TAKS scores at DISD show noticeable improvements

There is some good news around Diboll I.S.D. campuses these days with the release of preliminary TAKS scores from the State of Texas.

Overall, the district showed significant improvements over a year ago, and in the vital third grade area, the staff and students have quite a bit to be proud of. Scores on that campus are up in the crucial reading area by 6 percent, while the math score soared in 2007 up some 15 percentage points, giving them an overall rating of 83 percent in that area.

Diboll High School found itself on the way up in the 9th grade areas, which is the final fundamental reading test they are required to take in high school. They also found themselves on the rise in the math testing.

Even with the good news, there are still a few areas that were down from a year ago and appear to need some retooling.

The high school saw some slight decreases in the 10th and 11th grade tests in the language arts area, however they saw a sweeping improvement in math, social studies and science areas on the 11th grade level.

The 10th grade level saw a decrease in the language arts and math area, with some smaller increases in the other testing areas.

Overall D.I.S.D. is on the rise district wide as they march ahead to do the test all over in 2008.

Here is how last years scores stack up against the 2007 test:

* 3rd Grade - Reading, 95 percent, up from 89 percent; Math, 83 percent, up from 68 percent.

* 4th Grade - Reading, 78 percent, up from 76 percent; Math, 83 percent, up from 74 percent; Writing, 87 percent, down from 93 percent.

* 5th Grade - Reading, 87 percent, up from 74 percent; Math, 85 percent, up from 84 percent; Science, 63 percent, down from 69 percent.

* 6th Grade - Reading, 89 percent, down from 95 percent; Math, 84 percent, down from 87 percent.

* 7th Grade - Reading, 88 percent, up from 84 percent; Math, 89 percent, up from 80 percent; Writing, 95 percent, up from 93 percent.

* 8th Grade - Reading, 89 percent, down from 92 percent; Math, 84 percent, up from 81 percent; Science, 75 percent, down from 81 percent; Social Studies, 92 percent, up from 88 percent.

* 9th Grade - Reading, 90 percent, up from 89 percent; Math 82 percent, up from 72 percent.

* 10th Grade - Language Arts, 85 percent, down from 88 percent; Math 60 percent, down from 62 percent; Social Studies, 90 percent, up from 85 percent; Science, 58 percent, up from 56 percent.

* 11th Grade - Language Arts, 91 percent, down from 95 percent; Math, 87 percent, up from 80 percent; Social Studies, 99 percent, up from 88 percent; Science, 84 percent, up from 75 percent.