| The 2005-2006 school year was a tremendous | | | | The major problems facing all middle Florida |
| success for the Florida schools, especially at the | | | | schools' educators are the hormonal changes that |
| middle school level. The Florida schools' educators | | | | youth experience at this age and the intense peer |
| across the state worked hard to improve student | | | | pressure students must deal with on a daily basis. |
| academic achievement levels and were rewarded | | | | These challenges make it easy for middle school |
| for their efforts. The state of Florida awarded | | | | students to get off track. |
| grades of A or B to 75 percent of its public | | | | Florida schools' educators are working hard to |
| schools. Not only did this show extraordinary | | | | divert the students' attention away from these |
| progress for the Florida schools, but it also was a | | | | problems by getting them more focused on |
| new record for the state. | | | | learning. Many Florida schools are looking at last |
| The strongest gains were made in the middle | | | | year's strategies to review what worked and |
| schools. For example, Lake County has nine | | | | what did not. They plan to duplicate last year's |
| middle schools. Seven earned a grade of A last | | | | success, with the hopes of doing even better this |
| year, with the other two earning Bs. One of the B | | | | year. |
| schools missed receiving an A by only one point. | | | | Seminole County schools, for example, improved |
| Osceola County has ten middle schools of which | | | | the reading scores of struggling students by |
| six earned an A, three earned a B, and one | | | | incorporating two research-based programs into |
| received a C grade. | | | | its reading curriculum. They encouraged their |
| Middle school is a crucial stage of academic | | | | Florida schools to use small reading groups with |
| achievement for students. It is the time when | | | | frequent monitoring of progress and goal setting |
| students transition from developing the basic skills | | | | for each student. This year, they plan to use this |
| learned in elementary school to learning how to | | | | successful technique with their math curriculum. |
| put them into practice. Here, students begin to | | | | Another example is Volusia County schools. Last |
| learn more in-depth content in order to develop | | | | year, they mapped their curriculum to set specific |
| the foundation that is needed in high school. | | | | goals for each grade level and then assessed |
| Secondary education then builds on the foundation | | | | student progress based on achieving the goals. |
| by digging deeper into the content and using it to | | | | It is obvious that educators in the Florida schools |
| help students develop their minds and become | | | | are committed to building this year on the |
| well-rounded adults. | | | | progress they made last year. As with public |
| If the middle Florida schools do their jobs right, as | | | | schools across the nation, there will be no |
| they did last year, then students will achieve a | | | | shortage of challenges facing the Florida schools. |
| greater success in high school, be more likely to | | | | Unlike many public schools across the nation, the |
| go on to college, and have a better chance to | | | | Florida schools are making progress for the youth |
| obtain and excel in a good career. | | | | of their state. |