ORLANDO, Fla. — In a few short weeks, summer will end for students as they return to classrooms across the state.

• Advocates pushing back against Florida's use of school letter grades
• Fla. Education Association argues the grades overlook issues of poverty 
• Findings: "D" or "F" schools have poverty rates over 90 percent
• More Back to School coverage

Many districts are showing promise in progress.

Florida Department of Education shows the number of “A” schools is up to 36 percent this year, compared to 31 percent last year, and the number of “F” schools statewide dropped from 35 in 2018 to 15 this year.

Orange County’s Rock Springs Elementary for example this year became an “A” school for the first time since 2016.

• RELATED: Find the grade for your child's school

Florida Education Association, however, has pushed back on Florida’s use of letter grades, arguing the grades often overlook the issues of poverty that can become a roadblock to progress.

“This year marks the 21st release of the school grades in Florida, and now more than ever it is clear that rather than being a cause of celebration, these manufactured grades should be a call for a revolution,” FEA said in a statement.

“One that focuses on ensuring all students and education have the resources necessary for a world-class education regardless of ZIP code or poverty level,” the organization added.

The Florida Education Association points to findings that show schools receiving "D" and "F" grades have poverty rates over 90 percent.

“I think there needs to be more teachers that kids see that look like them,” said Earlisha Oates, a parent said. “More diversity in the classrooms.”

Education Roundtable

Oates is a member of the Hillsborough PTA.

She was among a group of parents, teachers, and other education advocates in Orlando Wednesday for an education roundtable hosted by The Real Talk Coalition.

The group is comprised of members from Florida PTA, Florida Coalition for Black Civic Participation, NAACP, Florida Immigration Coalition, Florida Council of Churches, and others with a focus on improving education opportunities for low-income, students of color, and others often underrepresented.

The group and others point to figures to show less per pupil investments for students in rural and inner-city schools.

“Those kids are in front of teachers that don’t look like them and don’t understand their background, so being culturally competent to where those kids are coming from is a big key for those kids to be successful,” Oates said.

April Cobb is a parent and a teacher and has seen the educational challenges from both sides.

“Our inner city schools have taken a beating over the years, that’s just the reality,” Cobb said. “Those schools are housed in underserved communities, and we know economics is what drives a lot of our public schools.”

The challenge groups like The Real Talk try to counter is how to improve investments and conditions for underserved students.

“Florida’s population is steadily growing and diversifying,” the group said. “Florida is also getting closer to being a majority-minority population state, with a significant number of K12 students who are Black, Latino, and low-income.

They added, “While Florida’s overall rate of educational attainment has increased since 2008, its high school completion rates, college enrollment rates, and degree completion rates rank it among the lowest-performing states in the nation. Latino and Black degree attainment rates significantly lag those of others in Florida, beginning in K-12. Closing these gaps is necessary if the state is to achieve its attainment goals and have the qualified workforce it needs to sustain growth in years to come.”