Monday's Internet Edition, October 06, 2008.
TAKS scores up, above state levels
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News editor - The Copperas Cove Independent School District Board had a public hearing on the preliminary Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) report for the 2003-04 school year during a regular school board meeting Tuesday evening.
The report showed a comparison of last year’s scored and current year’s scores.
The refined scores are expected to be available later this summer.
This year, all grade levels had to meet SEM (standard error of measurement) 1 except for the eleventh grade, which had to meet SEM 2.
Next year, all grade levels will have to meet SEM 1.
Overall, CCISD students were able to exceed the panel recommendations in most areas of the test.
For elementary students, panel recommendations had third graders passing the math portion by 80 percent. If the third graders had been held to the SEM 1 guidelines last year, only 90 percent would have passed. This year, 93 percent passed the test.
Copperas Cove High School showed the biggest improvement in the mathematics portion of the test.
Panel recommendations had eleventh graders at 37 percent of the students passing. Last year, 71 percent passed; however, this year, 84 percent of the students who took the math portion of the test passed.
The state scores averaged 85 percent of 11th-graders passing the same math test.
Assistant Superintendent Gail Milligan told board members that although the numbers weren’t final yet, she expected them to list CCISD as a recognized school district.
“We did really well,” Milligan said. “We raised the bar for our students, and they are rising to the occasion to meet those goals.”
In other action during the meeting, the board approved a 2003-04 budget amendment that will allow for the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) on the bids for repairing C.R. Clements Intermediate School to be raised.
The GMP was $564,990.09. The requested budget amendment to fund the repairs will be $564,990.09.
The extra amount was added to allow for any incidental expenses that are required by the district but not included in the GMP.
The board also approved $48,000 for impact aide travel. Every year, board members and administrative staff travel outside the state to attend meetings that affect impact aide for CCISD.
They will attend meetings in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas, NV. throughout the year.
An application for the 2004-05 career and technology education grant was approved by the board during the meeting.
This application will allow for the district to receive $78,455 in the 2004-05 school year.
During the recognition portion of the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Glen Acker and Board President Joan Manning delivered plaques to nine CCISD retirees for their dedication to the school district.
Those who retired at the end of the year are Hubert Dail Ables, who had 10 years with CCISD; Cora Downard, 14 years at CCISD; Diane Draper, 26 years with CCISD; Shelia Franklin 22 years with CCISD; Rebecca Heard, 5 years with CCISD; Charlda “Lynn” Mathews, 6 years with CCISD; Margit Springer, 22 years with CCISD; Veronica Starns, 19 years with CCISD and Frances Williams, 23 years with CCISD.
Also recognized during the meeting was target teacher Roy Lake for his assistance in performing the Heimlich Maneuver. Lake was at Copperas Cove Junior High School when a student started choking on food. After another student tried to perform the maneuver, Lake stepped in to correctly dislodge the stuck object.
“We know that the students parents are very glad that you were there to save the life of their son,” Dr. Rose Cameron, Deputy Superintendent said. “We thank you for your quick response in saving a life.”
Cameron also recognized Lenann Welter for her help with the Agile Mind support group and Barbara Maples for her assistance in the Loss Prevention Grant.
The $3,000 grant will allow for the purchase of security cameras as well as other various loss prevention items.
Marva Lynn and Mollie Bersch of Halstead Elementary were named Elementary Teacher and Paraprofessional of the year during the recognition portion of the meeting.
Both employees will have the winning applications for the title forwarded to the state level to compete for the State teacher and paraprofessional of the year award.