IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) – The 2011-2012 school year is about a week away. But how prepared are schools and teachers, when it comes to providing an adequate education for your children?

This is the year of transition for students, when each will face a more rigorous school day.

On Monday, Irving Independent School District teachers and campus leaders attended a special “Back to Work” meeting.

Irving endured the elimination of 150 classroom teachers, because of state funding reductions.

As a result, teachers will see a slight hike in the number of children in her classroom.

Area school districts are adding career “Academy” programs at the high school level, and increasing pre-K education to full-day service for four- and five-year-olds.

But the biggest change awaiting neighborhood schools: hitting a higher mark for the same grade.

While students will be required to know more to earn higher scores on state exams, educators say there are other areas to focus on as well.

“There’s more to a school than testing. We need to make sure all year, we teach children how to critically think and problem solve and move in the direction to always get better,” explained Irving ISD Superintendent Dana Bedden.

Students in Irving begin school on Wednesday, August 24.