St. Johns Co. schools rank No. 1 in Fla.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The St. Johns County School District topped the list of 67 state school districts in a numerical ranking released Monday by the Florida Department of Education.

The district-by-district ranking is the first phase of an initiative that will soon include a list of all of the schools in the state ranked by number within the three main school groupings: elementary, middle and high school.

The goal is to make it easier for parents to assess school district performance.

"We are always grateful for the opportunity to recognize the outstanding work of our students, teachers, support staff and parents," said St. Johns County School District Superintendent Joseph Joyner. "All of our school districts in Florida are focused on high expectations and accountability, and I have the deepest respect for all educators in our state."

The numerical ranking is based on each school's total points derived from FCAT scores. The total is the sum of scores for reading, math, science and writing; learning gains in reading and math; and scores for learning gains in reading and math among the lowest 25 percent of students in each school.

The school district ranking is determined by the school grade points it earned based on the assessment scores of all students in the district that were enrolled for the full year.

"St. Johns County deserves congratulations for this accomplishment," said Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. "A No. 1 ranking takes commitment, hard work and collaboration not only from those within the educational setting; it takes the support of the entire community."

Robinson added that everyone benefits when students receive a high-quality education: parents, educators and taxpayers.

The district rankings can be found at www.fldoe.org/SchoolDistrictRanking/.