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PRESS RELEASE

March 31, 2005

Vivian Myrtetus
(850) 245-0413

High Schools Honored for Use of Online Guidance System
Helps Students Plan Better, Graduate on Time, Qualify for Scholarships

TALLAHASSEE — Education Commissioner John Winn today honored 70 high schools statewide that have the highest amount of students using FACTS.org, the state's online academic advising web site. Winn recognized schools around the state, but heaped the highest praise on Miami-Dade County Schools, where 13 high schools were honored for their use of the system.

"Students who use the tools on FACTS.org are more likely to set goals and meet them because they have so much useful information at their fingertips," Commissioner Winn said. "Students can manage their learning online and avoid senior year surprises by making sure they are taking the classes and maintaining the GPA they need to get into the college of their choice or qualify for a Bright Futures scholarship."

Recognizing the challenges guidance counselors face, the Legislature created FACTS.org to give students and parents the tools they need to plan and track students' academic progress. Since it was launched in 2000, there have been over 21 million hits to the site.

Because one key to student success in high school is planning early and checking progress often, the Department of Education is promoting the use of a state-sponsored web site. It allows students to plan classes, check grades, and track their individual progress against graduation, Bright Futures scholarships, and state university admissions requirements. With this technology, students can know exactly where they stand and what needs to be accomplished.

Besides helping students and parents, FACTS.org is important to guidance counselors, who serve an integral role in student success through a focus on academic achievement, career, and personal development.

"FACTS.org is great. The student-counselor ratio makes it difficult to reach everyone. Students can evaluate their progress, research issues and come back to me with specific questions and some direction," said Terri Gimble, Lincoln High School guidance counselor. "Since qualifying for scholarships is a common concern, I also refer parents to the site to get their child's Bright Futures GPA."

Research suggests that students who engage in career exploration and planning activities are more likely to stay in school and are more focused in their career and academic goals.

FACTS.org, Florida's one-stop statewide student advising system, is an acronym for Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students. The system was designed by the Florida Department of Education to help high school and college students make informed choices about their education. Launched in 2000, FACTS.org offers a comprehensive suite of services that gives users the unique ability to get all the information they need in one place for monitoring high school progress, learning about postsecondary opportunities in Florida, deciding career objectives, applying to college online, choosing the right major and evaluating progress towards a degree. It is administered by the Florida Center for Advising and Academic Support (FCAAS) with offices in Tallahassee and Tampa, Florida.

Schools were separated into seven population divisions based on the Florida High School Athletic Association classifications; the usage rate was calculated based on enrollment. The top ten schools of each division were awarded certificates of recognition and the number one school (shown in bold) in each division received an award. Miami-Dade County received a district award for their overall efforts; Miami-Dade had 13 of the 70 certificates, with 3 top performers.

Schools honored include:

Note: Photographs attached

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