The California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) results for this year’s graduating class of 2010 show that 94.5 percent of students who were tested passed the test within a three-year period.
The CAHSEE is a statewide public high school graduation requirement that was implemented for the 2006 graduating class, which tests students on English and Mathematics.
“I am pleased that the latest exit exam results show that more of our students are mastering the mathematics and English-language arts skills measured by this exam,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell said. “Passing the exit exam is a high school graduation requirement, because students need these important basic skills to be successful in college, the workforce, and in life.”
According to the results 80.6 percent of the 2012 graduating class has already passed the English-language arts portion, compared to 79.2 percent of 10th graders in the Class of 2011. In mathematics, 80.7 percent of the first-time takers in the 2012 graduating class passed, this is a 0.9 percent increase compared to the class of 2011.
However, only 69.2 percent of the graduating class of 2010 passed the exam in their sophomore year in high school. About 82.9 percent passed by the time they reached their junior year and 94.5 percent passed the exam by their senior year. Although 419,615 students passed the exam, there are approximately 24,615 students who have not yet met the requirement.
Overall, there has been a 4.1 percent increase from the 2006 to the 2010 graduating class who passed the exam by the end of their senior year.
Even though students are doing much better than in previous years, the achievement gap between minority and White students continues. However, the gap is decreasing.
By the end of their senior year, the cumulative passing rate for African American students was 89.7 percent and 91.6 percent for Hispanic or Latino students compared to 98.1 percent for Whites.
When comparing first-time test takers in the Class of 2006 to the first-time test takers in Class of 2012, the achievement gap between Hispanic or Latino and White students has decreased by 8.6 percent in the English-language arts portion and by 8.9 percent in mathematics. The achievement gap between African American and White students has decreased by 5.9 percent on the English-language arts portion and by 8.1 percent in mathematics.
There is a 21.9 percent gap in the English portion of the test between White and Black students and a 27.5 percent gap in math.
