Escambia Co. schools scoring high

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Schools are supposed to be empty at this time of year. Students and teachers on summer break. But on Thursday, Hallmark Elementary cafeteria was crowded and teachers were dancing in celebration. Principal Sheree Mauldin said, "All I've done is this, 'ahhhhh!"

Hallmark Elementary went from being an 'F' school to being at the top of the charts. Teacher, Jacqueline Shumaker said, "Last year we cried when we finished, that's how serious we were about our grade, this year we're celebrating but already working toward next year. No rest for us."

They say the key to their success was keeping the kids in school an extra four hours a week, and they say that equals, an 'A' school.

Mauldin said, "They stayed every Tuesday and Thursday for 2 additional hours, we were very precise, looked at every single student and gave them exactly what they needed because everybody doesn't need the same thing."

The whole district did better than ever before. As a whole it scored a 'B,' but it's only nine points away from being an 'A.'

Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said, "47-percent of our schools earned an 'A,' now couple that with the fact that 60-percent of my students are on free and reduced lunch."

This is the first time in years, they'll have zero 'F' schools in the district. The only school that scored an 'F' was Carver Century and that school was closed at the end of the year.