It's a sign that can be seen from the highway posted on one of the walls at La Feria High School – “A great place to learn.”
But according to the Texas Education Agency, that statement is not necessarily true for students learning math, as the agency gave the school a rating of "Academically Unacceptable," in November.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Maria Vidaurri confirms that combined test scores of 9th, 10th, and 11th graders taking the TAKS test during the 2010-2011 school year, failed to meet the required 65 percent mark.
State law requires the school notify parents of the below average rating.
April Moo's niece attends the high school, and she said she’s not happy about the school's report card.
"Our money is going (to) them and we're paying them to teach our children, but they're not doing their job,” Moo said. “It's like (they get the money) and (return) the unfinished job."
District Operations Manager Ricardo Rivera said according to legislature approved in 1995, the Public Education Grant, when a district is rated as academically unacceptable, they must also notify parents that they have an option to move their children to another district, without having to relocate or pay tuition.
Rivera adds, the district could lose funds for students that move to another district.
“High school and school determines her outcome in life, you know about her going to school,” Moo said. “She's going to go to college and she's not, well, she's going to be like, ‘I don’t know anything.’"
Dr. Vidaurri said the school district has already hired a math coordinator to help address the issue, and together are working to provide more staff training, tutorials and review the math curriculum starting, at the elementary level.
She said the district missed the mark by just two percent of an “Academically Acceptable” rating, with an overall math score of 63 percent.
Vidaurri adds that teachers are doing their job preparing students, but the standard is moving faster than what students can adjust.
Still, Moo said the academic problems go further than what the district will admit.
"I have a family member that graduated from La Feria High School about two or three years ago, and they basically passed him without being able to read and write," Moo said.
Vidaurri said she does not know of any other similar claim about a graduate, and it’s an issue that would have to be carefully researched.
Regarding the rating, she said LFHS will have the “Academically Unacceptable” rating for the next two years, but is working on improving scores as of this year.
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