Third grade teachers at Macclenny Elementary Sarah Godwin and Sherri Jackson.

“We made history.”

That was the message from school district officials the morning of May 26 after they saw the third grade FCAT reading and math test results released by the Florida Department of Education.

Third graders at Macclenny Elementary and Westside Elementary posted the second-highest reading scores in the state along with St. Johns County students.

Macclenny Elementary third graders, teachers and administrators.

Eighty-seven percent of the students scored “proficient” on the reading portion of the test, which is defined as a score of 3 or higher on the FCAT’s 5-point scale.

Only Santa Rosa County performed better on the reading exam with 88 percent scoring proficient.

State-wide, 72 percent of students scored a 3 or above.

Susan Voorhees, the district’s director of accountability, and Superintendent Sherrie Raulerson were ecstatic about the results.

“I cried all morning,” said Ms. Raulerson, who met with teachers and students to announce the good news.