One Leon County School among 113 Florida D or F grade schools; why it matters

State leaders have their eyes on a plan to turn things around at one Leon County elementary school and other schools across the state.

It’s been years of D grades for Apalachee Tapestry Magnet School of the Arts, something the Florida Board of Education said needs to change.

Only 24% of 5th graders at Apalachee are proficient in math according to a state report.

The continued low performance brought Superintendent Rocky Hanna before the Florida Board of Education October 17.

“I see three years of admiring a problem and not resolving a problem,” board member Ryan Petty said. “I’m trying to get a sense from you that you know what’s going on at that school and the turn around plan you proposing to us for approval will actually solve the problems you’ve identified.”

LCS Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Shane Syfrett said this years turnaround plan includes more district intervention, increasing the number of teachers, training students with resource teachers, tracking data, teacher training and more.

“We have developers from our district out to assist teachers and look at interventions and really do intensive interventions with their struggling students that aren’t performing on grade level,” Syfrett said.

I spoke with Dr. Inika Williams, Associate Director of Policy for Attendance Works, a non-profit working to up attendance and performance in schools.

She said when it comes to the importance of school grades, it’s a way to hold districts accountable.

“I like to think of school grades as the canary in a coal mine,” Williams said. “It alerts the public if a school is performing well or under performing.”

School grades are based on performance on math, science and reading state assessments.

Things that Williams said can be impacted when attendance is an issue.

“There are 67 school districts. 53 of those districts have significantly improved attendance in the last two years post pandemic and unfortunately, that’s not the case in Leon County nor is it in Gadsden County,” Williams said.

In the latest data from 2023, Leon County Schools had 36.4% of students chronically absent from class.

Gadsden saw 48.5%, about 17 points higher than the state average.

Both districts contributed to the 4% of Florida schools that have a D or F grade.

Syfrett said he is confident the students at Apalachee will soon thrive.

“I believe that if we continue with our collaborative planning, we will make our gains so that school won’t be in D status again,” Syfrett said.

LCS did see some significant improvements at other schools in the district.

Pineview Elementary earned an a grade this year after previously receiving a C.

Nims Middle School earned their first B in their 66 year history.