EOC scores above state average

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany High School students scored above state averages in all five tested subject areas, according to results recently issued for the STAAR End-Of-Course  tests by the Texas Education Agency.

The tests were given in March for both English I and English II and in May for Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History.

Students are required to pass all five tests to meet graduation requirements.

STAAR test scores for grades 3-8 have not been made official by TEA yet, although a release date is expected as soon as July 1.

“The results for grades 3-8 will be posted on the school’s website as soon as they are released,” diretor of student services Leigh Lowe said. “Parents should also have individual reports on the tests their children took available in the parent portal website.”

The EOC individual results should be available through the parent portal now, according to school officials.

The overall EOC results are broken down in four categories including Masters Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, Approaches Grade Level and Did Not Meet Grade Level.
The local results also show that Albany students exceeded the statewide results overall and in all but one of the three passing levels on all five tests.

“We beat the state average in all but one scoring category,” secondary principal Glen Hill said. “Individually, our students showed a lot of growth, which is what we are looking for. Some students jumped from not passing last year to either approaching or meeting grade level.”

In English I, a passing rate of 84 percent was achieved this year, compared to 85 percent last year. The state average was 63 percent.

A total of 90 percent of students taking the English II exam passed this year, compared to 86 percent last year. Statewide, 71 percent of Texas sophomores pass the EOC.

For Algebra I, 85 percent passed locally compared to 87 percent last year. Seventy-four percent passed for the state.

All Albany students passed the Biology EOC, compared to 94 percent last year. The state average was 82 percent.

Finally, 90 percent of the junior class passed the U.S. History EOC this year, compared to 97 percent last year. The state average was 89 percent.

The state legislature passed HB 4545 last summer requiring 30 hours of accelerated instruction for each subject area a student failed last year, causing schools to implement regular tutorial times whether during the school day or after. This year, students who did not pass a subject area were able to attend summer school to receive the required 30 hours per subject area failed.

“Last year we used WIN time during the school day to meet the requirement because the law didn’t change until we had already finished summer school,” Hill said. “This year, many of our students who didn’t meet the standard  have already completed the required 30 hours, so we can use WIN time to provide individual instruction for some of them still needing extra help.”

Much of the scoring process school districts are judged by is the amount of growth students show during a school year.

“I am extremely proud of how much our students and staff have accomplished,” superintendent Jonathan Scott said. “Our goal continues to be focused on yearly growth and building off of that.”