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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 1998)
1 ^98: S e ryh _ e Battalion tate Page 7 • Wednesday, September 2, 1998 rading the teacher Record number of Texans take SAT 1 percent of teacher prep courses in Texas fall below standards Miw Fuarts' ystems me 3Shman po a freshma wer Saturc; AUSTIN (AP) — Thirty-five SSleducator preparation pro ms in Texas did not meet te standards, which are >ed on the percentage of stu- itslwho pass teacher certifi- ion exams, according to first- ?r ratings of the programs aased Tuesday. “These ratings are the first of ir ki nd in the nation. Over time, ’re certain they will result in the redsed effectiveness of begin- g teachers,” said Jim Nelson, linnan of the State Board for Ed itor Certification. The board released the rat- ,s of universities, education vice centers and school dis- Tslthat prepare teachers to work in Texas public schools. Called the Accountability Sys tem for Educator Preparation, the rating system was autho rized in a 1995 overhaul of state education laws. The 50 programs meeting state standards received an “ac credited” rating. The 35 that did not are rated “accredited under review.” The programs that did not meet state standards have three years to do so or lose the au thority to recommend people for teaching certificates under the law, said Stephanie Korcheck, director of policy and planning for the certification board. To receive an “accredited” rat ing, programs must meet one of two minimum performance levels: — 70 percent of first-time cer tification test-takers must pass. This includes not only the total students, but the categories of male, female, black, Hispanic, white and other. — 80 percent of those taking the test for at least the second time must pass, both overall and in the demographic categories. If a program was rated “ac credited under review” due to the passing rate of a demo graphic group containing fewer than 10 students, the program may appeal the rating. Of the 35 listed as not meeting standards, 19 are eligible to appeal. AUSTIN [AP) — Texas students’ scores on the SAT college entrance exam were unchanged this year, although a record number of the 1998 high school graduating class took the test, according to figures released Tuesday. “It is encouraging that our scores remained stable despite the record increase in the number of students taking the exam,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Moses. According to Moses, testing ex perts say that test scores “typical ly go down when the number of students taking the test goes up.” The average Texas score on the verbal portion of the SAT was 494 this year, the same as last year. On the math section, the average Texas score remained at 501. Both were lower than the na tional average. Students nationally had an av erage math score of 512, up a point from last year, and an average ver bal score of 505, the same as in “/t is encouraging that our scores remain stable despite the record increase of students taking the exam" — Mike Moses Texas Education Commissioner 1997. But in Texas, 48 percent of the Class of ’98 took the SAT. That compares with about 43 percent nationally, according to the Texas Education Agency. A total of 100,417 students in Texas public and private schools took the test — 6,383 more than 1997 and the largest increase in 10 years. The College Board, which ad ministers the Scholastic Assessment Test, also reported that a record number of Texans took Advanced Placement exams, which allow high school students to earn college cred it if they receive a high score. A total of 44,093 Texas students took 74,192 AP exams this year, more than a 300 percent increase in student participation in the pro gram over the past 10 years, TEA said. The number of minority stu dents who took AP exams also in creased substantially. Caine wars flip ivitfi im, Cavitt Church of Christ 3200 Cavitt Ave. Bryan 822-4844 2 blocks south of Villa Maria vice proie take frien fetime. nation, s-dressesic ly, Eddie M .Iragon. d laid whai: iggest egg. it also cost: ■esembledr The screen: ;ention spar: uovie. creations oi a i screen savei mior joe^' Sunday AM Sunday PM Wednesday Bible Study Worship Worship Devotional/ Bible Study 9:00 a m. 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p. m. Services in Spanish at the same times REEF WORLD YOUR LOW PRICE STORE FOR SALTWATER FISH, LIVE ROCK, CORALS AND SUPPLIES V k 'vH ^ DAVID PETERS HYUNDAI SUBARU SOON TO BE rat' SUMMERALL m 1309 17,n-^IMPORT Sinc. Buy one fish, get second fish at 50% off Second fish must be of equal or lesser value. 900 4C Harvey Rd., Post Oak Village 695-0889 NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER OR SPECIAL. EXPIRES 10/1/98. Live Rock Supplies Saltwater Fish Coral Texas A&M University Rodeo Club if Come Join the Texas A&M Rodeo Club and Learn and Enjoy the Sport of Rodeo!!! o prior rodeo experience necessary!! Chance to learn all about rodeo activities! Chance to compete in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and Join the Texas A&M Rodeo Team!!! First Meeting Monday, September 7"' at 7:30pm in Kleberg room 117 Questions??? Call Jeff @ 693-1850 David @ 778-4937 Kirsten @ 821-6279 or e-mail: atmrodeo@stuorg.tamu.edu /Qo, — - Of/ " C;V 3-5-2 Soccer An, coV, *cS Suppliers of Soccer Equipment for the Brazos Valley. Back To School Sale! Store Hours Mon., Tues., Thurs., & Fri. 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Closed on Wednesday & Sunday 1405-B Harvey Road, College Station Across from the Post Oak Mall Entrance - Next to E-Z Mart Aggie Owned & Operated WITH THIS COUPON YOU’LL BE THE RECEIVER! Home of the'd 95 OIL CHANGE CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS asoline Engines Only • Any Make • Any Model Expires 9/30/98 INCLUDES: 4 Quarts Oil & 1 Oil Filter ffj 822-2446 “The Home of the FREE Commemorative Autographed NFL Football’ with purchase of vehicle IPffiS llPiiSS * » - . ®IS§i Ffte* RMHH Taking the DAT this October ? 2 reasons yOU should take The Princeton Review HOW 1 Four Full-length, Proctored Diags No one else gives you more opportunities to test your wits against the exam under realistic testing conditions. Current DAT Materials The Princeton Review's materials are based solely on DATs givemn the last year. Learn the DAT as it is now not as it was five years ago. Classes start- MveeKefld- CaU to**'. jmTHE PRINCETON REVIEW 409.696.9099 www.review.com The Princeton Review Is not associated with Ellie Rust Teller Donna Roberts New Accounts Representative Randy Ripple New Accounts Representative Staci Mansel Teller • FREE CHECKING • CHECKING AND SAVINGS OPTIONS • FOUR CONVENIENT BRANCH LOCATIONS • EIGHT ACCESSIBLE ATMs • FRIENDLY, EFFICIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE • LOCALLY OWNED, COMMUNITY BANK • GOVERNMENT GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS (Lender ID # 821359) The First National Bank is a preferred lender at Texas A&M (as published by the Financial Aid Office at Texas A&M) and Blinn Universities. Barbara Gossett Student Service Center Supervisor ST -I 862 i%7% r r*oiV7Vi. BRYAN/COLL.EGSE STATION Member FDIC/Equal Opportunity Lender The Oldest Bank in Texas Call us at (409) 779-1111 Or surf our site at fnb-bcs.com Howdy Dance The Class of‘99, ‘00, and ‘01 Welcome the new Freshmen lass of 2002 to Texas A&M. Come out and join the fun and dancing after All-U Night at Kyle Field. Go with your Fish Camp DG! L— i—u Ik M Wednesday, September 2, 1998 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Harry’s (across from Zachry, on South College) Questions? Call Dana Devlin at 845-1515