Brevard Public Schools
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| Brevard County Public Schools | |
| Address | |
|---|---|
| 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, Florida 32940-6601 |
|
| Information | |
| Superintendent | Richard A. DiPatri |
| Enrollment |
75,235[1] (September 7, 2007) |
| Language | English |
| Area | Brevard County, Florida |
| Homepage | http://www.brevard.k12.fl.us |
Brevard Public Schools is a school district serving Brevard County, Florida and based in Viera, Florida. Coordinates:
As of Fall 2005, It has about 75,235 students and 8653 full-time employees.[2] The current superintendent of schools is Dr. Richard A. DiPatri.
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[edit] School Board
Board members run as non-partisan.
District 1 - Robert Jordan
District 2 - Barbara Murray
District 3 - Amy Kneessy
District 4 - Larry Hughes
District 5 - Janice Kershaw
The budget for 2007-8 was about $1.2 billion.[3]
[edit] History
Disparities existed between black and white schools including teacher salaries. The first attempt in Florida to change this system occurred in 1938 when the NAACP brought suit in Brevard.[4]
In 1966, Brevard was brought under federal jurisdiction for the purpose of desegregation. It was released from federal control in 1978 when this was achieved.[5]
There were race riots in Rockledge and Melbourne high schools during the period of integration from 1969-1972.[6]
In 2007, the School Board voted to borrow nearly 3/4 of a billion dollars for maintenance and future expansion. By a majority of one, the Board believed that it could do this without raising taxes because of the increasing tax base.
In 2007, the Florida Department of Education announced that Brevard's graduation rate was the highest in the state at 92.1%. However there is a major discrepancy between the way the state measures student graduation (tracks each student) and the way the federal government does (quantity entering, quantity graduating). So the figure by national standards is much lower.[7]
[edit] Administration
The district contains 75,000 public school students. Students must pass a standardized test, the FCAT, to graduate from high school. To avoid surprises, children are tested several times before they reach 12th grade.
To get hands-on learning experience about science, the local environment and math, all fourth-graders are given a one day field trip to the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most diverse estuaries in North America.
[edit] Class Ranking and GPA
Brevard County's system for high school class rankings is based around "state-weighted GPA."[8] This system as practiced by Brevard County Schools actually does not refer to any specific state standard, leading to controversy over how rankings are determined. It has been suggested that the policy of awarding weight to Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual Enrollment programs actually handicaps the students taking the more challenging AP courses, especially in the district's two block-scheduled high schools, since in a block-scheduled program students receive AP credit and weight for only half to three-quarters of the course. The weights are equal in name and course code, in accordance with Florida State Statute.[citation needed]
[edit] Dress Code
The school board dress code requires lower garments, including pants and skirts, be worn at the waist and prohibits undergarments from being visible. Shorts must "cover the buttocks." All lower garments must fit the student. Depending on the school, students that violate the code can be denied entry to class, be referred to the Dean for discipline and suspended from school.[9]
[edit] Recognition
Brevard has been in the top ten school districts in the state in each of the 22 areas of assessment on the standard statewide exams given students each year.
1999:The high school graduation rate had risen to 92% from 64%.
2005: The superintendent of schools was selected as best in state by his peers. The students had higher SAT scores than any other Florida School District. The District has a higher percentage (9%) of National Board Certified Teachers than any of the other largest ten districts in the state. In 2004-5 third graders tested in the top ten school districts in the state (out of 67). In 2004-5, the School District placed third in the state for overall academic performance. It also placed third in the state for number of National Board Certified teachers. Brevard was first in Florida in the number of A-rated schools in the 10 largest districts, and second overall. Brevard led the state in science in fifth and eleventh grade assessments and was second in the eighth grade. The four-year graduation rate was the second highest in Florida. 2000 students were held back in 2004-5, the majority in 3rd, 9th and 10th grades. This is 38% fewer than the prior year. A program targets weak students. The School Bus Fleet trade publication named the Brevard County School Bus System among the top ten in North America. AARP ranked the school district No. 8 on the list of Best Employers for Workers Over 50. It was the only public-school system and the highest-ranked Florida employer on the national list
2006: The Superintendent of Brevard Public Schools was named the Music Administrator of the Year by the Florida Music Educators' Association.[10] Fifteen schools were selected as Music Demonstrations Schools. State officials encourage other districts to send their staff to these schools for insight into establishing or improving solid music programs. The District had 5 of the top 10 Elementary Schools in the state, according to the Florida Department of Education. Tenth graders led the state in the writing exam.
2007: Brevard Public Schools was recognized as a Governor's Sterling Award Winner.[11] A team consisting of Brevard high school students stood second in the robotics world championship.[12] The state has ranked 15 of the elementary schools as tops in the state including a Title I South Lake, a former D-ranked school! Brevard leads the state in the number of high school students dual enrolled in secondary and college courses. The district had the tenth most nationally certified teachers of all school districts in the country - 566. It ranked third in the country for the percentage of teachers so certified - 11.%.[13] However, a state study was unable to detect any correlation between teacher certification and student performance.[14]
[edit] Programs
Besides "magnet" schools[15], Brevard also has nine charter elementary schools and one planned charter secondary school. With specific student needs in mind, the Space Coast's charters schools have developed courses and curricula designed to invigorate and inspire young minds.
Another, in Cocoa Beach offers an International Baccalaureate Diploma program. This is a rigorous pre-university course of study, leading to internationally standardized examinations. The program is designed as a comprehensive two-year curriculum that allows its graduates to fulfill requirements of many different nations' education systems. As with the AP and dual enrollment programs, students completing IB courses and exams are eligible for postsecondary education credit. In 2005 and 2006, Newsweek ranked Cocoa Beach High School among the top 100 US high schools (out of 21,000) in part due to its International Baccalaureate program.
Brevard has a magnet high school program, the Academy of Business and Finance, in Melbourne.
Brevard is starting an Engineering magnet program known as Bayside Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA)
14 low-performing elementary schools are required to allow their students to select $1000+ of free tutoring from a vendor. Parents are exposed to these vendors at an education fair to help choose which one.
Schools start in early August, the 8th in 2005. This is to ensure that the semester is over by the December holidays.
The Brevard County School system is attempting to serve nutritional food to children this year (2005) that will address the rising obesity issue while still maintaining appeal.
Through a program called Make It Take It, disadvantaged students at two Brevard Public Schools are learning how to build computers that they'll get to take home.[16]
[edit] Controversy
After one 2004 outdoor graduation was drenched, the School Board moved ceremonies in 2005 to the least expensive place, Calvary Chapel. It was half the cost of the outdoor facility. An atheist parent took them to Federal Court. The judge allowed the locale because of the potential disruption, but ordered them to change in 2006.[17]
[edit] Schools
[edit] Elementary Schools
Third graders stood first in statewide reading and math tests out of the ten largest school districts. Overall, they stood 11 out of 67 school districts.[18]
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[edit] Middle Schools
- Central Middle
- Clearlake Middle
- Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High
- DeLaura Middle
- Edgewood Jr./Sr. High
- Hoover, Herbert C. Middle
- Jackson, Andrew Middle
- Jefferson, Thomas Middle
- Johnson, L.B. Middle
- Kennedy, John F. Middle
- Madison, James Middle
- McNair, Ronald Middle
- Southwest Middle
- Space Coast Jr./Sr. High
- Stone Middle
[edit] High Schools
- Astronaut High
- Bayside High School
- Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High
- Cocoa High
- Eau Gallie High
- Edgewood Jr./Sr. High
- Melbourne High
- Merritt Island High School
- Palm Bay High - Has Academy of Law and Justice, enrolling 300 students.[19]
- Rockledge High
- Satellite High
- Space Coast Jr./Sr. High
- Titusville High
- Viera High
- West Shore Jr./Sr. High
High schools compete athletically as part of the Cape Coast Conference.[20]
[edit] Charter Schools
- Campus Charter
- Educational Horizons Charter
- Oakwood Academy Charter
- Odyssey Charter
- Palm Bay Academy Charter
- Palm Bay Community Charter
- River's Edge Charter Academy
- Royal Palm Charter
- Sculptor Elementary Charter
Einstein Montessori,Explorer Elementary and Middle Charter,Osprey Elementary,and Sawgrass Middle were closed by the School Board.
[edit] Adult Education
- Central Area Adult
- North Area Adult (Whispering Hills)
- Palm Bay High Adult/Community Ed
- South Area Adult
[edit] Alternative Learning Centers
- Central Area Alternative Learning Center
- North Area Alternative Learning Center
- South Area Alternative Learning Center
[edit] Superintendents
- Wayne White 1969-1972
- Abe Collingsworth c. 1991
- David Sawyer c. 1999
- Richard DiPatri c. 2000-
[edit] See also
- BPS-TV (Brevard Public Schools' educational channel)
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Florida Today, January 20, 2007,"Parochials in a pinch"
- ^ http://www.firn.edu/doe/eias/flmove/brevard.htm
- ^ Downs, Megan (February 26, 2008). District facing $6.1M deficit. Florida Today.
- ^ JSTOR Journal of Negro History
- ^ Florida Desegregation Report
- ^ Florida Today obit on former superintendent accessed December 6, 2007
- ^ Associated Press (December 1, 2007). State graduation rates improve. Florida Today.
- ^ http://secondarypgms.brevard.k12.fl.us/rank.html
- ^ Brennan, Kate (March 21, 2008). Brevard code. Florida Today.
- ^ http://www.brevard.k12.fl.us/This_Week/releases/pdf/11-16-05DiPatri%20selected%20as%202006%20Florida%20Music%20Administrator%20of%20the%20Year.pdf
- ^ http://www.floridasterling.com Governor's Sterling Award Winners
- ^ Downs, Megan (April 19, 2007). Students place 2nd in robotics. Florida Today.
- ^ Downs, Megan (December 11, 2007). Brevard ranks high in certified teachers. Florida Today.
- ^ Associated Press (December 16, 2007). Lawmakers question bonuses. Florida Today.
- ^ Brevard Magnet Schools
- ^ DDN Articles - Bridging the Gap: Brevard Public Schools plan for Digital Inclusion
- ^ Graduations At Brevard Church To Go On - Education News Story - WKMG Orlando
- ^ Brennan, Kate & Downs, Megan (May 3, 2007). 3rd graders in top ten. Florida Today.
- ^ Sonnenberg, Maria (April 18, 2007). Academy shows kids the way to investigate. Florida Today.
- ^ Cherry, Mike (May 3, 2007). Scorps earn CCC Trophy - again. Florida Today.
