| Two Orlando schools are in trouble with the | | | | benefit costs. They additionally barred the |
| State Board of Education. Both Evans and | | | | district from applying for some grants that |
| Jones High Schools have repeatedly failed the | | | | are considered "extra funding" by the state, |
| state's annual school grading system that is | | | | such as technology grants that would not |
| based on student scores on the Florida | | | | directly impact the students. The lost grants |
| Comprehensive Assessment Test. Evans has | | | | could potentially cost Orange, the 12th |
| received three Fs and five Ds over the past | | | | largest school district in the nation, |
| eight years, while Jones has been scored with | | | | millions in grant dollars. This is the |
| five consecutive Fs since 2002. A grade of F | | | | toughest move the state has even made to |
| means these two Orlando schools have high | | | | force change within one of its school |
| numbers of students who perform far below | | | | districts. |
| grade level in reading and math. | | | | |
| | | | In mid-Setember, the state education |
| These two Orlando schools, plus five other | | | | officials and Blocker came to an agreement |
| schools in Miami-Dade, Duval and Jefferson | | | | that will help the district comply with the |
| districts, faced dramatic overhauls by state | | | | state's 26-point reform strategy for the two |
| mandate. In July, the state threatened | | | | high-poverty, high-minority Orlando schools. |
| sanctions against the four districts. The | | | | The state has lifted the potentially costly |
| districts did not draft bold enough | | | | penalties against the district and will |
| strategies for school reform, which prompted | | | | return the August deducted penalties to the |
| revisions from Duval and Jefferson that were | | | | district within the month. State Education |
| accepted by the state in August. Miami-Dade | | | | Commissioner John Winn stated that the |
| and Orange (which governs the Orlando | | | | penalties were a symbolic move to show the |
| schools) plans were not accepted by the | | | | district that the state was serious in |
| state, with both districts arguing the issue | | | | reforming the two Orlando schools. |
| of who can run chronic-F schools in Florida. | | | | |
| | | | Additionally, the principals at the two |
| The state wanted new principals hired at the | | | | Orlando schools will continue in their |
| two Orlando schools, who had track records of | | | | positions. Karen Wilson has been principal at |
| raising a school's grade by more than two | | | | Evans High School since 2004. Bridget |
| levels (from a D to an A, or an F to a B | | | | Williams became principal at Jones High |
| grade). Orange Superintendent Ron Blocker | | | | School in 2006, after pushing Robinswood |
| believed such a move would destabilize the | | | | Middle School from a C to a B, then to an A |
| already fragile Orlando schools and argued | | | | during her transition to Jones. Robinswood |
| that the state's pool of qualified leaders | | | | also is a high-poverty, high-minority school. |
| was too small to locate new principals with | | | | Both Orlando schools principals will be |
| such successes. | | | | paired with state-approved mentors. |
| | | | |
| The state reacted by penalizing the Orange | | | | Winn stated that he expects the State Board |
| County School District by reducing its August | | | | of Education to approve the agreement and |
| funding by slightly more than $17,500, the | | | | reform plans for the two Orlando schools by |
| equivalent of Blocker's monthly pay and | | | | the end of September. |