A decade of FCAT:
How Tampa Bay's major school districts stack up

To measure progress on FCAT, the state's high-stakes measure of achievement, the Tampa Bay Times requested 10 years of district-wide proficiency data for grades 3-10 combined from the state Department of Education. The analysis looked at the percentage of students scoring a 3 or above, a passing score on a 1 to 5 scale. The review also looked at student subgroups: white, black, Hispanic and low-income. Every district improved, some more than others. In some cases, less than a percentage point separates districts, so researchers urge caution in drawing absolute conclusions.