On Wednesday, the Florida Board of Education approved a formal plan to improve the academic performance at nine schools statewide, including Gainesville’s Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary.
Rawlings Elementary, in east Gainesville just west of Gainesville Regional Airport, earned a D grade for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years under the Florida Department of Education evaluations.
Test scores for the 2021-22 academic year show that 22% of students at Rawlings Elementary scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 17% scored at or above the proficient level for reading.
Schools that receive an F or two consecutive D grades must create and implement a turnaround plan to improve academic performance and submit it to the state board.
In August, the Alachua County School Board approved the first phase of the turnaround plan, which identified potential causes for students' low academic performance.
The plan highlighted issues that included high rates of staff turnover, gaps in foundational skills among students, chronic absenteeism and behavioral problems.
The plan’s second phase, which the school board approved in September, listed strategies and steps to address the school’s problems.
These include appointing effective school leadership, implementing professional development programs for teachers and adapting curriculum and instructional methods that align with Florida's academic standards to improve students' foundational skills.
The plan also recommends introducing methods to improve student attendance and behavior.
The state board approved the plans Wednesday for nine schools across five districts.
Rawlings Elementary School must bring its grade to a C for the 2024-2025 academic year to avoid requirements under the turnaround plan.
Administrators said Rawlings has already taken steps to improve, such as reducing out-of-school suspensions by 28%.
It also has employed a family liaison to improve student attendance. Rawlings recorded a 16% decrease in the number of students who were absent for 10% or more of the school days during the past school year.
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