Local schools received their "report cards" last week when the Texas Education Agency released the school ratings for 2006.

Schools and school districts receive one of four ratings based on TAKS scores, dropout rates and completion rates. Exemplary is the highest rating followed by recognized, acceptable and unacceptable.

Falls City remains the highest rated district in Karnes County. This year Falls City Elementary school improved from a recognized rating to an exemplary rating – the only exemplary school in Karnes County. Only 7 percent of Texas schools earned an exemplary rating this year. The district as a whole and Falls City High School remain rated recognized as they were last year. Of all the schools in Texas, 35.5 percent earned a recognized rating this year.

Karnes City ISD’s rating as a district fell from recognized to acceptable this year but the rating for Roger E. Sides Elementary School improved from acceptable to recognized. Karnes City Junior High and Karnes City High School remain rated acceptable as they were last year. TEA sources say that 44.8 percent of all Texas schools earned an acceptable rating this year.

Kenedy High School’s rating has dropped from acceptable to unacceptable – the state’s lowest rating – this year. Only 4 percent of all the schools in Texas were rated as unacceptable. The district as a whole remains rated acceptable as well as the elementary and middle school. The Countywide tried to reach Kenedy Superintendent Richard Irizarry for comment on Tuesday but phone calls were not immediately returned.

Runge Elementary School’s rating has fallen from recognized to acceptable this year. The district as a whole and the high school remain rated acceptable as they were in 2005.

Statewide, Texas schools fared better in 2006 than they did in 2005 showing marked improvement in TAKS scores, lower dropout rates and better completion rates. The number of districts and campuses achieving an exemplary or recognized rating increased dramatically in 2006.

This year, 3,380 schools earned an exemplary or recognized rating compared to 2,213 campuses that earned one of these top two ratings in 2005.