Page 4/The Battalion/Friday, December 6,1985 Some juniors say tesfs 'too easy' Results of exit test promising Associated Press Juniors across Texas who took a skills test they must eventually pass if they want a high school diploma ap parently fared better than predicted in the first try, with some of the stu dents saying the test was almost “too easy.” Although statewide totals are not expected to be released until Friday, and then only partial returns, an in formal survey of Texas school dis tricts Thursday showed 80 percent to 100 percent of juniors passing the test. The exam is designed to measure minimum competency in basic math ematics and English, and must be passed by all would-be 1987 grad uates. Dr. William Kirby, state education commissioner, had estimated that 75 percent would be a realistic number for students passing the exam on the first try. “I think it shows that students can do the work if they are motivated,” said Linus Wright, superintendent of the Dallas school district. The students topped the pre dicted passage rate, said Port Arthur school board president A1 Dugan, “simply because the teachers did their job — they took the bull by the horns.” Statewide the results of the Texas Educational Assessment of Mini mum Skills, or TEAMS test, were viewed as an important benchmark for measuring the quality of educa tion. The graduation test is part of the sweeping reforms approved by the Texas Legislature in 1984. Dallas saw about 80 percent of the students taking the test pass the math portion, and about 83 percent pass the language arts portion —bet ter than the two-thirds rate some school officials had predicted ear lier. In Highland Park, 100 percent Of the students ivho took the test passed both parts. Amarillo repoi ted a 92 pen ent on the language aits, and a 90 percent on math, in El Paso, 89 percent o( the juniors passed the math portion and 90 percent the language arts portion. In Port Arthur, 79 percent of the juniors taking the mathematics por tion of the test passed, and 80 per cent mastered the language arts sec tion. San Antonio reported that only one of eight school districts fell be low the predicted 75 percent. The state education board set 50 percent as the minimum passing grade for mathematics and 62.5 per cent for lanugage arts for 1985- 1986. Keith Cruse, director of the Texas Education Agency-administered tests, attributed liigher-than-ex- pected scores to school district's pre paration of students - < i am com ses ranging from distribution of sample tests to tutoring. But some administrators and sue dents said the high marks rairie be cause the test was too simple. "1 don't think it was anything that any 11th grade student couldn’t do. said Reggie Parmer, a Bay ( ity high school student, after taking the test in October. The test was given Oct. 1 and 2 to an estimated 200,01)0 llth-graders statewide. Juniors who failed can take the test again this spring and two more times their senior year if necessary to pass. Without it. they won't graduate from high school. Many administrators Said they took special steps to prepare their students for the test but that the re sults are even more valuable in find ing and helping students who need an extra boost to graduate. hy l&M w f ByJENS Senior l Ihtteigt CHEVY CHASE DAN AYKROYD VARNER BROS. rwm.A LANDIS/FOLSEY him An A.A.R.-BERNIE BRILLSTE1N-BRIAN GRAZER iwtion CHEVY CHASE • DAN AYKROYD • “SPIES LIKE US” STEVE FORREST • DONNA DIXON • BRUCE DAVISON BERNIE CASEY- WILLIAM PRINCE