Hillsborough students excel on state history test

TAMPA Hillsborough County students made significantly higher marks on the U.S. History end-of-course exam last school year than their peers the previous year. They also posted gains in algebra, remained flat in biology and dropped slightly in geometry scores, according to data released Monday by the Florida Department of Education.

This batch of scores was the last to be made public before overall school grades are released in July.

Of the Hillsborough students who took the exam for the first time, 74 percent passed, a 14 percentage increase over the 60 percent who passed in 2013. Across Florida, only 65 percent of students passed the U.S. History test, a 10 percentage point increase.

This is the first year for the history scores to be factored into school grades. Last year, they didnt count because it was the first year the test was offered.

While new tests and education standards will replace some of the old ones next school year, the U.S. History end-of-course exam is here to stay.

Our teachers worked really hard this year, said Dennis Holt, the school districts supervisor of secondary education. They were under some pressure to perform and they did. Were really happy this year.

Hillsborough students also improved four percentage points on the Algebra 1 exam, with 64 percent passing. In Geometry, 64 percent passed, a decrease of three percentage points. In Biology 1, there was no change, with 63 percent passing the exam.

The algebra test, first given in 2011, is the only state end-of-course exam students must pass to graduate. A Level 3 on a 1 to 5 scale is considered passing. The other end of course exams count as 30 percent of a students final grade in that class.

Next school year, students will take a new Algebra 1 exam that aligns to the new Florida Standards.

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Hillsborough students excel on state history test