Release: #06-44
May 4, 2006

Contact: Hilary McLean
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

Nearly 7,000 More Students in Class of 2006 Have Passed the Test

SAN JOSE — Joining the principal and several students at Willow Glen High School in San Jose, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today provided an update on the number of students in the graduating Class of 2006 who have passed the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

"I am pleased to report that nearly 7,000 more students in the Class of 2006 have now passed the California High School Exit Exam," O'Connell said. "While I remain seriously concerned about students who have not yet passed the exam, I am pleased that students who face the most challenges are making steady progress. I am proud of the students who have worked hard to master the essential skills measured by the CAHSEE. When they receive their diplomas this spring, we can be confident that they are prepared with basic English and math skills that will help them succeed in life."

Researchers for the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), an independent evaluator of the CAHSEE, analyzed the results of the February administration of the test. Because California has not yet implemented a student identifier system, the findings are estimates based on test-result data.

HumRRO found that with the February administration of the test, the number of students in the Class of 2006 who passed during their senior year increased by 6,931, from 19,933 to 26,864. (Please see Table 1)

Among the number of students who passed in February, 1,014 are African American and 3,191 are English-language learners.

"It was hard to pass the CAHSEE, but I want to go to college and become an elementary school teacher," said Nattaly Martinez, a senior at Willow Glen High School. "Taking the CAHSEE was a challenge while I was still learning to read and write English. I appreciate the extra help I got from my teachers and my school."

Because HumRRO identified 5,774 students in the Class of 2006 who had not yet taken the CAHSEE during their senior year but took it in February for the first time, the estimated size of the Class of 2006 increased and the estimated number of students who still need to pass dropped from 47,925 to 46,768. As a result, there was only a small change in the percentage of students in the Class of 2006 who had passed both the math and English portions of the test since the fall administration — from 88.8 percent to 89.3 percent. While it is not known exactly why these students had not taken the exam before, possible reasons include: the students were absent on previous test administration dates, these students recently moved to the state, or they repeated part of their junior year and were recently reclassified as seniors.

HumRRO estimates that 46,768 students in the Class of 2006, or about 10.7 percent of the remaining students who must pass the exam, along with meeting other graduation requirements, have yet to pass both the mathematics and the English-language arts portions of the exam. (Please see Table 2)

Those students had an opportunity to take the test in March, or will take the test again later this month. Students who sat for the March exam will receive their individual results in May, but statewide results from the March administration of the exam will not be available until June.

"We must keep focused and provide every option for students who are still struggling to master the English-language arts and math skills measured by the exit exam," O'Connell said. "It's never been more important that our students acquire these skills. If our high school graduates are to survive, let alone thrive in this increasingly competitive global economy, they must possess those fundamental skills in English and math."

O'Connell has proposed a package of legislation to expand options for students who have not yet passed the exit exam. The bills would provide additional summer and Saturday administrations of the exam, extra funding for intensive remediation programs, independent study programs, and adult school programs for students still struggling to pass the CAHSEE.

In 1999, then-Senator O'Connell wrote the law establishing a high school exit exam to ensure that every student had basic skills and knowledge necessary for meaningful work or college and to raise expectations and results for California schools. Research conducted by HumRRO over the past six years indicates that the CAHSEE is working as intended and has led to a major focus on intensive programs to prepare students with critical fundamental skills in English and math.

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Attachments

Table 1: Total Passing In Each Administration of CAHSEE

Subgroup	Grade 10	Grade 11	Fall 2005 Administration	February 2006 Administration	Total Passed
All Students	295,226	67,810	19,933	6,931	389,900
Females	150,818	32,268	9,475	3,444	196,005
Males	144,356	35,430	10,401	3,481	193,668
Asian	34,709	4,583	1,383	515	41,190
Hispanic	92,362	33,249	10,292	4,653	140,556
African American	16,891	6,893	2,236	1,014	27,034
White, Non-Hispanic	133,650	18,921	4,786	537	157,894
Economically Disadvantaged	88,918	32,524	9,702	4,573	135,717
English Learner	24,783	17,032	5,996	3,191	51,002
Special Education	7,993	6,675	--	--	14,668

Table 2: Estimated Number and Percentage of Students in the Class of
2006 Passing Both ELA and Math CAHSEE Sections through February 2006

Group	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Not Yet	Total	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Total Passed
All Students	295,226	67,810	26,864	46,768	436,668	67.6%	15.5%	6.2%	89.3%
Females	150,818	32,268	12,919	22,500	218,505	69.0%	14.8%	5.9%	89.7%
Males	144,356	35,430	13,882	24,335	218,003	66.2%	16.3%	6.4%	88.8%
Asian	34,709	4,583	1,898	2,374	43,564	79.7%	10.5%	4.4%	94.6%
Hispanic	92,362	33,249	14,945	29,899	170,455	54.2%	19.5%	8.8%	82.5%
African American	16,891	6,893	3,250	6,298	33,332	50.7%	20.7%	9.8%	81.1%
White, Non-Hispanic	133,650	18,921	5,323	5,712	163,606	81.7%	11.6%	3.3%	96.5%
Economically Disadvantaged	88,918	32,524	14,275	28,359	164,076	54.2%	19.8%	8.7%	82.7%
English Learner	24,783	17,032	9,187	20,629	71,631	34.6%	23.8%	12.8%	71.2%

Table 3: Estimated Number and Percentage of Students in the Class
of 2006 Passing the CAHSEE ELA Section through February 2006

Group	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Not Yet	Total	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Total Passed
All Students	334,712	50,514	21,609	29,833	436,668	76.7%	11.6%	4.9%	93.2%
Females	173,969	22,404	9,578	12,554	218,505	79.6%	10.3%	4.4%	94.3%
Males	160,733	27,953	11,978	17,339	218,003	73.7%	12.8%	5.5%	92.0%
Asian	35,817	4,026	1,744	1,977	43,564	82.2%	9.2%	4.0%	95.5%
Hispanic	112,719	25,359	12,268	20,109	170,455	66.1%	14.9%	7.2%	88.2%
African American	22,409	5,006	2,682	3,235	33,332	67.2%	15.0%	8.0%	90.3%
White, Non-Hispanic	144,083	12,777	3,759	2,987	163,606	88.1%	7.8%	2.3%	98.2%
Economically Disadvantaged	108,305	24,657	11,883	19,231	164,076	66.0%	15.0%	7.2%	88.3%
English Learner	31,817	15,142	8,389	16,283	71,631	44.4%	21.1%	11.7%	77.3%

Table 4: Estimated Number and Percentage of Students in the Class
of 2006 Passing the CAHSEE Mathematics Section through February 2006

Group	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Not Yet	Total	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12	Total Passed
All Students	329,661	52,007	21,294	33,706	436,668	75.5%	11.9%	4.9%	92.3%
Females	163,630	26,886	10,681	17,308	218,505	74.9%	12.3%	4.9%	92.1%
Males	165,647	25,330	10,554	16,472	218,003	76.0%	11.6%	4.8%	92.4%
Asian	38,542	2,938	1,088	996	43,564	88.5%	6.7%	2.5%	97.7%
Hispanic	111,588	25,879	11,909	21,079	170,455	65.5%	15.2%	7.0%	87.6%
African American	19,352	5,799	2,813	5,368	33,332	58.1%	17.4%	8.4%	83.9%
White, Non-Hispanic	140,771	14,176	4,247	4,412	163,606	86.0%	8.7%	2.6%	97.3%
Economically Disadvantaged	109,237	24,274	10,874	19,691	164,076	66.6%	14.8%	6.6%	88.0%
English Learner	39,855	12,639	6,650	12,487	71,631	55.6%	17.6%	9.3%	82.6%