Schools with failing grades make changes

Fourteen failing elementary schools in Broward County will undergo dramatic changes next school year as part of a state-mandated effort to fix low-performing campuses.

Schools that receive an “F” grade or three consecutive “D” grades must either close, convert into a charter school or significantly change in some way. School grades are based solely on student test scores at the elementary and middle school level. High school grades incorporate other factors such as graduation rates.

Two of the schools, Walker Elementary in Fort Lauderdale and Park Ridge in Deerfield Beach, will have new principals and assistant principals. Current teachers will have to reapply to teach at those schools under the new leadership.

The other dozen schools will start new dual language programs or arts or sciencefocused initiatives.

If a school fails to show adequate improvement within two years, state law mandates the school repurpose in another way.

Leslie Brown, who is overseeing the changes for the district, said the proposals were driven by community input after multiple public meetings. She said the 14 schools will use dollars saved from an elementary and a middle school that closed last year due to poor performance.