About six out of seven students in 's class of 2014 passed the high school exit exam last year, the state's Department of Education announced today.
Every year, the state mandates that all 10th graders take the California High School Exit Examination, or CAHSEE, in order to receive their high school diplomas. Those who do not pass have multiple opportunities during their junior and senior years to retake the exam.
Throughout the state, some 83 percent of sophomores passed the English-language arts and math sections on their first time taking the test—a steady increase from last year, when the number of students passing the CAHSEE in the 10th grade was about 82 percent.
At Capuchino, students performed better than the state but below the average for the San Mateo Union High School District. Ninety percent of Cap's 10th graders passed the math half of the test, while 86 percent passed the ELA part. Districtwide, 91 percent of students passed the test.
Typically, those numbers increase when students hit their senior year, and that's what happened for those in the Class of 2012.
According to the state, 95 percent of students, or 424,480, in last year's graduating class passed the test by the end of their senior year—the sixth straight year that performance improved, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
Torlakson said there is still progress to be made.
“While I’m happy about the progress made by the Class of 2012, I still have concerns for the Class of 2013, the Class of 2014, and all the classes that will follow,” Torlakson said in a statement. “We have made solid improvement, but schools and districts are facing some unprecedented challenges right now. Overcrowded classrooms, shorter school years, and fewer teachers are in store for us unless we stop the cuts to education funding and begin restoring some of what has been cut in recent years.”
To see the rest of the CAHSEE results, visit the California Department of Education's website.
Get daily local breaking news with our daily newsletter | Like San Bruno Patch on Facebook | Blog for San Bruno Patch | Follow San Bruno Patch on Twitter
