Nbadan
05-22-2007, 06:55 PM
Minorities hit hardest:
16% fail TAKS graduation test
Record number won't get diploma; blacks, Hispanics hit hardest
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
AUSTIN – Nearly one of every six high school seniors – a record 40,182 students in the Class of 2007 – won't get a diploma this month after failing to pass all sections of the state's high school graduation test, the Texas Education Agency said Friday.
Minority students were hit hardest by the test requirement as about one in four black and Hispanic seniors were unable to make the grade and won't get diplomas during graduation ceremonies scheduled across the state in the next few weeks.
The high number of failures might give the Legislature more incentive to pass a bill that would scrap the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills graduation test in the next few years and replace it with a series of end-of-course exams taken throughout high school. The bill, which has already passed the Senate and awaits action by the House, is expected to allow more students to pass and get their diplomas.
Statewide TAKS results
State education officials attributed the poor showing to a higher passing standard that was phased in on the TAKS this year, requiring students to answer more questions correctly than in previous years. Students were tested in four subjects – English, math, science and social studies.
"We know that it is heartbreaking for students to miss graduating with their class," state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley said. "I know the immediate concern deals with commencement activities, but students also need to keep their eye on the ultimate goal – earning a high school diploma.
"I encourage all students who still need to pass one or more parts of the TAKS to retake the test this summer."
The commissioner also encouraged students who failed and their parents to check with their high schools to see if they can still participate in graduation ceremonies. If a student has passed all of his or her courses – but not the TAKS – he or she can receive a certificate of attendance if the school district has such a policy.
Since 1987, Texas has required high school students to pass a graduation test to earn a diploma. Students have five opportunities to pass the exam beginning in the spring of their junior year. Those who failed to pass in time for graduation can try again in July.
7th-graders improve
Passing rates were generally steady or up on the TAKS at other grade levels this spring, particularly in the seventh grade, in which 70 percent of students passed all sections of the exam – up from 64 percent last year. Those students will be the first group required to pass the eighth-grade TAKS next year to be promoted to the ninth grade.
Statewide, about 3 million public school students were tested on the TAKS this year. The TEA does not release results for individual schools and districts each spring. Instead, school districts release the figures on their own schedules, generally in late May.
Other key statewide results showed that a large number of fifth-graders – more than 11 percent – are in danger of flunking because they haven't passed the math and reading sections of the exam. Those students will get a third and final chance to earn a passing score this summer after receiving remedial instruction in June.
A smaller number of third-graders – about 7 percent – are in the same situation. They'll get another shot at the TAKS reading exam this summer to avoid being held back.
Stakes on the TAKS are highest for third- and fifth-graders, who must pass to be promoted, and for high school seniors, who must pass to get a diploma. Third- and fifth-graders fall under a state law aimed at curtailing the practice of social promotion – automatically passing students regardless of achievement.
State education officials focused their attention Friday on seventh-graders because they will have to pass the TAKS next year to move into high school. Those students have been the high-stakes testing pioneers of Texas – the first group of students to have to pass the third- and fifth-grade exams to win promotion.
Extra instruction
Under the so-called Student Success Initiative, those students also were the first to be provided with extra instruction – such as small-group tutoring – to help them master the skills needed to pass the TAKS. Their teachers also received additional training.
TAKS results for seventh-graders improved significantly in math, reading and writing, compared with the scores of seventh-graders last year. For example, 85 percent passed the reading section and 76 percent passed the math section – both up 6 percentage points from last year.
"We are so proud of those students. They have indeed benefited from the reforms enacted during the decade," said Dr. Neeley, referring to the Student Success Initiative and the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been approved for the program by the Legislature since 2001.
She added that while there were significant increases in passing rates for each subject area, 30 percent of seventh-graders did not pass all TAKS tests. "We still have students who need extra instructional help," she said.
Among other students, passing rates tended to be higher in the elementary grades while dropping off in eighth grade and high school. Among eighth-graders, 60 percent passed all sections of the TAKS – up 3 percent from last year. Students had the most difficulty on the math and science sections.
The overall passing rates for high school freshmen and sophomores were 59 percent and 50 percent respectively – up slightly from last year. And 69 percent of juniors passed the graduation test, which is initially given in the spring of the 11th grade. That figure also was up from last year.
To pass the graduation test, students had to correctly answer only about 60 percent of the questions.
On the exit-level test, the passing rates were down for math, science and social studies tests, while English scores were unchanged from last year.
"We will continue to do everything we can to help any student who is struggling to pass the TAKS," Dr. Neeley said, noting that a free math and science diagnostic system is available to help students. Students also can get TAKS study guides through their school.
Overall, 84 percent of seniors passed all four parts of the exam. Last year, the passing rate was 87 percent. By ethnic group, 28 percent of black students, 24 percent of Hispanics, 8 percent of whites and 7 percent of Asian-Americans failed one or more subject areas this year.
Average scores on individual tests were down for math, science and social studies, while English scores were unchanged from a year ago.
TAKS RATES – PASSING AND FAILING
The percentage of students at each grade level who passed all subject-area tests*:
Third grade: 93%
Fourth grade: 75%
Fifth grade: 89%
Sixth grade: 77%
Seventh grade: 70%
Eighth grade: 60%
Ninth grade: 59%
10th grade: 50%
11th grade: 69%
A record 40,182 high school seniors in Texas failed some portion of the TAKS graduation exam.
The percentage that failed one or more subject areas:
16% overall
28% of black students
24% of Hispanic students
8% of white students
7% of Asian-American students
26% of economically disadvantaged students
Dallas News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/051207dntextaksfails.5c9ba6b1.html)
Here are sample questions (http://www.examgen.com/gpdf/g101b.pdf) for the High School exit exam in Math.
How do you do?
16% fail TAKS graduation test
Record number won't get diploma; blacks, Hispanics hit hardest
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
AUSTIN – Nearly one of every six high school seniors – a record 40,182 students in the Class of 2007 – won't get a diploma this month after failing to pass all sections of the state's high school graduation test, the Texas Education Agency said Friday.
Minority students were hit hardest by the test requirement as about one in four black and Hispanic seniors were unable to make the grade and won't get diplomas during graduation ceremonies scheduled across the state in the next few weeks.
The high number of failures might give the Legislature more incentive to pass a bill that would scrap the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills graduation test in the next few years and replace it with a series of end-of-course exams taken throughout high school. The bill, which has already passed the Senate and awaits action by the House, is expected to allow more students to pass and get their diplomas.
Statewide TAKS results
State education officials attributed the poor showing to a higher passing standard that was phased in on the TAKS this year, requiring students to answer more questions correctly than in previous years. Students were tested in four subjects – English, math, science and social studies.
"We know that it is heartbreaking for students to miss graduating with their class," state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley said. "I know the immediate concern deals with commencement activities, but students also need to keep their eye on the ultimate goal – earning a high school diploma.
"I encourage all students who still need to pass one or more parts of the TAKS to retake the test this summer."
The commissioner also encouraged students who failed and their parents to check with their high schools to see if they can still participate in graduation ceremonies. If a student has passed all of his or her courses – but not the TAKS – he or she can receive a certificate of attendance if the school district has such a policy.
Since 1987, Texas has required high school students to pass a graduation test to earn a diploma. Students have five opportunities to pass the exam beginning in the spring of their junior year. Those who failed to pass in time for graduation can try again in July.
7th-graders improve
Passing rates were generally steady or up on the TAKS at other grade levels this spring, particularly in the seventh grade, in which 70 percent of students passed all sections of the exam – up from 64 percent last year. Those students will be the first group required to pass the eighth-grade TAKS next year to be promoted to the ninth grade.
Statewide, about 3 million public school students were tested on the TAKS this year. The TEA does not release results for individual schools and districts each spring. Instead, school districts release the figures on their own schedules, generally in late May.
Other key statewide results showed that a large number of fifth-graders – more than 11 percent – are in danger of flunking because they haven't passed the math and reading sections of the exam. Those students will get a third and final chance to earn a passing score this summer after receiving remedial instruction in June.
A smaller number of third-graders – about 7 percent – are in the same situation. They'll get another shot at the TAKS reading exam this summer to avoid being held back.
Stakes on the TAKS are highest for third- and fifth-graders, who must pass to be promoted, and for high school seniors, who must pass to get a diploma. Third- and fifth-graders fall under a state law aimed at curtailing the practice of social promotion – automatically passing students regardless of achievement.
State education officials focused their attention Friday on seventh-graders because they will have to pass the TAKS next year to move into high school. Those students have been the high-stakes testing pioneers of Texas – the first group of students to have to pass the third- and fifth-grade exams to win promotion.
Extra instruction
Under the so-called Student Success Initiative, those students also were the first to be provided with extra instruction – such as small-group tutoring – to help them master the skills needed to pass the TAKS. Their teachers also received additional training.
TAKS results for seventh-graders improved significantly in math, reading and writing, compared with the scores of seventh-graders last year. For example, 85 percent passed the reading section and 76 percent passed the math section – both up 6 percentage points from last year.
"We are so proud of those students. They have indeed benefited from the reforms enacted during the decade," said Dr. Neeley, referring to the Student Success Initiative and the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been approved for the program by the Legislature since 2001.
She added that while there were significant increases in passing rates for each subject area, 30 percent of seventh-graders did not pass all TAKS tests. "We still have students who need extra instructional help," she said.
Among other students, passing rates tended to be higher in the elementary grades while dropping off in eighth grade and high school. Among eighth-graders, 60 percent passed all sections of the TAKS – up 3 percent from last year. Students had the most difficulty on the math and science sections.
The overall passing rates for high school freshmen and sophomores were 59 percent and 50 percent respectively – up slightly from last year. And 69 percent of juniors passed the graduation test, which is initially given in the spring of the 11th grade. That figure also was up from last year.
To pass the graduation test, students had to correctly answer only about 60 percent of the questions.
On the exit-level test, the passing rates were down for math, science and social studies tests, while English scores were unchanged from last year.
"We will continue to do everything we can to help any student who is struggling to pass the TAKS," Dr. Neeley said, noting that a free math and science diagnostic system is available to help students. Students also can get TAKS study guides through their school.
Overall, 84 percent of seniors passed all four parts of the exam. Last year, the passing rate was 87 percent. By ethnic group, 28 percent of black students, 24 percent of Hispanics, 8 percent of whites and 7 percent of Asian-Americans failed one or more subject areas this year.
Average scores on individual tests were down for math, science and social studies, while English scores were unchanged from a year ago.
TAKS RATES – PASSING AND FAILING
The percentage of students at each grade level who passed all subject-area tests*:
Third grade: 93%
Fourth grade: 75%
Fifth grade: 89%
Sixth grade: 77%
Seventh grade: 70%
Eighth grade: 60%
Ninth grade: 59%
10th grade: 50%
11th grade: 69%
A record 40,182 high school seniors in Texas failed some portion of the TAKS graduation exam.
The percentage that failed one or more subject areas:
16% overall
28% of black students
24% of Hispanic students
8% of white students
7% of Asian-American students
26% of economically disadvantaged students
Dallas News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/051207dntextaksfails.5c9ba6b1.html)
Here are sample questions (http://www.examgen.com/gpdf/g101b.pdf) for the High School exit exam in Math.
How do you do?