OCPS students make improvements in state testing

Orange County Public Schools students showed gains in in several state testing areas. 

The district increased five percentage points in English Language Arts and four percentage points in mathematics compared to last year. 

Overall, the district increased or remained the same in 20 of the 21 reported subject areas and grade levels, according to a news release from the district.

"I am incredibly proud of our students' repeated academic gains," Superintendent Maria Vazquez said in a news release. "These scores reflect the hard work and commitment to excellence by our students, teachers, administrators and parents. They are a powerful example of how we prepare, inspire and empower every student. I am grateful to the families who have chosen OCPS for their child's high-quality education."

The percentage of OCPS students scoring Level 3 or higher was above the state's percentage in several subject areas and grade levels.

For the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking Progress Monitoring 3 ELA, OCPS saw improvement across all grade levels except fifth grade. 

Grades three, four and five scored above the state's percentage in FAST ELA Progress Monitoring 3.

In FAST Mathematics Progress Monitoring 3, grades four, five and eight scored above the state's percentage. 

All grade levels also saw improvements or remained the same in scores for mathematics. 

In the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking Algebra 1 end-of-course and Geometry end-of-course, students tested above the state's 60% in Algebra 1 and 55% in Geometry by scoring 63% and 56% respectively. Those scores also were an increase over last year's OCPS scores of 53% in Algebra 1 and 54% in Geometry. 

The district also scored above the state's percentage in the statewide science assessments for grades five and eight. OCPS scored 62% in fifth-grade science, compared to the state's 55%. The district scored 52% in eighth-grade science, compared to the state's 49%. 

The district out-performed the state percentage in the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in Biology end-of-course and U.S. History end-of-course testing as well.

The district scored 73% in Biology, compared to the state's 71%. Students scored 72% in U.S. History, compared to the state's 71%.