FCPCS Honors 2019 Champions at State Conference

PHOTO: Winners of 2019 Florida Charter School Champions Awards, Presented by the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS).
ORLANDO, Fla., (November 15, 2019) -- The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) has honored winners of its 2019 Florida Charter School Champions Awards, which were presented at the recent Florida Charter School Conference in Orlando.
For the eighth consecutive year, FCPCS received nominations in several categories, including charter school teachers, charter school leaders, charter school governing board members and charter school preferred partners. A new category, “Charter School Innovators” was added for 2019. Winners received their awards at an evening awards reception and presentation.
Winners of Champions Awards for charter school teachers were Alan Androski of James Madison Preparatory High School in Madison, Fla., Lorna Cohen of Countryside Montessori Charter School in Land O’Lakes, Jennifer Gay of Hope Charter School in Ocoee and Karima Grayson of SunEd High School in Margate.
Champions Award winners in the category of charter school leaders were Kim Guilarte-Gil, Principal of Somerset Academy South Miami, Alan Hall, CEO and Principal of San Jose Schools in Jacksonville, Victoria Laurrari, Principal of Pinecrest Academy North in Miami, Carla Lovett, CEO of Palm Bay Education Group in Panama City, Dee-ette Naukana, Principal of SunFire High School in Fort Lauderdale, Corey Oliver, Principal of Somerset Jefferson K-12 in Monticello and Allen Quain, Principal of Hope Charter School in Ocoee.
Champions Awards for charter school governing board members were presented to David R. Kraner, President of the Board of Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto and Brent Appy, Treasurer of Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill.
Winning Champions Awards in the new category of “charter school innovators” were Raquel Espinosa, valued consultant to FCPCS, Dana Greatrex, Community Coordinator for Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill, Marianne Keller, Board Chair of Building Hope in Washington, D.C., Julio Robaina, founder of the City of Hialeah Educational Academy, and Henry Rose, Chair of Parents for Charter Schools.
Awards were given to two preferred vendor partners of Florida charter schools. The two Preferred Partner Award winners were E-Rate Advantage and Curriculum Associates.
Finally, FCPCS President Robert Haag presented a special Champions Award to Becky Katz for “her exemplary service and support to the Florida Consortium and all of our member schools.” Becky Katz is the longtime Director of Operations and Marketing for FCPCS.
About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as an organization driving the charter school movement in Florida, the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state, with a membership of nearly 75 percent of all operating charter schools. Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools. |
U.S. Department of Education Honors Four Member Schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS)
FCPCS Congratulates its Member Schools Honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C., (October 7, 2019) -- Four member schools of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019 by the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.
Three of the award-winning schools are located in Miami. They are Mater Academy East Charter Middle School, Mater Academy East Elementary Charter School and Pinecrest Academy (North Campus). The fourth school is Choices in Learning Elementary Charter School in Winter Springs, Fla.
The four Florida charter schools were among 362 public and private schools recognized for their overall academic performance or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
"The Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools congratulates the winning schools,” said Robert Haag, President of FCPCS. “We are proud of their accomplishments and of their membership in FCPCS.”
Each winning school receives a flag that identifies that school as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the flags “affirm the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content.”
The winning schools are:
- Mater Academy East Charter Middle School, Miami, offers first-class academic programs to enable students to become productive citizens who are prepared to address the challenges of the twenty-first century.
- Mater Academy East Elementary Charter School, Miami, provides a loving, caring, and supportive educational environment that furthers a philosophy of respect and high expectations for all students, parents, teachers and staff. The school's mission is to accomplish this by providing students with the necessary skills to reach their highest potential.
- Pinecrest Academy (North Campus), Miami, provides a challenging curriculum where academic excellence, character development, and individual growth are nurtured in a safe environment that involves the active participation of students, teachers, parents and community members.
- Choices in Learning Elementary Charter School, Winter Springs. It is the mission of Choices in Learning Elementary Charter School to inspire and educate lifelong learners through a cooperative learning community.
About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as an organization driving the charter school movement in Florida, the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state, with a membership of nearly 75 percent of all operating charter schools. Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools. |
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2019 Florida Charter School Champions of the Year Awards Announced;
New Award Added for Florida Charter School “Champion Innovator”
Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) Drives Statewide Awards Program to Honor Multiple Charter School Champions of the Year
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., (Sept. 26, 2019) – As the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) celebrates its 20th Anniversary as an organization leading the charter school movement in Florida, FCPCS is accepting nominations for its statewide 2019 Florida Charter School Champions of the Year Awards. This year’s program includes a first-ever award category for a Florida Charter School “Champion Innovator.”
For the eighth consecutive year, FCPCS is encouraging member schools and supporters to nominate individuals working in and for charter schools in the following categories: Champion School Leader, Champion Teacher, Champion School Board Member, Champion Parent, Champion Innovator and Champion Preferred Partner. This year’s honorees will be announced on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019 at an awards event held as part of the Florida Charter School Conference in Orlando.
Designated winners must be present on Oct. 30 at the Charter School Champions Awards event. The nominators of the winners will be notified in advance.
“The Florida Charter School Champions of the Year Awards recognize exceptional individuals and companies who represent the very best aspects of the charter school movement,” said FCPCS President Robert Haag. “The awards ceremony is a huge celebration of their achievements and success.”
About the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as an organization driving the charter school movement in Florida, the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS) is the leading charter school membership association in the state, with a membership of nearly 75 percent of all operating charter schools. Since its inception in 1999, FCPCS has been dedicated to creating a national model of high quality, accredited public charter schools that are student-centered and performance-driven. FCPCS provides a wide array of technical support, mentoring, training, networking, and purchasing services to its membership, as well as serving as an advocate for all Florida public charter schools. |
Florida Makes Monumental Improvement in School Grades
Over 2,000 schools earn “A” and “B” grades
Re-posted from a Florida Department of Education News Release
Tallahassee, Fla., July 11, 2019 – Today, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) issued 2018-19 school and district grades, marking the 20th anniversary of school grades. Statewide leaders congratulated students and thanked educators for their role in increasing the percentage of schools earning an “A” or “B” grade to 63 percent and decreasing the number of “F” schools to just 15.
Key highlights include:
- The number of “A” schools in Florida continues to rise with 1,172 schools earning an “A” in 2018-19 compared to 1,043 in 2017-18. The percentage of schools earning an “A” increased to 36 percent, up from 31 percent in 2017-18.
- Over half (51 percent) of Florida’s charter schools earned an “A” in 2018-19, compared to 32 percent of traditional public schools.
- Seventy-four percent of charter schools earned an “A” or “B” this year, compared to 61 percent of traditional public schools.
Governor Ron DeSantis said, “It is a great day for education in Florida and today’s announcement shows we are on a successful trajectory. We are resolute in our continued efforts to ensure that Florida students have the chance to receive a world-class education regardless of their circumstance. The ultimate gift we can give future generations is the ability to achieve their life’s ambitions. I appreciate our state’s hard-working educators who made it possible and applaud our students on a job well done.”
Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran said, “Education is the means by which we free children from the shackles of ignorance. A community has a right to have key insights into its schools and school grades. Meeting that goal is essential for any community to truly provide future generations the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. We are pleased to share this spectacular news and to reiterate our commitment to ensuring Florida has the #1 education system in the nation.”
The Florida Department of Education calculates school grades annually based on up to 11 components, including student achievement and learning gains on statewide, standardized assessments and high school graduation rate. School grades provide parents and the general public an easily understandable way to measure the performance of a school and understand how well each school is serving its students.
School grades are a vital component of Florida’s accountability system. They not only enable parents to make informed decisions, they provide the State Board of Education with data that drives reforms at perpetually low-performing schools. Florida statute prescribes the steps districts must take when one or more schools earn a “D” or “F.” These policies focus on research-validated improvement and have gotten increasingly stringent in recent years. Commissioner Corcoran and the State Board of Education members take seriously their responsibility to Florida’s students and have demanded swift, positive action in failing schools on behalf of the students whose futures depend on it.
Low-Performing Schools
Thanks in large part to FDOE’s rigorous monitoring of low-performing schools and the State Board of Education’s commitment to holding school boards and school districts accountable, there has been a substantial improvement in the performance of schools that have been under state-mandated monitoring.
- Eighty-one percent of schools graded “F” in 2017-18 improved their grade in 2018-19 by one or more letter grade (21 of 26 schools).
- Seventy-seven percent of schools that earned a “D” or “F” grade in 2017-18 improved by at least one letter grade in 2018-19 (165 schools).
- Sixty-three percent of schools in the second or third year of implementing their turnaround plan improved their letter grade (22 schools).
- The number of “D” or “F” schools has declined 70 percent since 2015, and the number of “F” schools has declined 93 percent since 2015.
In addition to school grades, the department also calculates district grades annually based on the same criteria.
- Twenty-four districts are now graded “A” in Florida, and for the second year in a row, there are no districts graded “D” or “F.”
- Fifty-four of Florida’s 67 school districts are graded “A” or “B.”
- Five districts improved their district grade from a “B” in 2017-18 to an “A” in 2018-19.
- Three districts improved their district grade from a “C” in 2017-18 to a “B” in 2018-19.
State leaders applauded the improvement in school grades:
State Board of Education Chair Marva Johnson said, “For one student to spend even a single day in a failing school is unacceptable. That is why, as a Board, we rely on the concrete evidence that our accountability system provides to make student-centered policy decisions. I express my sincere appreciation for the teachers and parents whose unconditional support enables our students to thrive.”
Committee on Education Chair Sen. Manny Diaz said, “School grades are an important measure of quality, and today’s announcement demonstrates for the public that education in Florida is on a positive trajectory. Florida’s accountability system is the most transparent in the nation, and I am tremendously proud of the improvements that have been made as a result of it. I am honored to celebrate our state’s hard-working teachers and students for these outcomes.”
Education Committee Chair Rep. Jennifer Sullivan said, “This is wonderful news for our public schools and shows that high expectations combined with quality instruction pays off. With these results, Florida parents can have confidence that their children are receiving the world-class education they deserve. To our students, congratulations on a job well done, and thank you for representing us so well.”
For more information about school grades, visit School Grades. The department continues to accept feedback on Florida’s education reports portal, EduData (http://edudata.fldoe.org), where these data will be featured in August. |
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