More high-schoolers passing mandatory tests
High school juniors made huge gains on the exit-level state test, according to results released today by the Texas Education Agency.
Eighty-two percent of the juniors passed all four portions of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, compared to 75 percent in 2009.
In Houston ISD, 79 percent of juniors passed all parts, up from 72 percent in 2009.
These incoming seniors will have four more chances to pass all sections of the exam -- English, math, social studies and science -- before they graduate in 2011.
The math portion had the lowest passing rate at 89 percent statewide, up 8 percentage points from 2009. Ninety-eight percent passed the social studies portion. HISD mirrored those trends with 87 percent passing the math portion of the test and 97 percent passing social studies.
State officials credited the gains to a more rigorous curriculum.
"This year's juniors are the first class that must meet the state's 4x4 requirement, which requires them to earn four credits of English, mathematics, science and social studies,"