FAST test scores climb in South Florida — in a boost for ‘A’ grade goals
South Florida Sun Sentinel | By: Scott Travis | June 29, 2026
South Florida students continued to show gains in this year’s standardized tests, a good sign that local districts will be able to maintain their coveted A grade.
The improved tests scores are on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, or FAST. The test is given three times a year in a system called “progress monitoring,” which allows districts to track individual student performance throughout the year and make needed adjustments.
This year, 65% of Broward students in grades 3-10 showed proficiency in the English and language arts tests, up from 61% last year. Miami-Dade’s scores climbed from 60% to 65%, while Palm Beach County student proficiency rose from 58% to 62%.
In both Broward and Miami-Dade counties, proficiency in math for grades 3 to 8 improved from 63% to 67%. Palm Beach County scores rose from 60% to 64%.
“These results highlight the incredible dedication of our teachers, school leaders, staff and families, and the hard work and perseverance of our students,” Broward Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn said. ” I am proud of the sustained academic growth and achievement we are seeing across nearly every tested subject area. It is a testament to the commitment of our district, School Board, and community to provide a strong academic foundation for all students.”
Palm Beach County Superintendent Mike Burke also praised his district’s results.
“I am incredibly proud of our students, teachers, administrators, and support staff whose hard work and dedication resulted in this impressive academic growth. Consistently outpacing the state averages is a direct result of Team Palm Beach’s commitment to academic excellence,” he said.
The South Florida results surpassed the state as a whole but followed a statewide trend of improved scores. The percentage of proficient students in grades 3 to 10 language arts climbed from 57% last year to 61% this year, while math proficiency for grades 3 to 8 climbed from 59% to 62%.
“For the first time ever, more than 60% of Florida students are now performing on or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “This success demonstrates that our education reforms, like progress monitoring, are delivering real results for our students.”
Student achievement on FAST tests is the largest factor used in determining letter grades for elementary schools. For middle and high schools, end-of-course test scores are also used.
All three counties showed solid improvement on end-of-course exams in algebra, U.S. history and civics.
Broward was down slightly for geometry tests, from 60% proficiency to 59%, while scores in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County were both up.
The passing rate for biology end-of-course tests was also down slightly in Broward, from 76% to 75%. The scores were up in the other two counties.
