Highlighting Strengths and Opportunities for Academic Growth
Palm Springs North Elementary School participated in the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) for the 2024-2025 academic year, assessing student performance in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics across grades 3–5. The results showcase strong areas of achievement, particularly in early-grade literacy, while also identifying opportunities for targeted intervention in mathematics.
ELA: 583 students tested, 366 students (63%) met or exceeded grade-level expectations.
Math: 583 students tested, 365 students (63%) achieved grade-level proficiency or higher.
The school’s proficiency rates in both ELA and Math are above district and state averages in most grades.
| Grade & Subject | Palm Springs North | Miami-Dade | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 ELA | 68% | 61% | 58% |
| Grade 3 Math | 66% | 59% | 56% |
| Grade 4 ELA | 66% | 58% | 54% |
| Grade 4 Math | 65% | 56% | 54% |
| Grade 5 ELA | 55% | 54% | 50% |
| Grade 5 Math | 58% | 54% | 51% |
Strong ELA foundation in early grades: Grade 3 ELA leads with 68% proficiency, outperforming both district and state averages by 7–10 percentage points.
Math strength across all grades: Each grade level in Math is ahead of state results, with Grade 4 Math achieving 65% proficiency.
Grade 5 ELA is the only area close to district averages, suggesting a need for focused literacy development before transitioning to middle school.
Level 4 (Proficient): 29% of students.
Level 5 (Advanced): 28% of students, indicating a strong cohort of high achievers.
Level 1 (Substantial Support Needed): 14%, a relatively small but important group for targeted interventions.
Consistent outperformance of state averages in all tested areas signals strong instructional quality.
Decline in ELA proficiency from Grade 3 (68%) to Grade 5 (55%) suggests the need for sustained literacy initiatives in upper elementary grades.
Math proficiency remains relatively stable across grades, reflecting curriculum alignment and effective instruction.
Implement advanced reading comprehension and vocabulary programs in Grades 4–5.
Provide cross-curricular literacy support, integrating reading skills into science and social studies.
Introduce challenge-based learning for high-achieving students to maintain engagement.
Offer small-group, targeted remediation for students in Level 2 to push them into proficiency.
Use formative assessments throughout the year to track progress and adjust teaching strategies.
Focus on FAST-specific instructional practices proven to increase proficiency rates by 2–13% when consistently applied.
Palm Springs North Elementary School’s FAST 2024-2025 results reflect a strong academic program, with performance consistently above district and state averages in both ELA and Math. By sustaining strong early-grade literacy efforts, bolstering Grade 5 ELA performance, and maintaining high expectations in Math, the school is well-positioned to further elevate student achievement in the coming years.