TALLAHASSEE (970 WFLA) -- Almost all school districts in the greater Bay area scored a "B" grade in this year's school report card, issued by the state Department of Education.
The district report card gives Sarasota County an "A" and Hardee and Highlands Counties (Wauchula, Sebring) a "C."
The report card showed that public schools scored better grades this year than the year before.
Florida now has 1,027 "A" schools, up from 763 two years ago. Those A schools account for almost a third of all schools in the state. More schools scored an A or a B, and fewer schools scored an F according to state officials. 58 percent of the schools counted had As and Bs, while only 7 percent scored an F.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart calls the numbers the result of "hard work" by students, parents, teachers and leaders.
The school report card is based on how well students do overall on standardized tests in reading, math, social studies and science. More than 3 thousand schools in Florida were graded for this year.