By Lynn Hatter
Tallahassee, FL – Leon County third graders outscore most of the state when it comes to reading and math. That's according to the FCAT scores released Thursday. Hartsfield Elementary had the largest growth percentage, up 14-percent in reading and 11-percent in math.
The state is preparing to raise its expectations on what students should learn soon, but Superintendent Jackie Pons says this year's FCAT scores show the county is well equipped to handle the changes. Pons presented the report at Hartsfield Elementary School Thursday, and it's good news for elementary schools and teachers.
"It shows we have the best teachers in the state, and we've changed the playing field for them every year. You know, the state continues to put more and more requirements on teachers and the teachers continue to produce, especially here in Leon County."
The math and reading scores show Leon outpacing the rest of the state, with 76-percent of students reading at grade level and 83-percent at grade level when it comes to math. That's an average of 4.5-percent higher than the state average.