| For immediate release August 24, 2011 |
Contact:
Larry Slonaker, SCCOE Phone: (408) 453-6662 |
Exit Exam 2011: Mixed results for county students
SAN JOSE, CA – An analysis of the 2010-11 California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) shows some encouraging signs that Santa Clara County students are closing the achievement gap, but also reveals that significant work remains to be done in all areas if gap is to be eliminated in the foreseeable future.
The analysis, by the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Assessment and Accountability Department, shows that Asian and white student subgroups continue to perform near the ceiling for both CAHSEE subject tests. In 2011, Asian 10th graders passed the CAHSEE English/Language Arts test at a rate of 94 percent, and the math test at 98 percent, the same scores as last year. Among white 10th graders, 95 percent passed both subject tests, up from 94 percent on both a year ago.
Between 2010 and 2011, Hispanic 10th-grade students increased their passing rate on the math test by three percentage points (from 72% to 75%) – the largest increase of any subgroup. As a result, the achievement gap between white and Hispanic students in that area went down two percentage points from last year, from 22 points to 20. However, the gap between white and African American students (whose scores were unchanged) grew by one percentage point, from 16 points to 17 points.
In English/Language Arts, while both the white and Hispanic student subgroups’ scores increased slightly, the gap between them of 22 points was unchanged from last year. And again, the gap between white and African American students grew, from 13 points to 16 points.
The results come on the heels of the results last week of the California Standards Tests, which saw much stronger results in closing the gap among the county’s elementary and middle school students.
Passing the two segments of the CAHSEE became a requirement, starting for the class of 2006, for students to be eligible to graduate with a high school diploma. They can take the exam for the first time in their sophomore year. If they fail either or both of the subject tests the first time, they have two opportunities in their junior year and up to five opportunities in their senior year to complete the requirement.
The most recent COE analysis documents the passing rate of 10th graders in the Class of 2013, comparing to 10th-graders statewide. The entire analysis can be seen at www.sccoe.org.
“Clearly, there is work to be done,” said Dr. Charles Weis, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools. “It’s encouraging to see progress being made, but we want to see it occur at a faster rate, and among all subgroups. The results tell us we need to look especially hard at how we can improve supporting African American students.”
Date last updated: August 24, 2011
