Orange County’s 19 traditional high schools posted their best results in 13 years of school grading. Under the new two-year-old comprehensive state formula for high school grading, 16 of the district’s high schools earned high-performing A or B grades.
The district had four A-graded high schools, and 12 with Bs. Three scored Cs and, for the first time, there were no D- or F-graded traditional high schools in Orange County.
Edgewater High achieved its first A grade in 13 years to join Olympia, University and Winter Park high schools among the district leaders. Two schools – East River and Wekiva – improved two full grades, from Ds to Bs.
The greatest celebrations may have been at Evans and Oak Ridge high schools, where both schools posted C grades after many years as under-performing D or F schools. For Evans in Pine Hills, it was their first ever C. For Oak Ridge it was an optimistic rebound to their first C since 1999.
As a whole, 10 schools improved their grades, six stayed the same and three dipped one grade.
Superintendent Ronald Blocker remarked, “I’m very pleased that 16 of our 19 high schools have risen to the high-performing A or B grade level. This marked improvement over last year is a testament to tremendous focus by great teachers and principals in our high schools. The improved graduation rate [80.0%] and high school grades send a strong message to the community that quality education is occurring throughout the district.”
School Board Chair Bill Sublette said, “It’s a great day for Orange County Public Schools. I am very proud of our students, teachers and principals.”
School-by-School Summary
Apopka: B – Back-to-back B grades; three in the last four years
Boone: B – Seventh consecutive high-performing A or B grade
Colonial: B – Second ever and second consecutive B grade
Cypress Creek: B – Third consecutive high-performing B grade
Dr. Phillips: B – Seventh consecutive high-performing A or B grade
East River: B – Up from a D, in their second year graded
Edgewater: A – First A in history; second consecutive high-performing grade
Evans: C – First C grade in history, up from a D
Freedom: B – Third consecutive year with a high-performing grade
Jones: C – Second consecutive year above low-performing grades
Lake Nona: B – Up from a C in their second year of grading
Oak Ridge: C – First C since 1999, up from a D
Ocoee: B – First B in six-year history, up from a C
Olympia: A – Third A grade in four years; a high-performing school since 2003 opening
Timber Creek: B – A high-performing school in six of their nine years
University: A – Up from a B; third consecutive high-performing grade
Wekiva: B – Up from a D grade, their first high-performing grade
West Orange: B – Up from a C grade, their third high-performing grade in history
Winter Park: A – Up from a B grade, a high-performing school for 13 years
High school grades released this week included graduation rates and other academic factors that account for 50 percent of the grades. The balance was based on traditional FCAT test score results.
For more information, contact Vickie Cartwright, Sr. Director, Accountability, Research, and Assessment at 407.317.3201 or Dylan Thomas, Director, Public Relations at 407.317.3368.
