The Texas Education Agency (TEA) revamped our state assessments criteria for the 2010-2011 school year. The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests are designed to measure the extent to which a student has learned and is able to apply that knowledge at each tested grade level and subject. The same subjects and grade levels previously assessed were all still tested this school year but the success standards created by TEA placed higher emphasis on Commended performances (the highest score a student can achieve). Though our campus’s overall Commended percentage was 57%, a percentage score seldom achieved, we have one area that fell below the Exemplary standards and were therefore rated Recognized for this past school year.

We were Exemplary for the previous two school years and were very disappointed in receiving only a Recognized rating by TEA. We are however, still Exemplary in our hearts. With a Commended performance average of well over 50%, we feel our children are achieving tremendous success and are very proud of their hard work.

This new school year, 2011-2012, the testing will change again. The new State of Texas assessments will be called STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness). The STAAR program at grades 3–5 will assess the same subjects and grades that were previously assessed on TAKS and our expectations for success will remain the same.