In an effort to help students who are retaking the End of Course (E.O.C.) and Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) to pass, tutoring sessions are being held on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:10 to 4:10 p.m.

“In order to pass the E.O.C retake, students will need to focus on (their) areas of weakness,” AP Biology teacher Timothy Maschal said.

EOC English teacher Joshua Ellis said that he has been able to work closely with the students who have been attending sessions.

“Two to six students are coming to tutoring each time,” he said.

The tutors are reaching students in a variety of ways.

“I often tutor one on one to help them (the students) with their personal needs,” Ellis said. “Each session has a group and individual element.”

One reason students might be struggling to pass it that state expectations increase yearly.

“Each year the passing grade for it (the E.O.C) increases,” Biology teacher Shalini Joshi said.

The school is providing transportation for students.

“A bus will run on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and students can board it behind the library,” Data Specialist Renee Cox said.

Joshi said that the tutoring is important.

“The sessions are crucial for providing students direction with their studying,” she said.  “They can revisit concepts and improve their ability to apply their understandings to test taking scenarios.”

EOC preparation isn’t something to slack off on, according to Maschal.

“Students must make EOC preparation a priority, otherwise the cycle of failure will continue,” he said.
Those retesting seem to be learning from the sessions.

“All the teachers will break every problem down and stay on one major problem to make sure you students will understand it the work,” a TAKS re-tester said.

For some, the tutoring boosts confidence.

“I feel like I did better than ever because I learned all the strategies,” the student said.

Passing the state test is a necessity.

The test re-taker said, “No matter what grade you are in, take your time and pass the test because if you don’t then your senior year will be stressful.”