The St. Johns County School District has been rated the top district in Florida as measured by test scores for the ninth consecutive year and has received an A rating from the Florida Department of Education for the eighth straight year, according to district officials.
“When we look at that and see that level of performance in our schools, it certainly makes us all feel good about the success that a large number of our children are having in our schools,” said SJCSD Superintendent Tim Forson. “It takes all stakeholders: teachers who work hard and go home tired; school leaders who make sure we’re focused and doing the right thing; and parents that support all of it and are a big part of it. I appreciate the effort of every individual that works towards the success of our children.”
School Board Member Kelly Barrera, who represents District 4, echoed Forson’s comments.
“I’m very proud,” she said. “I’ve seen how hard our teachers, our students and our school administrators have worked towards academic achievement. All the different partners understand how important academic achievement is to our community. It’s wonderful to be recognized for that.”
Forson explained that districts receive their ratings based on a number of criteria, including Florida Standard Assessment (FSA) scores, learning gains, students’ success in accelerated courses and graduation rates. SJCSD is one of 11 school districts in Florida to receive an A rating in 2017.
Although the superintendent is pleased with the accolades, he said there’s always room for improvement.
“We take those numbers and those scores to identify areas where we need to do better,” said Forson. “Our goal is (to help) all students. When we have students that are still struggling to find success, we need to work towards helping them be successful.”
