When Pasco County students cracked open their test booklets this year, they faced a brand new Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test complete with more difficult questions.

The results of that testing are now in from the state and district officials said yesterday students overall did well on what is known as FCAT 2.0.

The district did not release all of the results in different testing areas, but did announce the passing rates in science and revealed a few other “highlights” from the data sent by the state. District officials say they are still analyzing results.

“There were some notable highlights including the fact that Pasco’s students met or exceeded the state average in grades four (through) nine in reading,” a district media release said. “When combined with Pasco’s impressive writing scores released earlier this year, it is evident that Pasco’s emphasis on developing 21^st Century Literacy Skills among all students has been a success.”

This year’s test results will serve as a baseline for future measurements, said Summer Romagnoli, the district’s spokeswoman.

Comparing current results against last year is difficult, Romagnoli said. Because “of the new assessment, the state DOE (Department of Education) implemented an equi-percentile method, which causes less variation in score distribution when compared to last year. This equating was done at the state level with last year’s results. This makes true comparisons to last year difficult.”

The district, however, said Pasco students scored on par with others around the state in all testing areas.

On the science portion of the test, Pasco students that achieved proficiency broke down like this:

• Fifth grade – 47 percent
• Eighth grade – 47 percent
• 11^th grade – 40 percent

The following Land O’ Lakes schools increased or maintained their percentage of students attaining proficiency levels in all areas – math, science and reading: Connerton Elementary and Land O’ Lakes High School.

The district is still sifting through the results data and will “continue to use it, within the context of the state’s new scoring methodology, to analyze the needs of our students and district resources appropriately,” said Superintendent Heather Fiorentino. “Overall, I am very proud of the efforts of our students and the team of highly skilled educators that work to ensure all our students reach their highest potential.”

Parents can expect individual student FCAT results to be mailed out at the end of June. Elementary and middle school grades will be released by the state in July, Romagnoli said. High school grades are issued in November.