Testing standards lowered?

TYLER - Texas is facing questions on standardized testing. Some education leaders say students are passing the TAKS tests without even getting half of the answers right.

Parents we talked with say teachers emphasize the TAKS test all year long, which determines whether students move to the next grade. But now some are saying the tests aren't strict enough.

The Houston Chronicle looked into standards from the Texas Education Agency and found the state lowered the passing level for the test more this year than the last two. In some cases, students can pass with fewer than half the questions right.  Some education leaders say this is an unusually low standard.

However, we talked to leaders of two East Texas school districts who say the tests are actually getting more difficult each year.  They say while the tests are graded differently, some parts are given more weight to make up for it.