213 schools in Florida have gotten a pleasant surprise. Their school grade has been recalculated and they moved up one grade.

Grades for schools in forty counties have been recalculated higher. 116 schools moved from a B to an A, 7 from an F to a D.

The changes have superintendents across the state scratching their heads. The State Board of Education earlier this year lowered standards for the FCAT writing test because too many children did poorly.

Leon County School Superintendent Jackie Pons says the latest revisions are proof the state needs to set a standard and stick with it. “We need to find a nationally normed test. We embrace accountability as superintendents. I support having the highest standard in the nation. But once we set the standards, leave them alone, and let the teachers get us over the bar.”

The change affected eight percent of the schools in the state six schools in this immediate area.

School Grade Changes
--------------------------------
School/County Old Grade New Grade
-------------------- --------------- ---------------
Surfside Middle (Bay) B A
Bonifay Middle (Holmes) B A
Bob Sikes Elem. (Okal.) B A
Northwood Elem. (Okal.) B A
Riverside Elem. (Okal.) B A
Kate Smith Elem. (Wash.) B A

The changes affect 6-schools in our area. Surfside Middle School in Bay County, Bonifay Middle School in Holmes County, Bob Sikes, Northwood and Riverside Elementaries in Okaloosa County and Kate Smith Elementary in Washington County all improved from "B's" t