PONTIAC — Pontiac Township High School did not meet federal requirements on standardized tests for a third consecutive year, but officials say they are working to fix the problem.

The district recently learned it failed to make adequate yearly progress — a federal standard defined by the No Child Left Behind Act — based on the Prairie State Achievement Examination taken last school year by juniors.

In order to make AYP, 70 percent of all students must meet or exceed standards in reading and math. At Pontiac, 58.9 percent of students meet the reading standard and 54 percent passed in math.

“We are pleased that we made increases on average of 8 percent, but we acknowledge that we have more work to do,” Principal Jon Kilgore said. “We will continue to look at interventions for students and improving our curriculum to better provide for them.”

This is the third year in a row that the high school has not made AYP, Kilgore said.

Kilgore said the school already is using new methods to help bring up scores, including providing tutoring, special classes and programs for students who may need academic intervention.

This is the first school year in which the school implemented a Plato learning lab, which uses computer software to help students who are struggling with certain subjects.

Assistant Principal Eric Bohm said a recent retreat at which school officials evaluated data revealed 40 students who may need an intervention for math.

“Obviously the test scores are not where we want them to be,” said Bohm said.