Saturday, May 24, 1997
District sees decrease in number not graduating
By LESLIE STRADER / Abilene Reporter-News
The week before graduation is a nail-biter for those seniors
who are sometimes just a grade point away from earning their diploma.
For some, their final exam grade determines their graduation
status. Still others are waiting to find out how they did on a
state-required standardized test.
This year, school officials reported a "dramatic decrease"
in the number of Cooper and Abilene high school seniors unable
to graduate solely because of their performance on the Texas Assessment
of Academic Skills exit-level test.
But coursework and finals still managed to stop 24 seniors
in their tracks. A total of 32 AISD seniors who expected to graduate
this year did not because of TAAS or their classroom performance.
Cooper Principal Jim Short, who calls the students himself
when it's determined who won't be graduating, said the week before
graduation is one of the hardest of the year.
"It's the agony and the ecstasy," Short said. "Some
get the joy of making it while others have disappointment. The
hardest calls I have to make are about TAAS, but they're all hard,
really.
"But they have a lot of options," he added. "They
can take the course over or go to summer school. We encourage
them to view this as a temporary disappointment and to go on about
their lives and go forward."
Abilene High had 19 seniors unable to receive their diploma
Thursday nightbecause of failing grades or lack of credit, the
same number as last year.
Five seniors from Cooper High didn't walk across the stage
Friday because of grades or falling short of credit; 12 were held
back last year.
Fewer students were ineligible to graduate this year because
of TAAS scores alone, according to David Baum, AISD's director
of guidance and counseling.
Last year, 20 seniors from Abilene High and Cooper did not
get their diplomas with their class because they failed one or
more sections of the exit-level TAAS test.
This year, the number of seniors affected by TAAS fell to eight
- seven from AHS and one from CHS.
Students must pass the exit-level TAAS by their senior year
as part of the state's graduation requirements. The test covers
basic academic skills - reading, writing and math. Students are
first given the exit-level test during their sophomore year and
have several opportunities, through their senior year,to take
it if needed.
The number of seniors ineligible to graduate because of TAAS
"has been fairly consistent until this year," Baum said.
"I'm pleasantly surprised to see a real marked decline.
"But we're not there yet, and we won't be until it's zero."
Baum said he plans to release the districtwide TAAS scores
to the school board July 21.
Students tripped up by the TAAS can still earn their diplomas
by August by taking the summer administration of TAAS in July.
There will be a free TAAS remediation course for which students
can sign up June 2 at Abilene High.
The test will be given July 15-17 at AHS. Any student who has
not passed the exit-level in writing, reading, math or all three
can pick up a test registration form at the administration building,
842 N. Mockingbird, or at their high school counselor's office.
The forms must be turned in the first week of June.
Also, 35 students from both campuses graduated this week after
only three years of high school. Abilene High reported 16 juniors
graduating with the seniors; Cooper had 19. Counselors at the
schools said because of changes in the requirements for an advanced
high school diploma, this number could drop in coming years.
"It may affect it some," said Marilyn Cluck, senior
counselor at AHS. "But if a kid takes everything he can take
and goes to summer school, it still might be possible if they
want to get through quickly."
Graduating juniors can apply to receive a scholarship sponsored
by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. To be eligible,
students must complete graduation requirements within 36 months
and have attended high school only in Texas.
Students going to a state college receive $1,000. Students
attending a private university can request the school match the
scholarship, which could provide them with up to $2,000 in scholarship
money.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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