This was the first year alternative high schools were graded differently from traditional schools on the FCAT.

The new grading scale is supposed to benefit alternative schools which often have an influx of students who have had problems in the traditional schools, but a Bay County principal is disappointed in the new scale and says it's failing her school.

This year Haney Technical High School did fairly well on its overall FCAT scores, but you wouldn't know that by looking at the school's overall grade.

Sandra Davis, Haney High School Principal, said, "I don't think the grading is fair, but that's the way the state grades, and so every school that has a school improvement rating is graded in the same way. If you decline in one area, then your grade goes down."

This year Haney's overall grade of "declining" is based on reading and math gains or lack of there of from one year to the next.

Instead of a letter grade, Florida's alternative schools like Haney Technical are receiving either improving, maintaining or declining.

Although Haney only declined in one of four areas, the whole school's grade is suffering because of it. The school's principal says her excitement over the great FCAT scores didn't last long.

"We were very excited about those scores, and of course we were very disappointed on the declining grade when it came in."

Haney's 9th grade class ranked second in the entire district and their math score came in at 317, being topped by only two other bay county schools.

Ninety five percent of Haney's 10th graders passed the math test, and that's better than anyone else, but when it came to reading the 10th grade class took a turn for the worse. Only half of them passed the reading test. Despite the other three good scores the bad reading score sunk the whole ship.

Franklin Stephens, Haney Vice Principal, said, "We're working to improve. We're looking at everything we can to help them do better."

Although angered by the new grading scales, they say they're not crying over spilled milk and are already making serious plans for improving next year's scores.

Haney Technical High School was founded in 1968 and is one of three alternative schools in Bay County.