Scores Raise Concerns: State Officials Meet With Mercedes Educators

By Fernando Del Valle, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

Jan. 16–MERCEDES — Low standardized test scores led state officials this week to meet with school leaders to review plans to help Spanish-speaking students improve their marks.

Texas Education Agency officials were expected to complete a three-day review today before making recommendations to improve the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test scores of about 33 percent of district students, or about 1,700 students here, school officials said Tuesday.

“They’re here to see what improvements can be made to improve their test scores,” Superintendent Luis Ramos said. “I know we need to improve the students’ scores.”

Students with “limited English proficiency” post test scores that show them “at least a couple of years behind” other students, Ramos said.

Board member Monte Churchill, a former district superintendent, said the state officials’ visit was part of the agency’s monitoring program.

“Anytime you have a part of the population that is not meeting what TEA considers adequate progress, I am concerned,” Churchill said. “It’s something we need to remediate.”

Monday, state officials arrived to meet with principals and teachers at the high school, junior high school and John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Ramos said.

State officials reviewed the schools’ programs aimed at students with limited English proficiency, such as after-school tutoring programs and computer programs, Ramos said.

The students primarily scored poorly in tests that focused on reading, Ramos said. District officials could not provide test scores Tuesday afternoon.

State officials will recommend that the district take steps to improve the students’ test scores, Churchill said.

“I’m sure TEA will give us substantial direction as to what we must do,” Churchill said.

State officials could not be reached for comment.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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