The results of the first batch of scores from the 2014 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test show West Shore leading all other Brevard Public Schools in the writing portion of the annual standardized test. West Shore’s sophomores had a composite score of 4.5, followed by Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School with 3.9. Cocoa Beach, Rockledge, Satellite and Viera tied for third with 3.7.

West Shore also led in the eighth-grade results with a 3.8 composite score, followed by Edgewood with 3.7 and Cocoa Beach with 3.6.

“I am proud to announce that our Wildcats have once again flexed our academic muscles by outpacing others in our district and state in both eighth and 10th grade,” Principal Rick Fleming said in a statement.

The FCAT writing exam is taken only by students in third, eighth and 10th grades. During this test, students have an hour to write an essay on an assigned topic. The test is scored on a scale of 0 to 6.

Statewide, the percentage of eight-graders writing well increased over last year’s results from 52 to 56 percent while the percentage for 10th graders increased from 60 to 62 percent.

FCAT is a series of standardized exams in math, reading, science and writing taken annually by more than 1.6 million Florida students.

Results from tests in other disciplines are expected to be released in the next few weeks.

Most FCAT exams are being phased out this year to make room for a new series of standardized tests aligned to newly adopted Common Core academic standards. Those new math and language arts tests are scheduled to debut next spring.

Roar staff report