Half of Lake County's 16 public school districts exceeded the state average in the money spent remediating students who failed to pass ISTEP-Plus standardized tests in 2006, a Times computer analysis shows.

And of the 23 public school districts in Lake and Porter counties, the Gary Community School Corp. topped the list in 2006, spending $21 per student requiring remediation after failing the tests, Indiana Department of Education records show. The state average for remediation is $9 per student.

More recent statistics for state remediation are not available.

ISTEP-Plus is the test students take in third through 10th grades to determine if they are meeting basic standards in math, English and science.

As sophomores, the test also determines if students graduate from high school.

In general, the higher the amount of state money spent for remediating students, the more students in those districts who are struggling to pass the tests, state officials said.

When students perform better on ISTEP-Plus, the district receives less remediation money, said Lanelle Miller, a state education department spokeswoman.

Gary school officials did not return phone calls earlier this week seeking comment on the matter.

Merrillville Superintendent Tony Lux said his district received about $11 per student requiring remediation -- totaling about $100,000 in 2006.

"We use part of that money to help students pass the GQE (Graduation Qualifying Exam) and the rest of it for ISTEP remediation for other grade levels," Lux said, adding the school offers remediation classes throughout the course of the school year for sophomores.

Last year, Merrillville offered summer school only to students who required ISTEP remediation. It supplemented the ISTEP remediation classes with money from its general fund budget to meet the needs of all students.

Meanwhile, none of Porter County's school districts exceeded the state average for ISTEP remediation dollars.