JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For years, Raines, Ribault, and Jackson High Schools have struggled to make the grade. Consistent F's turned them into "intervene schools," schools in danger of state sanctions. But those days are gone. The schools got their report cards Friday, and they made their highest grades ever.
Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti read the results to a round of applause. "Ribault is now an A school. Andrew Jackson is a B school. And Raines high school is a C school."
It was a long hard road, said Jackson principal Iranetta Wright. "Not only were we the only F high school in Duval County, we were the lowest F in the state of Florida." She credits hard working teachers for the turnaround. "You have not given up. You never ever gave up," she said.
School Board members say it was a shift in attitude, a new confidence in students, that caused the change. The kids began to believe they could do the work, and with constant encouragement by administrators, they did.
Through tears of joy, School Board Member Paula Wright said, "It was more than just helping students achieve, it was about revitalizing, restoring a community."
Dr. Vitti said, "This will go down in history as one of the best days, I think, for Duval County Public Schools."
There are several factors that are considered when schools are graded. FCAT scores make up 50% of the grade, the rest includes graduation rates, test scores, and the number of students in advanced classes.
To get a breakdown of all the school grades, go
http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/.
