Sarasota County FL, July 2, 2024 – Sarasota County Schools is pleased to announce that the latest Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) results, released on July 1, 2024, by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), show that our district has improved across the board and outperformed the state averages. These assessments were conducted for the second year using the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) standards. Additionally, the results are based on new rigorous cut scores – which determine proficiency levels – approved this year by Florida’s State Board of Education. We anticipate the FLDOE will release school grades in late July 2024. This achievement reflects Sarasota County Schools’ commitment to academic excellence and the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff.
A Statement from Superintendent Terry Connor: "I am incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work demonstrated by our students, teachers, staff, administrators, and families throughout this school year. Their tenacity and collaborative efforts have significantly improved our state assessment results in every area. This achievement is a testament to our community's investment in public education and the collective dedication to our shared vision for academic excellence in Sarasota County. Together, we have set a new standard for success, and I look forward to building on this momentum in the future. We are eagerly anticipating the final release of data in late July that will be used to determine the district and school grades. Not only then will our schools be able to celebrate their success, but this crucial information will also help determine their next steps for their continuous advancement."
Highlights of the FAST results are as follows:
FAST State Assessment Results | Florida 2024 | Sarasota 2023* | Sarasota 2024** | 2023 vs. 2024 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
English Language Arts - B.E.S.T (Grade 3) | 55% | 64% | 71% | +7 |
English Language Arts - B.E.S.T (Grade 3-10) | 53% | 61% | 64% | +3 |
Mathematics - B.E.S.T (Grades 3-8, Algebra, Geometry) | 55% | 65% | 68% | +3 |
Science (Grade 5, Grade 8, Biology) | 55% | 66% | 68% | +2 |
Social Studies (Civics, US History) | 67% | 78% | 81% | +3 |
*2023 Scores have been retrofitted to reflect proficiency based on the recently approved cut scores by the FLDOE.
**This is the raw data released by the FLDOE on July 1. The final data is expected to be slightly higher when released in late July 2024 as it will reflect only the students that were enrolled in Sarasota since October 2023.
View the breakdown by school here.