AS REPORTED IN THE NACOGDOCHES DAILY SENTINEL:

School is already back in session at Nacogdoches ISD, and district administrators will be focusing on retention rates, student programs and strategic financial restructuring this year.

Since the 2006-07 school year, the number of students not graduating because they didn't pass one or more parts of the Exit Level TAKS dropped from 77 to 16 as of the 2009-10 school year. The district's goal for this year includes increasing the graduation rate by 9 percent or more, and decreasing the drop-out rate by at least 1 percent or more, said Marty Prince, NISD's public relations and community outreach coordinator.

NISD also has been working on programs for freshman retention, including an Intensive Summer Program and a Freshman Mentoring Program, both of which provide assistance to students for credit recovery and service learning opportunities.

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