By Carnell Hawthorne Jr.

Suwannee County third graders scored above state average in reading on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results released Thursday.

Students scored 317 on the reading portion of the FCAT. This score is up from 313 in 2008. The state average for 2009 remained at 313, the same as last year.

In math, however, local third graders slightly lag behind others in Florida with a score of 330 compared to the state average of 337. That’s a four point increase for the state compared to last year.

Overall, students did better than the previous year.

“We just want to excel and we’re trying our best,” said Cheryl Mae Brinson, Director of Assessment for Suwannee County Schools.

Locally, 73 percent of third graders scored at grade level or above in reading and 71 percent at grade level or above in math. The 2009 state average was 71 percent for reading and 78 for math.

Third graders at Suwannee Elementary scored 314 in reading and 326 in math. Students of the same grade level at Branford Elementary scored 329 in reading and 343 in math. Both schools excelled in reading. However, compared to the state average of 337, Live Oak is below average in math and Branford is slightly above average.