Lufkin, TX — The Lufkin Independent School District board of trustees reviewed the district’s recently released TAKS scores at Thursday night’s board meeting.

Multiple new factors caused the district to lose its “recognized” status from the Texas Education Agency, and Assistant Superintendent Lynn Torres explained why this year they will be considered an “acceptable” district.

In years past TEA allowed a growth measure to be factored into the scores. The Texas Projection Measure (TPM) was used to determine whether students were meeting annual performance goals, however, that measure was eliminated this year by TEA commissioner.

Torres said modified TAKS scores were also included in this year’s data. TAKS-M is a test for those considered higher functioning special education students. Because Lufkin ISD also serves the Lufkin State Supported Living Center, its number of special education students is higher.

“This will remain a challenge because we have such a high number of special education students,” Torres said. “But we welcome every child. We would rather they come here than anywhere else.”

TEA also raised the number of questions that must be correctly answered in order to pass in an attempt to prepare students and teachers for the new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test, which will be implemented in the 2011-12 school year.

“In September we will know more about the test than we do now,” Torres said. “We’re struggling to prepare our teachers for a curriculum they have never taught before.”

In most categories, Lufkin ISD students performed at or above the state average, but Torres’ data showed a decline in science scores. Eighth-grade scores were five points below the state average, 10th-grade scores were six points below and 11th-grade scores were two points lower than the state average.

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