Science scores up, but 25 percent still failing on first try

ATLANTA - Georgia high school juniors showed the highest-ever science scores on a state graduation test, but one in four still fail the first time they take it. <br> <br> About 75 percent of students taking the exam for the first time this spring passed the science section, up from 71 percent last year. The previous record was 74 percent in 1998, according to state Department of Education figures released today. <br> <br> Those who failed must retake that portion of the test, which also includes math and English. They have five chances to pass before the end of their senior year; otherwise, they will not get a diploma. <br> <br> State Schools Superintendent Linda Schrenko said the rising science scores may be caused by changes in the test. Science teachers for years have complained there were too many bad and ambiguous questions, driving scores down. Schrenko said the test has been tweaked to weed out errors. <br> <br> Science scores are likely to rise dramatically when the state switches to annual end-of-course tests rather than a single science test late in high school. Some of the questions on the graduation test cover material students may not have studied in three years. <br> <br> Math scores stayed the same as last year, with 93 percent passing the first time. English scores climbed slightly from last year, with 97 percent passing on their first try, up from 96 percent. <br> <br> Less than half of black students, 48 percent, passed the science part the first time. About 81 percent of white students passed it the first time. <br> <br> The lowest-performing group by far was students with limited English skills. Only 17 percent of students considered less than fluent in English passed the science part.