ECHS still has 35 seniors lacking TAKS
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Thirty-five El Campo High seniors have yet to pass all of a statewide tests seniors must pass to graduate.

The El Campo ISD school board recently got an update on how students are doing on the exit-level TAKS exams, and were told the 35 students still have two more chances to pass the parts they've failed before graduation.

Of those 35 students, 17 need to pass only one more test to graduate. Eight need to pass two tests, eight more need to pass three tests and two have failed all four tests.

Thirty of the students failed the science exam, while 23 failed math. Nine students failed English language arts, while eight failed in social studies. All of these students are being offered tutoring to help them pass their exams.

The exit-level exams begin during the spring of a student's junior year, and some 227 juniors took those tests last year. During the first exam, 25 of those students - who are now seniors - failed English, 31 failed social studies, 53 failed math and 57 didn't pass the science exam.

However, most students who have tried each time yet not passed all of the state's tests still can participate in commencement ceremonies, then work to complete their graduation requirements after their senior year ends.

That's because this spring, the rules on which seniors participate in El Campo High Layout 1 2/7/08 12:09 PM Page School's commencement will have eased, allowing some students who've not passed all parts of the TAKS to walk during commencement.

For four meetings in a row last year, the El Campo ISD board of trustees discussed a proposal championed by trustee David Hodges to allow students who'd completed all graduation requirements but failed some or all of their TAKS tests to walk the stage with their peers during commencement.

But in June, the idea found quick and unanimous approval once four amendments to the motion were made.

Those amendments included clear attendance and disciplinary requirements and stipulated the student must have taken the needed TAKS test every time it was offered as well as a summer course to help them pass that test.