Dateline: April 1, 2004

Local students pass state reading exam

By Ashlee Kidd, Clarendon Enterprise

Results from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exam are back, and feelings at Donley County schools are mutual: Students exceeded the expectations of the Hedley and Clarendon administrators.

Hedley School Superintendent Bryan Hill said that all ten of his school’s third grade students tested passed the reading portion of the TAKS test.

“I am ecstatic that 100 percent of our students passed,” Hill said. “I just hope the other tests come out as well.”

According to Clarendon Elementary Principal Mike Word, thirty-eight of the forty third grade students tested passed the exam for a 95 percent passing rate.

“I attribute the success of the students to the hard work of both the students and the teachers.”

Word said that those who did not pass the reading test the first time are receiving extra instruction and will have two more opportunities to retake the test.

“I believe they will both do fine on the next test.”

The parents of students at Clarendon Elementary will be receiving individual results in the mail this week.

“We want to make sure the parents know how their children did,” Word said.

Last year, students were required to answer correctly at least 20 out of 36 questions to reach the “met the standard” passing level. This year, students were required to answer 23 out of 36 questions to pass.

“Last year we had 91 percent of the students reach this level, and this year we had 95 percent reach it,” Word said

Statewide passing rates on the reading exam reached 91 percent this spring.

“This is great news,” said Texas Commissioner of Education Shirley J. Neeley. “The students, their teachers, and their parents worked hard; and they are reaping the benefits .”

This marks the second year for the TAKS standardized test. The state began a focused approach to provide scientifically-based reading instruction after the creation of the Texas Reading Initiative in 1997.

The reading progress of students, beginning in kindergarten, is closely monitored so that teachers can adjust their lessons to the needs of individual students. Then, beginning in 2003, third-grade students were required to pass the TAKS reading exam in order to be promoted to fourth grade.

Elementary students also took the writing test in February, but those results will not be made available until May.

The final portions of the TAKS testing will take place April 27, 28, and 29.

“Students will take the Math test on the 27th; the fourth and fifth graders along with the two third-graders who didn’t pass the first time will take the reading test on the 28th; and the fifth graders will take the science on the 29th,” Word said.