According to the Texas Education Agency, almost half of all Texas schools failed federal standards this past school year, including several schools in the big country.

The superintendents KTXS spoke with Thursday agree, the federal standards continue to get tougher, making it hard for teachers and students to keep up.

The Texas Education Agency reports 4,080 Texas schools did not meet the adequate yearly progress standards.

When broken down by district, the figures are even more alarming.

Only 339 public schools in the state met the AYP standards, compared to the 71 percent that did not.

Superintendent Dr. Reece Blincoe from Brownwood I.S.D. and Communications Director, Phil Ashby, with Abilene I.S.D., said the standards are too rigorous.

"This law was written ten years ago; the people in the federal government know it needs to be revised, but we're not making excuses up," said Blincoe.

Ashby said for consecutive years Abilene I.S.D. has not met AYP standards, however some of their individual campuses have.

Eighty-three percent of students had to pass the state mathematics test, and 87 percent of students had to pass the state English/Language Arts test to meet AYP standards last school year.

Early I.S.D. is one of the schools that did meet federal standards.

"Our standards are already really high, and most of our children, more than 90 percent have passed," said Sherry Clark, Early Assistant Superintendent.

Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," by 2014 passing rates must rise to 100 percent of students on the mathematics and reading tests to meet federal standards.

When schools do not meet standards they are categorized into stages one through five; five being the worst.

Abilene I.S.D. is currently in stage three, meaning they must submit a plan to be approved by the state each year.

Brownwood I.S.D. is in stage one, which means the state will only monitor the school.

Coleman and Santa Anna also did not meet the standards.

The higher stages also mean the government may tell schools where to spend their money.

Bangs and Early were of those that did meet federal standards.