Skip to content
California Department of Education News Release
Release: #06-82
July 21, 2006
Contact: Hilary McLean
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Latest Exit Exam Results

Nearly 91 Percent of Class of 2006 Has Met CAHSEE Requirement

WEST HOLLYWOOD/SAN JOSE — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced the results of the May Administration of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

Results show that an estimated 90.8 percent of students in the Class of 2006 have passed both the English-language arts and the mathematics portions of the CAHSEE, including an additional 1,759 students who passed the May administration of the exam.

"While I will not be satisfied until all California students are successful in gaining the skills measured by the exit exam, I am pleased that the achievement gap is narrowing," O’Connell said. "It is clear that all students are working hard to gain the critical skills necessary for a diploma and for survival in today’s global economy. I credit the exit exam for focusing both students and schools on meeting this challenge. We need to sustain this effort until the achievement gap is erased completely."

Eighty-five percent of Hispanic students in the Class of 2006 have passed the test, with 19.7 percent passing during the junior year and nearly 11 percent passing in their senior year. By comparison, 11.5 percent of white students passed as juniors and 4.1 percent of white students passed as seniors. Eighty-three percent of African American students have passed the test, with 20.6 percent passing as juniors and 12 percent passing as seniors.

The percentage of English language learners passing the test has increased by 24.3 percent during the junior year, and nearly 17 points during the senior year, for a total of 76.6 percent passing the CAHSEE. Economically disadvantaged students in the Class of 2006 have also shown tremendous progress, with 20.1 percent passing during the junior year and 10.8 percent passing the test as seniors, for an 85.7 percent total passing rate.

An estimated 40,173 students in the Class of 2006, or approximately 9 percent, have not yet met the CAHSEE requirement.

"I urge these students to continue to work in summer school, take a fifth year of high school, or study in adult school or community college to acquire those important skills in English and math," O’Connell said. "This exam benefits students who are still struggling by focusing them on areas they need to strengthen so they can have more successful futures."

Students who have not yet passed one or both portions of the exit exam can continue to take the exam until they pass. O’Connell sponsored extra funding in the budget for intensive remediation programs, independent study programs, and adult school programs for students still struggling to pass the exam.

"I am proud of our students, particularly those who struggle to pass but keep studying until they do. And I am proud of our schools for doing what it takes to help every student succeed," O’Connell concluded.

# # # #

Attachment
Table 1
Estimated Total Meeting the CAHSEE Requirement in Each
Administration of CAHSEE through May 2006

Subgroup

Grade 10

Grade 11

Fall 2005 Administration

February 2006 Administration

March 2006 Administration

May 2006 Administration

Total Passed

All Students

295,226

67,810

19,933

6,931

4,542

1,759

396,201

Females

150,818

32,268

9,475

3,444

2,579

1,031

199,615

Males

144,356

35,430

10,401

3,481

1,961

762

196,391

Asian

34,709

4,583

1,383

515

253

223

41,666

Hispanic

92,362

33,249

10,292

4,653

2,833

328

143,717

African American

16,891

6,893

2,236

1,014

706

77

27,817

White, Non-Hispanic

133,650

18,921

4,786

537

550

851

159,295

Economically Disadvantaged

88,918

32,524

9,702

4,573

2,847

323

138,887

English Learner

24,783

17,032

5,996

3,191

1,920

666

53,588

Special Education

7,993

6,675

--

--

--

--

14,668

Table 2
Estimated Number and Percentage of Students in the Class of 2006
Meeting the CAHSEE Requirement through May 2006

Group

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Not Yet Passed

Estimated Enrollment

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Total Passed

Change Gd. 10-12

All Students

295,226

67,810

33,165

40,173

436,374

67.7%

15.5%

7.6%

90.8%

23.1%

Females

150,818

32,268

16,529

19,024

218,639

69.0%

14.8%

7.6%

91.3%

22.3%

Males

144,356

35,430

16,605

21,099

217,490

66.4%

16.3%

7.6%

90.3%

23.9%

Asian

34,709

4,583

2,374

2,145

43,811

79.2%

10.5%

5.4%

95.1%

15.9%

Hispanic

92,362

33,249

18,106

25,046

168,763

54.7%

19.7%

10.7%

85.2%

30.5%

African American

16,891

6,893

4,033

5,600

33,417

50.5%

20.6%

12.1%

83.2%

32.7%

White, non-Hispanic

133,650

18,921

6,724

5,113

164,408

81.3%

11.5%

4.1%

96.9%

15.6%

Economically Disadvantaged

88,918

32,524

17,445

23,117

162,004

54.9%

20.1%

10.8%

85.7%

30.8%

English Learner

24,783

17,032

11,773

16,411

69,999

35.4%

24.3%

16.8%

76.6%

41.2%

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

Group

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Not Yet Passed

Estimated Enrollment

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Total Passed

Change Gd. 10-12

All Students

334,712

48,554

25,539

27,569

436,374

76.7%

11.1%

5.9%

93.7%

17.0%

Females

173,969

21,322

11,609

11,739

218,639

79.6%

9.8%

5.3%

94.6%

15.0%

Males

160,733

27,036

13,899

15,822

217,490

73.9%

12.4%

6.4%

92.7%

18.8%

Asian

35,817

3,987

2,175

1,832

43,811

81.8%

9.1%

5.0%

95.8%

14.0%

Hispanic

112,719

24,263

13,968

17,813

168,763

66.8%

14.4%

8.3%

89.4%

22.6%

African American

22,409

4,672

2,824

3,512

33,417

67.1%

14.0%

8.5%

89.5%

22.4%

White, non-Hispanic

144,083

12,357

5,073

2,895

164,408

87.6%

7.5%

3.1%

98.2%

10.6%

Economically Disadvantaged

108,305

23,510

13,648

16,541

162,004

66.9%

14.5%

8.4%

89.8%

22.9%

English Learner

31,817

14,757

10,149

13,276

69,999

45.5%

21.1%

14.5%

81.0%

35.5%

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

Group

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Not Yet Passed

Estimated Enrollment

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Total Passed

Change Gd. 10-12

All Students

329,661

50,131

26,675

29,907

436,374

75.5%

11.5%

6.1%

93.1%

17.6%

Females

163,630

26,265

13,957

14,787

218,639

74.8%

12.0%

6.4%

93.2%

18.4%

Males

165,647

24,066

12,687

15,090

217,490

76.2%

11.1%

5.8%

93.1%

16.9%

Asian

38,542

2,792

1,334

1,143

43,811

88.0%

6.4%

3.0%

97.4%

9.4%

Hispanic

111,588

24,690

14,317

18,168

168,763

66.1%

14.6%

8.5%

89.2%

23.1%

African American

19,352

5,653

3,593

4,819

33,417

57.9%

16.9%

10.8%

85.6%

27.7%

White, non-Hispanic

140,771

13,870

5,765

4,002

164,408

85.6%

8.4%

3.5%

97.6%

12.0%

Economically Disadvantaged

109,237

23,091

13,254

16,422

162,004

67.4%

14.3%

8.2%

89.9%

22.5%

English Learner

39,855

11,689

8,100

10,355

69,999

56.9%

16.7%

11.6%

85.2%

28.3%

# # # #


Jack O'Connell — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Download Free Readers