Students who fail TAKS apt to fail again

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The Daily News

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Students who fail TAKS apt to fail again

By Rhiannon Meyers
The Daily News

Published August 7, 2007

Education: Local school districts to learn how seniors performed in July

High School seniors denied graduation because they failed the stateâ??s exit
level standardized exam likely will fail again when they attempt it in July,
according to information from the Texas Education Agency.

A public information request revealed that a quarter of Galveston County seniors
passed the TAKS test when they tried it again in July 2006.

Out of the 191 Galveston County seniors who failed the TAKS test in 2006, 131
students, or 69 percent, attempted the test again in July.

Of those, 34 students, or 26 percent, passed and were then allowed to graduate.

That was last school year. Area school districts will learn this week how many
seniors, who were supposed to graduate in May, passed the July administration of
the exam. Some districts, like such as Galvestonâ??s school district, will hold a
graduation ceremonies for those seniors in late August.

But, if history repeats itself, there will be few students at those August
graduations.

For example, most seniors last year failed the science TAKS test. There were 124
seniors denied graduation because they failed the science exam. Of those, 79
reattempted it in July â??â?? only 19 passed.

And although some students get frustrated and accept a GED instead of a diploma,
others keep taking the TAKS until they pass, said Suzanne Marchman, spokeswoman
for the Texas Education Agency. A public information request shows that 79
Galveston County seniors who didnâ??t pass the TAKS in either April or July
returned in October to try again. Some former students are still trying to pass a
state standardized exam called TAAS, which was replaced by the TAKS in 2003,
Marchman said.

This year, 16 percent of the stateâ??s 244,346 seniors didnâ??t graduate because
they failed the TAKS test. Thatâ??s a record high for Texas, according to the
Texas Education Association.

In Galveston, 75 seniors, or 16 percent, of the districtâ??s 462 seniors failed.
In Hitchcock, eight, or 11 percent, of the districtâ??s 75 seniors failed.

But many of those returned to take the exam again in July, according to
information from local school districts.

In Galveston, 43 seniors, or 57 percent, came back for the test in July. In Santa
Fe, both seniors who failed the TAKS in April returned in July to try again.

But in Hitchcock, none of the seniors returned to take the July test. Thatâ??s
because they didnâ??t have to.

Hitchcock High Schoolâ??s administration encouraged seniors who failed the test
to withdraw from the district and enroll in Alvin-based Texas Preparatory
Academy, said Superintendent Michael Bergman.

Texas private schools arenâ??t regulated by the state, and, therefore, private-
school students donâ??t have to pass the stateâ??s standardized test to get a
diploma. The Texas Education Agency doesnâ??t track the trend, but it appears
that at least 100 Galveston County students this year enrolled in private schools
to skirt the stateâ??s graduation requirements.

For a pro-rated tuition payment, private schools in Alvin and Pearland accepted
students with enough credits to graduate.

Henry Robledo was one of those students. Robledoâ??s struggle started when his
grandfather died unexpectedly the night before Robledo attempted the last TAKS
exam before graduation. He failed the math portion and was denied graduation.
Robledoâ??s mother, Sylvia Robledo, pulled him from Ball High School, paid $250
and enrolled him in Texas Preparatory Academy. Robledo graduated Saturday in
Alvin in front of his family, friends and old Ball High School classmates from
Ball High School.

â??I just feel overwhelmed that my son graduated,â?? said Sylvia Robledo. â??Hey,
Galveston didnâ??t want to do it (so we went to) private schools. ... Iâ??m glad
he can go ahead and start his life now.â??

School said they administrators remained optimistic that students this year will
be more successful than those seniors who reattempted the test in July 2006.

To assure greater success, Galveston school district held aheldimplemented a
21-day summer TAKS preparatory class for the first time. Deb Owens, principal of
summer school for high school students, said more than 100 students participated
in the class.

â??I canâ??t help but think weâ??re going to have good news,â?? she said.

Seniors who fail the exam again in July can continue to take it until they pass,
Marchman said. A student has five chances to attempt the TAKS before graduation.
The Texas Education Agency does not track the average number of times it takes
for a senior to pass the exam.

However, Marchman said those who fail the TAKS test multiple times should
consider asking for one-on-one tutoring if they havenâ??t already done so.

The 80th Legislature passed a law allowing schools to receive funding for
providing instruction to students up to 26 years old. The Legislature extended
the age from 21 to 26 years old because former students are returning to school
for instruction at an older age when they continue to fail the TAKS test,
Marchman said.

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Copyright © 2007 The Galveston County Daily News



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