Tommy Mann, Jr.
The Orange Leader
June 08, 2009 05:14 pm
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Although scores declined slightly in many grade levels, every grade level in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District met standard in the 2009 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
Students in third, fifth and eighth grades are required to meet standard in various TAKS subject areas in order to advance to the next grade level, while juniors in high school must meet standard on the exit level TAKS in order to graduate.
Third grade students at Little Cypress Elementary and Mauriceville Elementary did well in reading and math this year, as 93 percent of students met standard in reading, which is down 2 percentage points from 2008, and 91 percent met standard on TAKS math, an increase of 11 percentage points from the previous year.
Fifth grade scores remain well above standard. Eighty-eight percent of fifth grade students met standard in reading this year, but this is a 2 point drop from 2008. Math scores also declined by 2 percentage points this year as 89 percent met standard compared to 91 percent of fifth grade students in 2008.
However, fifth-graders significantly improved TAKS science scores as 92 percent met standard this year compared to 84 percent in 2008.
Eleventh grade students remained constant with 2008 results as 95 percent met standard for the second straight year in English and language arts and 85 percent of students met standard in mathematics, which is only a 1 point drop from 2008.
Meanwhile, eleventh grade results improved in science by 7 percentage points as 93 percent met standard this year, while social studies scores improved by 4 percentage points over 2008 results as 98 percent met standard.
Although students continue to do well and meet standard in every subject area, the percentage of students meeting standard in reading and math declined in fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, and tenth grades by an average of 5 percentage points. However, fifth and eighth grade math scores are incomplete as the second administration results are not yet included.
It should be noted that TAKS math standard increased 5 percentage points this year. Students must now meet standard in TAKS math by mastering 55 percent of the test, which is up from the 2008 standard of 50 percent.
Science and social studies standards increased by 5 percentage points from 2008 as well.
Sherry Combs, LC-M CISD Director of Community Relations, said students and staff work very hard to assure they achieve the knowledge and skills to succeed, not just on TAKS tests, but to be successful in their lives following graduation.
“A majority of our students did exceptionally well on this year’s TAKS tests, but there are areas we realize need attention, and plans are already underway to address those areas,” Combs said. “One good aspect of the TAKS test is that the specific questions missed pinpoint, for teachers, the concepts or skills that the student has not mastered. Those can then be addressed specifically.”
Teachers and administrators will be working throughout the summer to make sure students have every opportunity to improve next year.
The largest increase, besides eleventh grade science and social studies, is in ninth grade math as 81 percent of students met standard this year, an increase of 12 percentage points from the previous year.
“We are generally pleased with our scores, but our goal is to reach 100 percent on each test, and, obviously, we aren’t there yet,” Dr. Jim Armstrong, LC-M CISD Director of Student and Personnel Services. “We have already begun to put things in place to correct the areas that need improvement and and make our students successful.”
LC-M TAKS Results
Grade Subject 2008 Pass 2009
* 1st administration only
3rd Reading 95 70 93
3rd Math 80 55 91
4th Reading 86 70 81
4th Math 85 55 72
4th Writing 90 70 85
5th Reading 90 70 88
5th Math 91 55 89
5th Science 84 50 92
6th Reading 93 70 95
6th Math 79 55 81
7th Reading 90 70 86
7th Math 85 55 77
7th Writing 96 70 89
8th Reading 99 70 94
8th Math 83 55 81
8th Science 84 50 85
8th Soc. Studs. 93 70 95
9th Reading 94 70 93
9th Math 69 55 81
10th Eng./LA 93 70 89
10th Math 74 55 67
10th Science 78 50 73
10th Soc. Studs. 89 70 86
11th Eng./LA 95 70 95
11th Math 86 55 85
11th Science 86 50 93
11th Soc. Studs. 94 70 98
Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter for The Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com
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