Graphic courtesy The Argus Foundation.

The Argus Foundation last month began to publish scores from the Florida Department of Education comparing the Sarasota School District to the state average and other districts and also comparing our schools within the district. We began with English Language Arts and from there, we compared the data sets for math.

We have heard from many readers that the ranking is deceiving in terms of subject proficiency. You can rank high as you are compared to other counties or the state average, but the actual numbers of how many students are On-Grade-Level or above tell a different and more troubling story, with significant numbers of students below satisfactory or Inadequate in proficiency. This was true for English Language Arts, and you will see it is true for math as well.

Sarasota County ties for 7th in the state for Grades 3-8 math in the percentage of students On-Grade Level or above. Sarasota was 10 points above the state average, but 12 points behind first place Nassau County. Sarasota trailed Nassau, St. Johns, Walton, Collier, Lafayette and Okaloosa counties. It tied with Santa Rosa and Sumter counties. While being tied for 7th looks good, this translates to one third of Sarasota County students who tested in Grade 3-8 as being Below Satisfactory or Inadequate in math.

When you look closer at 3rd Grade math within the district by the average scores of schools, Sarasota County has nine schools below the state overall average. Those elementary schools are Gocio, Wilkinson, Glenallen, Emma E. Booker, Lamarque, Tuttle, Island Village Montessori, Imagine School at Palmer Ranch and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies.

When comparing 3rd Grades by percentage At-Grade-Level or above, one school, Emma E. Booker, ties the state average. Five schools — LaMarque, Tuttle, Island Village Montessori, Imagine School at Palmer Ranch, and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies — are below the state average. Island Village Montessori, Imagine

School at Palmer Ranch and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies have more students who are Below Satisfactory or Inadequate in 3rd Grade Math than those that are On-Grade-Level or above.

Examining 8th Grade math by the average scores of schools, one middle school, Sky Academy Venice, ties the state average score. Eight middle schools are below the state average, they are Woodland Middle, Sarasota School of Arts/Sciences, Imagine School at North Port, Sarasota Military Academy, Booker Middle School, Heron Creek, McIntosh and Triad.

Looking at 8th Grade math by percentage of students On-Grade-Level or above, just under half of Sarasota County middle schools are below the state average. These nine middle schools are Brookside, Sky Academy Venice, Woodland Middle, Imagine School at North Port, Sarasota Military Academy, Booker Middle, Heron Creek, McIntosh and Triad. Six of these schools have more students who are Below Satisfactory or Inadequate in 8^th Grade Math than those that are On-Grade-Level or above. These schools are Imagine School at North Port, Sarasota Military Academy, Booker Middle, Heron Creek, McIntosh and Triad.

There is a pattern of schools at the far north and south portions of the county, as well as several charter schools, who are struggling with math. This is a serious situation, especially for our 8th graders who will be facing SAT and ACT testing in a few years.

For more data dig releases, like and follow our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.  Data Digs will be posted Mondays and Thursdays at 10AM.

Christine Robinson is executive director of The Argus Foundation.

Graphic courtesy The Argus Foundation.