School grades still matter. But for many schools, what now matters more is how they rate under a "differentiated accountability" system that Gov. Charlie Crist quietly made official when he signed HB 991 into law yesterday.
The new system, which the Department of Education unveiled last summer, combines the state grading system with the federal rating system under No Child Left Behind. The result is a very technical hybrid that state officials hope will be more effective in improving struggling schools.
Last summer, many schools were put into one of five new categories under the new system, which brings escalating levels of oversight and intervention. When school grades and adequate yearly progress results are announced in a few weeks, look for the new categories to share the spotlight.
Ron Matus, state education reporter
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