COMPOSITION BOOK. Highlighting Central Florida Public Schools

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1 COMPOSITION BOOK Highlighting Central Florida Public Schools

2 Great Things are Happening in Central Florida s Public Schools! For example, did you know that all of Seminole County s high schools are ranked in the top 4 percent of the nation by Newsweek, US News, and the Washington Post? Did you know that Volusia County has been selected as one of four schools districts (out of 16,000) to receive the Career Academy Innovation Community Award from the Ford Motor Company Fund? The information provided in this brochure will help you spread the word on the many accomplishments, changes, and challenges facing our state and region s diverse school districts. Now, more than ever, it s important that all Central Florida residents and business leaders become better informed participants in our public schools and educational policy if we are to compete successfully in this growing global economy. Each of the county school districts represented were responsible for providing the information in this brochure. Special Thanks to the Florida Realtors for their generosity in helping produce this publication. Table of Contents Brevard County Public Schools Highlights....2 Lake County Public Schools Highlights....3 Orange County Public Schools Highlights....4 Osceola County Public Schools Highlights....5 Polk County Public Schools Highlights....6 Seminole County Public Schools Highlights....7 Volusia County Public Schools Highlights....8 Notes....9

3 Brevard County Public Schools Highlights During the 2012 school year, 5.9% of Florida students who earned all-state music recognition were students from Brevard County Public Schools. Brevard County Public Schools also had 33% of the first place winners at the state Science & Engineering Fair. Eighty-eight percent of International Baccalaureate students completing exams scored at the college level. In , graduation rates among Brevard County students exceeded Florida s statewide rate by over 9 percentage points; Brevard s Federal Uniform Graduation: 85.2% and Florida s Federal Uniform Graduation: 74.5%. Sixty-three percent of Brevard Public School students scored 3 or higher on Advanced Placement compared to 47% statewide. 2,560 10th -12th grade students are enrolled in a dual enrollment class. VPK Kindergarten readiness rate in Brevard County is 86% compared to 77% statewide. The Brevard County Public School District is the proud home to 27 of Florida s 32 Music Demonstration schools. Brevard County has been an A rated Public School District for 9 consecutive years. Michelle Irwin 700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, FL x796 Lake County Public Schools Highlights All 45 Lake County Public Schools will be ready next school year for Bring Your Own Technology. By installing wireless capabilities campus-wide and piloting programs where students use electronic devices in the classroom, all schools will be ready to host students and their electronic devices for the school year. Lake County Public Schools is among 539 school districts across the United States and Canada to make College Board s honor roll for gains in advanced placement (AP) course access and student performance. The Lake County Public School District opened its third Employee Health & Wellness Center this year. The facilities are a no-cost alternative for employees, retirees and dependents that are covered by the District s health insurance plan. A successful partnership with the City of Leesburg helped fund a Power Academy at Leesburg High. Classes teach fundamentals of electricity, circuitry, wiring and safety as well as more advanced concepts needed for work in the electrical industry. The Lake County Public School District fully implemented AVID (Advanced via Individual Determination) in all middle and high schools. The AVID Program is designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. For the school year, Lake County Public Schools graduation rate increased by 2.77 percentage points to percent. Lake County Schools also decreased its dropout rate by 2 percent, which is its lowest rate ever. For 2012, the Lake County Public School District s number of high-performing schools with an A or B grade is at 80 percent. Lake County Public Schools leads the state in Career-Technical Education (CTE) programs. The CTE curriculum consists of 99 individual programs, including Robotics, Biomedical Services, Allied Health Assisting and Plant Biotechnology. More than 10,000 students take CTE classes each year. Christopher Patton 201 W. Burleigh Boulevard Tavares, FL

4 Orange County Public Schools Highlights Osceola County Public Schools Highlights The official 2012 Orange County Public Schools high school graduation rate was 73.9 percent. At the 19 traditional high schools, the graduation rate is almost 12 percentage points higher, at 85.6 percent. This year, 89 Super Scholars from around the county received acceptance letters from the top 20 lists of national and international universities, liberal arts colleges, and U.S. military academies, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Orange County Public Schools seniors received acceptances from 19 of the top 20 national universities, led by Duke, Emory, Rice, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. Orange County Public Schools has 28 schools that offer a wide variety of special interest programs. By example, Howard Middle School has a waiting list for their Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts; and Oak Ridge High s Junior Achievement Academy and Aerospace Academy are attracting students from all over the district. Seventy-seven percent of Orange County Public Schools have A or B school grades, compared to just 50 percent 10 years ago. By , 75 percent of state funding for instructional materials will be in support of digital learning in Orange County Public Schools. Every student at seven pilot schools will have their own digital devices in August 2013 on which to study, research and learn. Athletic excellence is a constant source of pride with 46 state championships won since , in Football, Girls and Boys Basketball, Boys Cross Country, Girls Track and Field, Crew, Flag Football, Girls and Boys Volleyball, Girls Wrestling, Cheerleading, and Bowling. Only four other districts spend less money per student on administrative costs than Orange County. Thanks, in part, to the half-penny sales tax approved by Orange County voters in 2002, Orange County Public Schools has designed and constructed 37 brand new schools to relieve enrollment growth, and renovated or replaced another 80 existing schools since Dylan Thomas 445 W. Amelia Street Orlando, FL Osceola County Public Schools graduation rate improved 1.4% from 76.1% in 2011 to 77.5% in 2012, rising to the highest level ever. Two schools, The Osceola County School for the Arts and the Professional and Technical High School (PATHS) had 100% graduation rates. Currently, 80% of Osceola County Public Schools are graded as an A or B. Osceola is proud to have all A and B high schools. The district has no F schools. The Osceola County School for the Arts (OCSA) has once again earned a prestigious place in the Gold Medal category of the U.S. News & World Report s Best High Schools newest ranking. Two additional Osceola County Public Schools, the district s Professional and Technical High School (PATHS) and New Dimensions High School, were also named in the Silver category. The Osceola County Public School District has a strong focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and will be adding three new programs in schools next year. Schools are using research-based strategies proven to yield high learning gains for students, including project and inquiry-based learning, real-world simulations, and hands-on experiences while requiring students to work in cooperative environments utilizing 21st Century skills. The Osceola County Public School District has developed a partnership with the UCF School of Medicine that promotes student interest and diversity in careers in the health care field. The Osceola County Public School District provides breakfast free for all students every school day regardless of their free or reduced meal eligibility. Expanded availability, accessibility, and participation in the School Breakfast Program are a few of the ways the district supports both the health and academic potential of our children. The Osceola County Public School District has been successfully working on a plan to exceed 21st Century standards and supplement technology at all schools to meet the statutory mandate of increased digital delivery of content by The Osceola County Public School District has begun the successful implementation of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. The district is working towards having the necessary infrastructure in place so that students in Grades K-12 can utilize wireless devices to enhance their learning and engagement in the classroom. Dana Shafer Bill Beck Boulevard Kissimmee, FL x

5 Polk County Public Schools Highlights Named by the United States Department of Education, the Polk County Public School District becomes a three-time winner of the National Blue Ribbon School Award. Polk County Public School District is recognized for efforts to improve educational programs and provide access to digital learning, thus becoming a two-time recipient of the American School Board Journal s Magna Award. Eleven Polk teachers were Florida Teacher of the Year finalists, with two winning the state title and one becoming a U.S. Finalist. The Polk County Public School District is a three-time recipient of the College Board s Advanced Placement District of the Year award, which recognizes the district s gains in equity and excellence for Advanced Placement coursework. The Polk County Public School District is recognized as a school district with outstanding arts education programs by the Kennedy Center s Alliance for Arts Education Network and National School Boards Association. Over the past four years, the Polk County Public School District secured approximately $268 million from federal, state, and local sources. Newsweek Ranks Bartow High International Baccalaureate No.2 Best High School in U.S. Bartow High s IB program successfully prepares students for college. 9,607 Polk County Public School students performed more than 112,000 hours of service during Tom Ray 1915 South Floral Avenue Bartow, FL x51496 Seminole County Public Schools Highlights Seminole County is an academically high-performing school district for the school year as designated by the Florida Department of Education. This is the 5th consecutive year Seminole has earned this distinction. Seminole County Public Schools have been rated by the Department of Education as an A district since the inception of district grades in 1999 and 93.1% of our schools earned A or B grades. The district is ranked first in FCAT Reading, FCAT Math, and FCAT Writing; second in FCAT Science for Central Florida districts. ALL High Schools ranked in the top 4% of the nation by Newsweek magazine and US News and the Washington Post based on the number of AP/IB tests taken. SAT scores among Seminole County students continue to exceed the state and national averages (57 pts. above national average and 105 pts. above state average) for the 35th consecutive year. Seminole County Public Schools received the 2011 William C Schwartz Industry Innovation Award for aligning high school programs to relevant careers and economic development initiatives. The Seminole County Public School District is ranked #1 in Florida in a Return on Educational Investment as indicated in a study conducted by the Center for Education Progress. The Seminole County Public School District is ranked #1 in Florida in the percentage of its budget spent in the Classroom (source, Florida D.O.E. program cost report). The Seminole County Public School District is the largest employer in Seminole County accounting for 7,630 Contracted Employees and 2,115 sub/ops. The total gross payroll is $315,760,818 and contracts to business equal $151,210,000 annually with $20,996,000 to Seminole County businesses. John Reichert 400 E. Lake Mary Boulevard Sanford, FL

6 Volusia County Public Schools Highlights Notes The Volusia County Public School District is recognized as one of only four districts nationally to receive the Career Academy Innovation Community Award from the Ford Motor Company Fund. Volusia has 32 academies in 10 high schools that combine college-preparatory curriculum with a career focus. Volusia County Public Schools addresses the needs of the 21st century through the Bring Your Own Technology program (BYOT). BYOT empowers students and teachers to leverage students existing personal technology as a learning tool to expand the classroom beyond four walls and school gates. The Arts abound in all of Volusia s K-12 Public Schools. Students compete at the state and national level for scholarships and the honor of being selected to display their work throughout the country, including the Capital in Washington, D.C. The Volusia County Public School District teachers and administrators are innovative and creative in developing and delivering nationally recognized programs, such as gender specific classes and Plus One that extends the day by one hour for selected high poverty schools. Fifty-nine Volusia County Public Schools received the Five Star School Award for exemplary community involvement. Our extensive volunteer program provides over 800,000 volunteer hours annually at an estimated value of $15 million. Volusia County Public Schools was the first school district in Florida and the third in the nation to receive district-wide accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Volusia completed its 5-year renewal and once again earned the Quality Achievement Award for Volusia County Public Schools STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curriculum for young women and minorities has been strengthened by working collaboratively with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the field of aeronautics. Nancy Waite x N. Clara Avenue Deland, FL

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