of science and social studies daily.
"His teacher gave me her personal cellphone number - that is unheard of in public school," Goode said.
Teachers have also been visiting students' families at their home before school starts.
This K-5 school has an extended school day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and offers one hour and 15 minutes of martial arts or physical fitness daily.
"Anybody can teach reading and writing," said Principal Theresa Kern. "But not everyone has the niche that we have of martial arts and physical fitness."
The daily fitness program sets the Cape academy apart from other elementary schools.
"The fitness obviously was a big thing for me," Goode said. "Kids get bored sitting around all day."
The academy also focuses heavily on academics.
"We have a strong back-to-basics curriculum," Satow said.
Their methods appear to work. Both academies in Lee County achieved an "A" rating.
"We're very proud of that," Satow said.
For more information, call 989-2807 or visit performanceacademies.com and click on the Cape Coral link from the drop-down menu.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
National Merit Scholarships go to 10: Area high schoolers get help with college
For 10 area high school seniors, paying for college just became easier.
The students from Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties will receive prestigious National Merit Scholarships from their choice college.
"It helps a lot to get any help that you can," said recipient Jack Hackett, a senior at Canterbury School in south Fort Myers. He plans to attend the University of Florida.
The scholarships range from $500 to $2,000 a year and the student receives the award for up to four years of undergraduate study.
The National Merit Scholarship program is a national academic competition that awards students for scholastic achievement.
Students are eligible to receive recognition after taking the PSAT, a precursor to the SAT college entrance test or the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
"It was a little surprising but exciting," said Kaitlyn Sarlo, a senior at Bishop Verot High School who also plans to attend Florida. "You take the SAT, but it's never in the front of your mind that you can win a scholarship."
Of 1.5 million applicants nationwide, only 50,000 students' scores are eligible for recognition. The applicant pool narrows to 15,000 finalists with 8,400 receiving scholarships.
Florida had 805 finalists this year with more scholarships to be awarded in July.
Students, in addition to achieving high test scores on the PSAT and SAT, must complete a scholarship application. The packet includes an essay, their academic record and teacher recommendations.
"It was easy," said Jose Quinonez, a senior at Bishop Verot who plans to attend the University of Miami. "The application was painless and easy to go through. It was a very nice process."
Being a National Merit Scholar finalist is an asset when applying to colleges.
"Colleges recognize it as a high honor," said Katie Williamsen, coordinator for public information at the National Merit Scholarship Corp. "Some colleges will award scholarships for the student's standing in the program."
"It's a good thing to have on a resume." said Quinonez. "I think it helps out a lot."
The three Collier County winners were from the Community School of Naples — George Ferguson, Lauren Raskauskas and Megan Schmelzle.
"It definitely helps," said Ferguson, who's receiving $2,000 annually from Washington University in St. Louis.
A science buff, Ferguson took Advanced Placement physics, chemistry and environmental science courses.
Raskauskas will also receive $2,000 a year from Washington.
She has aspired to become a doctor since middle school.
— Staff writer Christina Cepero contributed to this report.
The students from Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties will receive prestigious National Merit Scholarships from their choice college.
"It helps a lot to get any help that you can," said recipient Jack Hackett, a senior at Canterbury School in south Fort Myers. He plans to attend the University of Florida.
The scholarships range from $500 to $2,000 a year and the student receives the award for up to four years of undergraduate study.
The National Merit Scholarship program is a national academic competition that awards students for scholastic achievement.
Students are eligible to receive recognition after taking the PSAT, a precursor to the SAT college entrance test or the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
"It was a little surprising but exciting," said Kaitlyn Sarlo, a senior at Bishop Verot High School who also plans to attend Florida. "You take the SAT, but it's never in the front of your mind that you can win a scholarship."
Of 1.5 million applicants nationwide, only 50,000 students' scores are eligible for recognition. The applicant pool narrows to 15,000 finalists with 8,400 receiving scholarships.
Florida had 805 finalists this year with more scholarships to be awarded in July.
Students, in addition to achieving high test scores on the PSAT and SAT, must complete a scholarship application. The packet includes an essay, their academic record and teacher recommendations.
"It was easy," said Jose Quinonez, a senior at Bishop Verot who plans to attend the University of Miami. "The application was painless and easy to go through. It was a very nice process."
Being a National Merit Scholar finalist is an asset when applying to colleges.
"Colleges recognize it as a high honor," said Katie Williamsen, coordinator for public information at the National Merit Scholarship Corp. "Some colleges will award scholarships for the student's standing in the program."
"It's a good thing to have on a resume." said Quinonez. "I think it helps out a lot."
The three Collier County winners were from the Community School of Naples — George Ferguson, Lauren Raskauskas and Megan Schmelzle.
"It definitely helps," said Ferguson, who's receiving $2,000 annually from Washington University in St. Louis.
A science buff, Ferguson took Advanced Placement physics, chemistry and environmental science courses.
Raskauskas will also receive $2,000 a year from Washington.
She has aspired to become a doctor since middle school.
— Staff writer Christina Cepero contributed to this report.
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