Parent Magazine Volusia February 2020 | Page 8

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF VOLUSIA COUNTY Superintendent: Dr. Ronald “Scott” Fritz Website: www.vcsedu.org Phone Number: 386-734-7190 From The Desk of Superintendent Dr. Ronald “Scott” Fritz Hello Volusia County Parents, I am Superintendent of Volusia County Schools, Dr. Scott Fritz. Here’s what I’m looking to implement this school year and for the future: Just the Facts General Budget: $535,700,700 Elementary School: • Push early literacy programs in the areas of the county that need it the most • Start preparing students for the Florida Standards Assessments in second grade rather than third grade • “Looping” high-impact teachers, so they stay with the same students for two years • Greater emphasis on writing Middle School: • Combining sixth and seventh grade math • Introducing algebra sooner in some cases, as well as introducing geometry to students earlier • A voluntary program in seventh grade where schools give the top 20% of students a chance to take the SAT, a college-readiness exam, while parents are being educated about paths and opportunities for students in high school. High School: Capital Budget: $327,100,000 Total Cost per Student per Year: $9,327 Percent of Budget Spent on Instruction: 61% Number of Schools: 85 Number of Students: 63,000 Graduation Rate: 84.5% Percent of Students on Free • Shifting the culture away from what credits students need to graduate, to what skills are needed to reach their post-secondary goals. • This could include going to a four-year college or learning how to follow a recipe for a student or Reduced Lunch: 64.4% • Schedule students for high-level classes like Advanced Placement, based on the potential shown in their FSA scores. 58% White, 19% Hispanic, • Teachers will be instructed to use lesson plans provided by the College Board for AP classes, rather than ones they create themselves, as well as tutoring and mock exams throughout the year paid for by the schools. Asian, 5% other • Schedule the Pre-SAT exam for ninth and 10th graders, paid for by the school • Schedule the SAT exam for 11th and 12th graders, paid for by the school • Standardize practices across the district by asking the most effective teachers what they’re doing right. 6 | V O L U S I A parent M A G A Z I N E Student Ethnicity: 16% African-American, 2% District Grade: B Student Teacher Ratio: 15:1