Norland Elementary School in Miami has released its results for the 2024–2025 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST). The analysis provides a comprehensive picture of how students are performing in both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) across grades 3 to 5. While the report highlights areas of strong achievement, it also identifies persistent challenges that require targeted interventions.
A total of 258 students participated in the FAST assessment across both subjects.
Math: 136 students performed at or above grade level.
ELA: 116 students performed at or above grade level.
Overall proficiency: About 48% of students met standards, while 24% remain at Level 1, indicating they require substantial academic support.
This data reflects a nearly balanced performance across subjects but also reveals that more than half of students are not yet achieving at or above the expected grade level.
Math: 92 students tested. 69 students (75%) met the standard – the highest across all grades and subjects. This positions Grade 3 Math as the school’s top-performing group.
ELA: 52% met the standard, a solid performance compared to higher grades.
Analysis: Grade 3 students are laying a strong academic foundation, especially in Math, where performance significantly outpaces peers in higher grades.
Math: 68% met the standard, showing stronger results than in Grade 5 but not as high as Grade 3.
ELA: 43% met the standard, slightly below state and district averages.
Analysis: Grade 4 students demonstrate respectable progress in Math, but ELA scores lag, suggesting a need for stronger literacy interventions.
Math: Only 34% of students met the standard.
ELA: Just 39% met the standard.
Analysis: These figures signal that many students are not adequately prepared for middle school. The transition year (Grade 5) appears to be a key challenge point where intervention is most urgently needed.
ELA Proficiency:
Trend: A downward trajectory is evident as students advance through grades. Literacy support strategies must be implemented early and reinforced consistently to reverse this decline.
Math Proficiency:
Trend: Math shows a sharp drop-off between Grade 4 and Grade 5, suggesting students may be struggling with advanced concepts introduced in the upper elementary curriculum.
Across grades, the distribution of students by performance levels shows a concerning concentration in the lower bands:
Level 1: 24%
Level 2: 28%
Level 3: 20%
Level 4: 21%
Level 5: 7%
This means over half of Norland’s students (52%) are in Level 1 or 2, highlighting the urgent need for remediation and enrichment strategies.
The 2024–2025 FAST results for Norland Elementary School reveal both promise and pressing challenges. Grade 3 Math is a bright spot, with three-quarters of students meeting grade-level expectations. However, as students move into higher grades, performance—especially in Grade 5 Math and ELA—drops sharply.