Learning Curve

It's hard to resist the frenzy. Every January and February, thousands of youngsters scramble to claim coveted spots at one of Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County's 71 magnet schools.

Magnet Mania, the annual magnet school fair, takes place in January with much fanfare. There, representatives from elementary, middle and high schools tout their magnet programs in an effort to lure a diverse cross-section of students from around the county.

Duval offers 30 different magnet programs, ranging from those that specialize in trades-such as construction or culinary arts-to highly respected college preparatory schools. In between are schools that focus on performing arts, computers, government, military studies and Montessori pre-school programs.

The deadline for application is at the end of February, and students-along with their parents-wait not-too-patiently to find out if they made it into their first choice.

Duval's magnet program, which offers specialized instruction in tuition-free public schools, is one of the shining stars in a school system that has experienced extraordinary highs and embarrassing lows.

Without question, the lowest of the lows was in the mid-1960s, when county schools were stripped of their accreditation. As recently as the mid-1990s, local business leaders were complaining so vigorously about lingering educational deficiencies that Superintendent Larry Zenke resigned under fire.

Today, led by a no-nonsense Air Force general named John C. Fryer, the Duval school system is vastly improved-but burdened by growth. New schools are already bursting at the seams while some older inner-city schools are in serious need of upgraded facilities and equipment. A recent state audit advised that eight of the county's older elementary schools be closed to save money.

But, unlike the bad old days, there's plenty of good news to tout as well.

A Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County special education teacher, Dayle Timmons, was named Florida's top educator for 2003, winning the $10,000 Burdines Florida Teacher of the Year award. The same year, Newsweek's Best 100 High Schools in America ranked two Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County academic magnet schools-Stanton College Preparatory School and Paxon School for Advanced Studies-as No. 2 and No. 3 in the entire country.

"I think Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County has had more challenges than school systems in surrounding counties," Timmons, a 23-year-veteran educator and children's books author, notes. "But dealing with those challenges has made us stronger and more innovative. We know what needs to be done, and we know where our resources need to be allocated. It's an exciting time to be an educator here."

Indeed it is. In 2003, more than 21,000 students took advantage of the magnet programs. In addition, there are 19 programs for special needs students, ranging from the mentally handicapped to the gifted and talented.

The district boasts five special schools, six charter schools, three exceptional student centers and two academies of technology while its math and science initiatives were identified as national models by the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching in the 21st Century.

In addition to Stanton and Paxon, two other Duval high schools made the Newsweek expanded list of 739 top schools, with Douglas Anderson School of the Arts at No. 511 and Mandarin High School at No. 733.

Newsweek ranks public schools according to the number of Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests taken by all students, divided by the number of graduating seniors. Schools that are able to select more than half their students based upon grades or test scores are excluded, since the index is designed to identify schools where a significant number of average students take college-prep courses.

"The Newsweek rankings are a real testament to the commitment our students and staff are making to excellence," says Fryer. "And it's a tribute to the tremendous support these students receive from their families and from the community."

Although these four schools aren't typical, standardized test scores are improving systemwide. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, developed by the Florida Department of Education and administered to all public school students in grades 3 through 10, measures student performance versus statewide standards in reading and math. In addition, a writing test is administered in grades 4, 8 and 10 and a science test is administered in grades 5, 8 and 10.

In 2003, Duval's average FCAT scores improved for all grade levels except 5th in math and 10th in reading, which dropped by one point each. However, reading scores for the elementary grades rose from last year and, for the first time, topped the state average.

In perhaps the easiest measure for parents to understand, the state also assigns each school a letter grade. The grade is based upon an analysis of FCAT scores, and takes into account not only raw scores but also how much improvement is demonstrated by students who performed poorly the previous year.

The letter grade has emerged as the most contentious aspect of the state's effort to measure school performance and increase accountability. If a school scores an F grade twice in four years, then students at that school are eligible to receive vouchers for private schools. Some teachers at F schools, which are usually located in low-income neighborhoods, complain that improvement is difficult when the most motivated students are encouraged to leave the system.

There are also public school alternatives, such as magnet programs and charter schools, which attract students from poorly performing neighborhood institutions.

Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County had five failing schools in 2003-down from 12 the previous year. And one school-Ribault High School-has received two Fs, thus making its students eligible for vouchers. Countywide there were 45 A schools, 32 B schools, 40 C schools and 21 D schools. No schools in Clay, Flagler or Nassau counties received a grade lower than C, and only one school in St. Johns County-a rural elementary school in the isolated farming community of Hastings-received a D.

Why the disparity? Officials note that Duval is among the 20 largest school districts in the nation, encompassing more disadvantaged urban neighborhoods than districts in surrounding counties, where many affluent suburbs have been developed over the past decade. "Our performance has continued to improve," says Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County Schools Director of Research and Development Tim Ballentine.

Part of that drive for improvement is reflected in the work of the New Century Commission, an 11-member citizen panel appointed four years ago by the district to make recommendations on how to strengthen both academics and operation. The commission, which was chaired by Adam Herbert, former president of the University of North Florida, involved more than 200 Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County residents on various fact-finding subcommittees.

In late 2002, the commission released a report containing 160 specific recommendations, some 140 of which are now being implemented. Areas of concern included student performance, standards-based accountability, change management and funding.

"These recommendations will move our school district to world-class status," says Susan Wilkerson, a member of the Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County School Board. Timmons-whose husband, son and daughter-in-law are also Jacksonville" target="_blank">Duval County teachers-agrees. "There's a lot of good news in our district," she says. "Sometimes it takes a while for the news to get out."

Some local school districts-if not already world-class-at least rank among the best in Florida. Boosters of St. Johns County, for example, tout its public schools as a major asset in attracting relocators. For four consecutive years, it has been ranked in the Top 20 school districts in the country by SchoolMatch, an Ohio-based educational consulting company that evaluates public schools.

St. Johns has the highest high-school graduation rate-77 percent-of any Northeast Florida school district, and boasts 18 A schools, three B schools and two C schools.

Clay and Flagler counties also report relatively high graduation rates-about 67 percent each-and test scores topping the state average. Last year Clay had 19 A schools, seven B schools and two C schools while Flagler had seven A schools and one B school. In Nassau County, there were six A schools, four B schools and one C school.

Of course, there's no substitute for visiting a school in person. Regardless of the grade, do the teachers and students seem enthusiastic? Regardless of its age, is the physical plant well maintained? Does the technology appear up to date? Does the school offer special programs in areas of interest such as art and music? Is the library well equipped with relatively new books?

You owe it to your kids to make the right choice.