Ninety-two percent of Texas' eighth-graders passed the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge of Skills on their first attempt earlier this month — the best showing yet in this class's academic career of high-stakes testing.
The 25,644 students statewide who failed the exam can retake it on April 30 and then again on July 2, if needed.
Students who don't pass on their third attempt face being forced to repeat the eighth grade for the first time in state history.
While high-stakes testing is new for middle schoolers, it's old hat for this bunch of students. The class of 2012 was the first to face high-stakes testing as both third- and fifth-graders.
Those years, just 89 percent and 81 percent passed the reading exam on the first try, respectively, officials said.
"Once again, this group of students rose to the occasion and improved on the passing rate of previous classes," Commissioner of Education Robert Scott said in a prepared statement.
Passing rates at other high-stakes grade levels remained relatively flat this year — 88 percent of third-graders and 83 percent of fifth-graders met the mark.
Most Houston-area school districts were unwilling to release their results Tuesday, saying that they either hadn't compiled the data yet or that they needed time to share it with their school board members.
In Galena Park, middle schoolers matched the state's 92 percent passing rate.
Administrators with Cypress-Fairbanks, the third-largest school district in the state, said they're thrilled that 95 percent of their eighth-graders passed the exam. The class's average score was just two points shy of the state's "commended" level, officials said.
"Our eighth-grade students did exceptionally well," said Kelli Durham, assistant superintendent in Cy-Fair. "Obviously, knowing that they mastered the curriculum took the edge off test anxiety."
jennifer.radcliffe@chron.com
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