Mid-year progress monitoring results from the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) show notable improvements in student performance across the state, according to an announcement by Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. The data indicate that 49% of students are performing at or above grade level in English Language Arts, marking a 10 percentage point increase since the start of the school year and a 4 percentage point rise compared to this time last year. In mathematics, 34% of students reached or exceeded grade-level expectations, which is up by 18 percentage points from the beginning of the year and 3 points higher than last year.
The Florida Department of Education reported that more than 50,000 additional students are now performing on or above grade level in English language arts compared to last year. In mathematics, nearly 20,000 more students have achieved similar progress. These results suggest that students are meeting end-of-year benchmarks earlier than in previous years.
Commissioner Kamoutsas addressed teachers and parents regarding these mid-year outcomes and encouraged continued collaboration to help all students finish the academic year successfully.
“Mid-year progress monitoring results show that Florida’s students are continuing to succeed. I commend the hard work of students across our state and the dedication of teachers whose classroom instruction is pivotal to these gains,” said Commissioner Kamoutsas. “Thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida replaced high-stakes testing with the nation’s first progress monitoring system, an approach that is consistently delivering improved outcomes for students.”
The Florida Department of Education operates from its headquarters in Tallahassee and oversees education throughout Florida, covering early childhood through higher learning as described on its official website. The department works with parents, educators, and communities statewide to advance student achievement and educational outcomes (source). It provides resources such as academic support services, school choice options, professional training for educators, and manages programs for K-12 schools as well as career development (source). The department also monitors student progress through data management systems designed to improve reading proficiency and promote economic self-sufficiency (source).
