Skidmore-Tynan school students did an outstanding job on the state-mandated TAKS exam this past school year.

Preliminary unofficial results indicate that the district will repeat its “recognized” status because of the high marks students received on the Texas Assessment of Skills and Knowledge exam, Skidmore-Tynan ISD Superintendent Dr. Brett Belmarez reported.

The Texas Education Agency also will “recognize” the high school and junior high campuses. Skidmore-Tynan Elementary will receive the TEA’s highest rating of “exemplary,” Belmarez said.

The TEA ranks school districts and individual campuses annually as “needs improvement,” “academically acceptable,” “recognized” and “exemplary.”

The rankings are based on TAKS test scores, student attendance and dropout rates.

Ninety-seven percent of the students who took the reading portion of the test districtwide last year passed it, according to preliminary results.

Here’s how the schools and students fared on the reading portion of the TAKS exam:

•100 percent of Skidmore-Tynan students in grades six, eight, nine and 10 passed the reading TAKS test for 2009.

• 91 percent of third- graders, 95 percent of fourth-graders and 94 percent of fifth-grade students met passing standard for reading at the elementary level.

• Grades seven and 11 did equally well with 92 percent of seventh-graders and 98 percent of 11th-graders mastering the reading test.

The district passing rate for math was 85 percent.

“District math scores showed positive gains in most grade levels,” Belmarez reported.

At the elementary level, all grades showed positive gains with 89 percent of third-graders, 100 percent of fourth-graders and 94 percent of fifth-graders passing the test. S-T Junior High sixth-graders had 67 percent passing, while grades seven and eight showed improvement over last year’s scores with 82 percent passing at the seventh-grade level and 90 percent of eighth-graders mastering the 2009 test.

In addition:

• Two out of three high school grades tested showed improvement over last year’s math scores.

•67 percent of ninth- graders, 80 percent of 10th-graders and 95 percent of 11th-graders met math passing standards.

Science scores across the district were very strong.

The district passing rate for social studies was 98 percent, according to preliminary results.

Ninety-four percent of fifth-graders, 83 percent of eighth-graders, 77 percent of 10th-graders and 96 percent of 11th-grade students met the science passing standard, school officials reported.

Social studies remained strong with 100 percent passing in both 10th and 11th grades, while 94 percent of eighth-grade students met the passing standard.

A total of 98 percent of fourth- and seventh-graders mastered the writing test. The district passing rate for writing was 98 percent.

School officials are very proud of the effort put forth by STISD students and the school district family.

“The STISD community continues and improves its tradition of academic excellence,” Belmarez said.

Beeville ISD will release its preliminary TAKS test scores during its regular monthly board meeting on Tuesday, June 16.