How Local Third-Graders Did on the FCAT

More than half of Pinellas County's third-graders read at or above grade level – at 56 percent, keeping pace overall with Florida third-graders, according to results released Friday.

But only 48 percent of the district's third-graders scored at or above grade level on the math portion of the FCAT, lagging 10 points behind their peers across the state.

Here is the percentage of third-graders scoring at or above grade level in reading and math in Pinellas beach communities:

• Madeira Beach Fundamental: 85 percent in reading; 63 percent in math;
• Belleair Elementary: 37 percent in reading; 21 perceint in math;
• Pasadena Fundamental: 92 percent in reading; 69 percent in math.
  

Scoring on the third-grade FCAT is numbered from 1 to 5, with 3 the minimum for students to be considered at grade level. Students who score "1" are at risk of being held back.

In Pinellas schools:

• 17 percent scored a "1" in reading;
• 24 percent scored a "1" in math.

Florida’s passage rates have dropped after exams were changed and a more rigorous scoring system implemented.

Teacher evaluations are partially based on students’ FCAT scores.

School letter grades are set to be released in July,

Students’ individual FCAT results will be distributed to parents by schools later.

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