Statement by Speaker Designate Will Weatherford on the

Release of 2012 FCAT School Grades

Tallahassee, FL – Speaker Designate Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) today released the following statement regarding the Florida Department of Education’s release of the 2012 school grades based on student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

“Once again, Florida’s students have risen to the occasion and demonstrated they were up to the task of higher standards and elevated expectations.  Florida’s parents and teachers should take great pride in knowing they helped prepare students for some of the toughest testing standards since the FCAT came into existence.

While not every school experienced the same year-over-year gains, history shows that any dips that occur after standards are increased are temporary. The short term pain produces significant long term gains to the benefit of students and their futures.”

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