WFSU Local News

Florida Sees Decline In Student Test Scores Amid Pandemic

WFSU | By Lynn Hatter

Published July 29, 2021 at 7:42 PM EDT

Red circled letters on a white background. — The pandemic is blamed as Florida sees a drop in student test scores across all subjects.

Florida is seeing a drop in student test scores across all subjects—figures directly impacted by pandemic disruptions to schools. Math took the biggest hit, with statewide proficiency ratings falling by nearly 10% from 2019—the latest year the test was administered—to 2021.

The timeframe is important—it shows how well students were doing before the pandemic—and how they fared during it, when many students were still learning remotely, and teachers were trying to teach classes in person and online.

“It’s hard to do math remotely," said Leon County Superintendent Rocky Hanna. "And so, we’ve seen our kids suffer academic regression during this pandemic. So we’re telling our parents, our schools are safe. They’re as safe as we can possibly make them. Please send them back to face-to-face, brick-and-mortar instruction.”

The drop was anticipated and the state waived most of its school accountability policies for the second year—holding students, schools, and teachers harmless for poor test results.

Around the Big Bend:

English/Language Arts grades 3-10 with a score of Level 3 or higher