District in top 5 for FCAT writing scores

Charlotte County students exceeded the state average on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test writing exam and placed in the top five among districts with the highest mean scores.

Superintendent David Gayler said the district earned high marks across the board on the FCAT, as the average rated second-highest for eighth- and 10th-grade students. Only four districts had a better mean score for elementary students.

“I’m extremely pleased,” Gayler said Wednesday, after the scores were released by the state Department of Education. “This is a good indicator that we’re going to have a good year.”

The test is used to determine whether third-graders can advance to fourth grade and whether high school seniors can graduate.

Charlotte elementary schools earned a mean score of 4.0 out of 6.0 on the essay segment. The state average was 3.9. A total of 1,093 elementary students took the exam.

Myakka River Elementary recorded the biggest increase among Charlotte County elementary schools, as 90 percent of its students met or exceeded the state standard of 3.5. In 2006, the figure was 78 percent. A breakdown of individual school results is available at www.fldoe.org.

“It’s certainly a great start for Myakka Elementary,” said Principal Jeff Harvey. “We have a great staff here and strong community support, and that really helps.”

Charlotte’s middle schools had the highest mean score at 4.5 on the essay, compared to the state’s 4.1 average. The essay was administered to more than 1,400 middle school students.

The FCAT essays are comprised of expository, persuasive and narrative writing.

Students also received an FCAT writing scale score, ranging from 100 to 500, which is a combination of the essay and the multiplechoice items. This score was reported for the first time in 2006. The 2007 statewide average scale scores increased in grades four and 10 over last year’s scale scores, but dropped slightly for eighth-graders.

Port Charlotte Middle School earned high marks, as 92 percent met or surpassed state standards.

Principal Demetrius Revelas said writing was emphasized in many classes, to reinforce the concept that practice makes perfect.

“I thought the teachers and students were really well prepared for this,” he said. “We didn’t even discuss (the state score) of 3.5. It was 4.0 or higher.”

Tenth-grade students also beat the state average of 3.9 with a score of 4.2. The test was given to 1,457 high school students.

However, several schools didn’t exceed last year’s scores.

Peace River Elementary had a 20 percent decrease in the number of students who scored 3.5 or higher. According to the scores, 64 percent met or exceeded the standards.

“We will have time to reflect on the areas we need to improve on, but not today,” said Peace River Elementary Principal Bertie Alvarez. “We’re just celebrating the kids and their success. I’m very proud of our fourth-grade team.”

Gayler said he wasn’t concerned about the decreases, as every school experiences cycles.

“It’s impossible to have a straight line year after year,” Gayler said. “Overall, we did extremely well.”

Things were not so sunny for DeSoto County High School, where FCAT writing scores dropped to a threeyear low. Only 59 percent of 10th-graders performed at grade level, 20 percent below the state average.

Scores at DeSoto Middle School rose to a mean of 4.4 on the essay portion and averaged 299 all together. Ninety-one percent of eighth-graders scored a 3.5 or better, well above the state average.

Overall, Sarasota County students exceeded the state average and showed consistency or improvement at every grade level. The greatest improvement was in fourth grade, where the mean combined score increased from 316 to 326.

Staff writer Jon F. Sica and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

You can e-mail Jason Witz at jwitz@sun-herald.com.

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Charlotte County Public Schools

Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Englewood, FL are all part of the Charlotte County School district. The following information is offered to help new residents learn about our fine schools. More information about specific programs and needs can be had by calling or writing at the numbers below.

Welcome New Residents

We understand that a school system is in large part a consideration in the decision making process of family relocation. Charlotte County is a wonderful place to live for both children and adults alike. Our district received an “A” rating by the State of Florida for the fourth consecutive year! We are very proud of our students, faculty and support staff for their achievements.

This page was designed to help you find your way around a new and unfamiliar place. Please view the topics listed in the column on the left hand side of the page in order to help you locate information about your child’s school, registration, bus stops, school meals, and other specific information.

If we can be of any additional assistance, please call our School and Community Relations office at 941-255-7430.

The School Board of Charlotte County is dedicated to its Vision of Student Success. Our mission is to provide an innovative educational environment that allows and inspires success for everyone.

Our History

From the beginning, settlers in Southwest Florida recognized a need for education. Young men and women motivated to educate the community’s children took on the role of teaching children in town halls and churches. As the community grew, so did our history. The following table outlines the district’s growth over the last 120 years.

1888

Classes outgrow the community hall and the first building is designated as a school at the corner of Marion & Harvey Streets in Punta Gorda.

1896

A larger school is built on Goldstein Street. The school was filled to capacity with an enrollment of 91 males and 87 females.

1893

The first school for African Americans is formed. After an organized search, Benjamin Joshua Baker agrees to be its principal and relocates from New Orleans. Mr. Baker retired in 1940 after 49 years of teaching and died in 1942 while a new school for the African American Community (Baker Center) was constructed. The school remained segregated until 1964 when Charlotte County Schools were integrated.

1907

Punta Gorda Grammar & High School opens with an enrollment of 150 students. Overcrowding forced construction of a new school on Taylor Street in 1911.

1921

Charlotte County’s modern era begins when DeSoto County is divided into 5 parts. The first bridge across Charlotte Harbor is constructed and schools begin bussing students from rural communities to the Junior High in Port Charlotte and combined schools in Punta Gorda. Six busses operated on a budget of $30.00 per semester, per student.

1926

Bussing increased Punta Gorda enrollment to 1,000 and forced construction of Charlotte High School. Charlotte County teacher salaries were reported as the highest in the State of Florida at $615.00 for teachers in a two room school to $933.00 in schools with 10 or more rooms.

As the Great Depression made its way into Charlotte County, the school year was reduced to 7 months and teachers often recieved promissory notes for items like food and clothing from local merchants rather than a paycheck.

1937

Sallie Jones, one of the original 21 teachers assigned to Charlotte High School, is appointed the first female superintendent of schools in the State of Florida. Ms. Jones served 16 years as superintendent. She created the first school lunchrooms and set the standard that all teachers had to be professionally certified. Ms. Jones retired in 1953 after 31 years as an educator.

1950

Two large residential developers (General Development Corporation and Punta Gorda Isles Development Corporation) spur Southwest Florida growth and force the expansion of the district. New schools are built in rapid succession as can be seen below.

1960

Adult & Community Education

1961

Peace River Elementary School

1962

Charlotte High School, K-9

1962

Lemon Bay High School

1964

East Elementary School

1964-1966

Baker Elementary Center

1970

Neil Armstrong Elementary

1971

Port Charlotte Middle School

1971

Punta Gorda Middle School

1975

Meadow Park Elementary

1980

Charlotte Harbor Center

1980

Charlotte Vocational Center

1982

Charlotte High School, 10 & 12 Grades

1982

Port Charlotte High School

1984

L.A. Ainger Middle School

1986

Liberty Elementary School

1986

Vineland Elementary School

1989

Murdock Middle School

1990

Deep Creek Elementary School

1990

Myakka River Elementary

1998

Kingsway Elementary School

1999

The Academy

2003

Sallie Jones Elementary School

Charlotte County Demographics

The total number of students attending Charlotte County Public Schools in the 2004/2005 school year was 19,397. The following tables will give you an idea of our student make up. If you have any questions, please contact John Weant at 941.255.0808, ext. 3091.

Please select the statistics you would like to view:

District Makeup by Grade Level

District Makeup by School Enrollment

District Makeup by Ethnicity and Gender

The following link provides a variety of demographic data on Charlotte County and Florida:

Charlotte County Economic Development Office

Charlotte County Economic Development Office

Student Testing

Charlotte County Public Schools uses a variety of assessments to capture a comprehensive picture of student learning in our district. Assessments provide the information necessary to improve student performance through instructional decision-making, setting priorities, allocating resources, and for accountability to students, parents, the community, and the mandated state and federal education authorities.

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Charlotte County Public Schools’ reputation for outstanding advancement (despite the overwhelming tasks it continues to deal with post-Charley) grows in stature again as it enters a new joint program with Florida Gulf Coast University.

The School Board and school administration are planning for a bright future by educating tomorrow’s leaders today with FGCU’s Educational Leadership Graduate Program.

This new program in Charlotte County demonstrates exceptional effort by the school district to encourage and partially fund graduate study by current employees. FGCU is providing Charlotte a fast-track version of this needed graduate degree program.

A select group of Charlotte school employees will work hard to complete their heavy load of courses while continuing to teach full time. This FGCU and Charlotte school cooperative effort provides the county with a group of highly educated teachers with credentials to apply for leadership roles as the need for new principals and other administrators arises.

It is another case of the school district and the university working together to “grow our own.”

This approach is a model for other programs in Charlotte and for other parts of southwestern Florida. Cooperation among the potential graduate students, FGCU’s College of Education, the Charlotte School Board and administration has been exceptional. This is a model for getting things done quickly and with excellence.

Current district studies report that retirements and natural attrition soon will leave Charlotte County schools needing principals and district officials.

Qualified applicants for these important positions will be required to hold the Master of Science in Educational Leadership degree. School district officials Rene Desjardins and Chuck Bradley worked with me to develop and implement a fast-track cohort for the university’s graduate degree in Educational Leadership. Interested Charlotte school employees first were screened by the district for a variety of characteristics from length of service to leadership potential and abilities. Those identified then applied to the university in the usual way.

Early discussions estimated that the program could operate with as few as 10 students. However, the school district’s identification process produced 20 qualified applicants, and now the enrollment limit has been set at 30 to maintain university quality standards.

FGCU senior professors Tom Valesky and Cecil Carter will teach the courses in Charlotte County. Classes begin in January and will meet at the Charlotte district headquarters.

This degree program will require hard work on the part of its students and faculty, but the effort will be worth it. And the School Board has shown support by agreeing to provide tuition support for the students who came successfully through its identification process. It is a smart investment on all sides.

FGCU-Charlotte also offers an elementary education cohort model in Charlotte. Other convenient models include the Reading Endorsement program, which provides all of the required graduate course work online (via computer) for the convenience of working teachers. Reading education is a top priority for Charlotte County schools and for Florida Gulf Coast University.

Robert L. Burns is the executive director of FGCU

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Whether you recall Newton’s Third Law or you don’t, its simple, immutable formula is probably still etched into your brain somewhere, a gift from some caring but long-forgotten high school science teacher: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

When Hurricane Charley buzzsawed its way through Charlotte County last August, its 140-plus mph winds obliterated one-third of the schools in the district.

But the storm’s power to tear apart bricks and mortar and knock down buildings had precisely the opposite impact on the determination and resolve of the district’s leaders and staff.

“I think everybody went overboard,” said Charlotte County School Board Chairperson Barbara Rendell. “Everybody wanted to make sure no student was going to be more of a victim than they already were. We couldn’t do anything about their houses that got wrecked or even their schools that got wrecked. But no way were we going to let them become academic victims. No way.” You can say that again. On Tuesday, when Governor Jeb Bush and the Department of Education Secretary John Winn jointly announced the top 10 school districts in the state whose students scored the biggest gains in mathematics, overall mathematics proficiency and writing proficiency on their 2005 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, Charlotte was on all three lists.

The district’s impressive trifecta came hard on the heels of two other scholastic accolades from the governor and education chief last week — one naming the district as one of only 10 among the state’s 67 counties to maintain an overall “A” grade for four consecutive years, and one placing it among the top 15 for improving the reading skills of its lowest-achieving students.

“It’s vital for students to be proficient in math and writing skills to excel when entering higher education or the workplace,” said Bush in a statement accompanying the release of the three latest lists. “I commend the efforts of the districts who are leading our state to greater student achievement.”

“It’s great to see so many districts receive high scores,” added Commissioner John Winn in the statement. “It’s important to recognize the districts that are making gains, a significant measure of student achievement.”

Charlotte County school Superintendent David Gayler said Rendell’s assessment of the cause and effect of the storm on the district’s will to succeed was dead on.

“I think Barbara nailed it,” he said. “It was an intense year. There was a synergy after the storm — the whole became greater than the sum of its parts. It was harmful in a lot of ways, of course, but the storm was also very energizing. To see what can be accomplished when everyone heads in the same direction, wanting the same thing, is phenomenal. It was a synergistic year.”

For Rendell, that synergy can be summed up in a simple, immutable formula. “Every teacher, every support staffer, every administrator and every parent just pulled together and said, ‘Charley, you’re not going to get our kids,’” she said. “Not this year. No way.”

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The good news just keeps on coming for Charlotte County Schools.

Just two days after learning the district was among an elite handful to maintain an overall “A” grade for four consecutive years, state leaders announced Friday that Charlotte educators were among Florida’s best at teaching their lowest-achieving students to read better.

Gov. Jeb Bush and Department of Education Commissioner John Winn lauded Charlotte and 14 other districts for improving the reading test scores of more than 60 percent of their lowest-performing students over the last year.

“All the districts topping the list deserve congratulations for increasing student achievement among those who need it most,” Bush said in a statement.

“I am very pleased to see districts focusing on their most struggling students,” Winn said. “In Florida, we want all students to improve and advance. It’s important to recognize the districts that are making learning gains, a significant measure of student achievement.”

Overall, 61 percent of fourth through 10th-graders in Charlotte improved on the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Only six districts saw a greater percentage of their lowest-performing readers improve, and only 3 percentage points separated Charlotte from Gilchrist, which topped the list at 64 percent. Other counties whose lowest-performing students did well were Duval, Indian River, Martin, Collier, Miami-Dade, Clay, Franklin, Gulf, Hernando, Lee, Osceola, Palm Beach and Sumter.

“I’m very, very pleased, but not exactly surprised,” said Charlotte School Superintendent David Gayler. “We knew about three years ago that group was struggling, and we made a decision that we were going to really target them.”

Charlotte’s comprehensive battle plan for boosting the reading skills of the district’s students scoring in the bottom 25 percent on the FCAT included widespread, intensive use of technology-based reading programs; individualized improvement plans for the targeted students; and specialized training for almost every school professional in the district, Gayler said.

“We basically decided that, to the greatest degree possible, everyone that comes in contact with our students is going to be a reading teacher,” he said. “All our teachers, paraprofessionals, volunteers and mentors — we made great strides providing them with specialized training so that they would all feel comfortable doing that.”

Gayler said the reading improvement effort was given such a weighty priority, and the corrective strategies so individualized, that school principals sitting down with him to discuss their objectives and goals for the coming year could actually name all their targeted students off the top of their heads.

“I’m just so happy for the kids,” Gayler said. “So many of them have struggled. And reading, after all, is the foundation for all other learning. Next year, I’m going to raise our targets even higher. This is just wonderful news.”

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