Dramatic improvement in 11th grade TAKS scores (minorities failed)

TEA ^ | 5/25/2004 | Texas Education Agency

[mtbopfuyn]

Dramatic improvement in 11th grade TAKS scores; 94 percent of third-grade students pass reading exam

AUSTIN – Showing a dramatic improvement in performance, 72 percent of Texas’ high school juniors met the higher standards set by the state and passed all tests taken on the exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) this spring.

Last year, only 49 percent of the juniors passed all tests taken. The overall passing rates on TAKS, which is given in grades 3-11, increased virtually across the board this year.

Ninety-four percent of the state’s third-grade students who took the English or Spanish version of the TAKS reading exam have now passed the test after two administrations.

“These results are awesome,” said Commissioner of Education Shirley Neeley. “What a way to end the school year! Students and teachers worked hard all year and these results confirm the progress our schools are making.”

“I am especially proud of our juniors. Much was asked of these students when state law created the tougher TAKS. The test covers more subjects and requires more complex reasoning and thinking skills than the previous state test. When fewer than half the students passed the first year, there were more than a few people who were worried, but the Class of 2005 showed us what they can do,” Neeley said.

While 72 percent of the juniors passed all test taken, they earned the following higher passing rates on the individual sections of the test:

English Language Arts – 87 percent passing, up from 69 percent last year. Mathematics – 85 percent, compared to 68 percent in 2003. Social Studies – 97 percent in 2004 versus 90 percent the previous year. Science – 85 percent passing, up from 67 percent last year.

Among the state’s major ethnic groups, the passing rates on all tests taken for the exit exam are 58 percent for African Americans, 61 percent for Hispanics and 83 percent for whites. Those are gains of 25 points for African Americans, 23 points for Hispanics and 24 points for white students.

“We saw great improvement this year. We are particularly impressed with the social studies and science scores because the state had not tested those subjects at the high school level prior to TAKS. Even with results this strong, we cannot rest. There are still students who are in jeopardy of not passing TAKS, which means they cannot receive a high school diploma. These students will receive extra instruction and a study guide to help improve their academic understanding. I am confident that many of these members of the Class of 2005 will ultimately pass the test,” Neeley said.

The students have four more chances to pass the exit-level TAKS before the end of their senior year. Beginning with the Class of 1987, Texas students have been required to pass a state test, along with their high school courses, in order to receive a diploma.

[mtbopfuyn]

The talking heads on the radio were discussing the lower percent of minorities to whites who passed. Their conclusion was to blame the whites and the test was obviously biased.

[zerosix]

Yeah, the whites cheated - they have obviously spent some time studying the subjects on which they were tested.

[2banana]

Among the state’s major ethnic groups, the passing rates on all tests taken for the exit exam are 58 percent for African Americans, 61 percent for Hispanics and 83 percent for whites. Those are gains of 25 points for African Americans, 23 points for Hispanics and 24 points for white students.

Hey - Discrimination! Blacks were more improved than Hispanics or Whites. We need to call the EEOC!

[4mycountry]

Ninety-four percent of the state’s third-grade students who took the English or Spanish version

Excuse me? Spanish version? Last I checked, English was the language of N. America. If you can't read English, learn to and take the correct version.

[jwalsh07]

Blame Bush for the rising scores across the board. His mean spirited plan to raise accountability and measure results is clearly at fault.

[sam_paine]

Don't forget to blame Bush for the time "wasted" prepping for these tests. All my teacher friends whine that class time is being absorbed in studying for this test and not for other curricula......perhaps condom practice and bashing America?

[banjo joe]

Excuse me? Spanish version?

Exactly. Officialdom encourages the balkanization of the U.S. Remember the Quebec seccesion movement? It was over language and culture.

[mtbopfuyn]

Excuse me? Spanish version?

Yep, welcome to the real "New" Mexico. It's all the illegal aliens we taxpayers get to educate, house, feed, and provide free medical and dental. Illegal are here most of their lives and still can't, or rather REFUSE, to speak English so we have to bend over backwards to accommodate them.

[Talking_Mouse]

AUSTIN – Showing a dramatic improvement in performance, 72 percent of Texas’ high school juniors met the higher standards set by the state and passed all tests taken on the exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) this spring.

  Last year, only 49 percent of the juniors passed all tests taken. 

Ninth Grade: Eighty-four percent of the students passed the reading test, a nine-point increase over the percentage who reached this standard in 2003.

I blame Bush for this

[Clara Lou]

All my teacher friends whine that class time is being absorbed in studying for this test and not for other curricula......perhaps condom practice and bashing America?
Sam, have you spent any significant amount of time in a Texas classroom in the last few years? Do you have first-hand knowledge of the curriculum that one of your "whiner" teacher-"friends" is given to teach?
The English/reading, science and social studies curricula are dictated by the TAKS test. I teach high school Spanish at the middle school level. English teachers are limited in what they can teach. I don't know about you, but when I was in elementary and junior high, my teachers taught us about all parts of speech. We were taught about direct objects, indirect objects, infinitives, verb tenses. We read a wealth of literature. Teachers now can only teach a fraction of that. I find myself, a Spanish teacher, teaching these things to students who have never heard of infinitives or direct or indirect objects, who don't understand what "agreement" is between subjects and verbs and nouns and adjectives. [I'm addressing just one area here-- the list could go on and on and in various subject areas.]
Those "whining" teacher-friends of yours also realize that all of the swell scores on the TAKS test do not result in higher scores on the SAT, for instance. You would think that improved TAKS scores would also mean improved SAT scores, wouldn't you? The fact that they don't tells you that teachers can't teach all that they need to-- which includes nothing about condoms. Why not listen to those "whiners" a little more closely? Maybe with a little respect? [Forgive me-- teachers get no respect around here-- I know that.]

[Timocrat]

Well what do you know. Accountability works. I too blame Bush for this - mean spirited giving these kids a chance to make something of themselves.

[Oatka]

You can contact the TEA at: studenta@tea.state.tx.us and ask them why the tests are in Spanish, especially in the formative years when the brain is more open to training.

[sam_paine]

Clara, revisit your response, and if it does not sound like "whining" to you in retrospect, then I suppose we have no chance of bridging this gap.

With all due respect, I have one friend in Houston that's a special ed teacher (had her arm broken, spit on, had to stop kids from masturbating on other students, etc.) I have three friends who are teachers (elem, jh) in the Austin area, one of which started as a sub for three years. Another friend moved up from 8th grade to principal. Finally, I'm dating a girl from California now that quit teaching after 10 years because she could no longer fight the diminishing returns of her self investment.

Yes, I believe that by LISTENING to my friends, I have developed a very interesting perspective on education and how it relates to my own (distant) 'education.'

Furthermore, the condom reference comes from my niece and nephew who are always fascinated to learn from their uncle that Bush is NOT personally killing babies in Iraq, that America did not invent slavery, that Columbus and Washington and Jefferson are not historical villians. I listen to the kids, and they teach me what they learn about in school, including condoms and anal sex.

Clara, I am a successful American in spite of my public education experience. While I sense whining in your missive, you should also sense bitterness in my response. I graduated from college with honors with the help of precious few of my k-12 teachers, and with a whole helluva lotta friction from teachers that cared about POWER first, and LEARNING last.

I'll be the first to admit that the opportunity of an educator to influence lives (positive or negative) is not reflected in the compensation, and a public school teacher (and the even less well compensated private teacher) is almost compelled to give more than they take.

But as my girlfriend did, if a person is unable or is no longer willing to make that sacrifice, then GET OUT.

And review your last paragraph. That's a classic strawman argument. I didn't advance any such argument, you constructed it to advance your own argument.