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Majority of local sophomores pass exit exam
By Cameron Macdonald - Citizen Staff Writer
The state released data last month that found that most sophomores within the Elk Grove Unified School District passed the high school exit exam during the past school year.
All public high school students in California must pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as one of their graduation requirements.
The exam focuses on basic, high school-level math and English skills. Students first take the test when they are sophomores. If they fail, they have five more chances to pass the test until they are seniors.
Around 76 percent of the district’s sophomores reportedly passed the CAHSEE during the first time they took it.
“This marks the district’s highest percentage of CAHSEE completion ever after only one testing cycle,” said Christina Penna, the district’s associate superintendent of secondary education.
Penna mentioned that 94 percent of the last school year’s seniors had passed the test as of last May. She noted that this passing rate is a little lower than the previous year since students with learning disabilities were required to take the exam during the 2007-08 school year.
The California Department of Education reported that around 85 percent of Elk Grove Unified’s 3,800-plus sophomores passed the math portion and 84 percent passed the English section.
Around 78 percent of sophomores statewide reportedly achieved that same success.
Of Elk Grove’s comprehensive high schools, Franklin and Pleasant Grove had the highest amounts of sophomores passing the exit exam. For Franklin, 93 percent of their sophomores passed the math portion and 92 percent of them passed the English segment.
As for Pleasant Grove, 94 percent passed the math section and 93 percent passed the English portion.
In contrast, Valley High had the lowest passing rate of the comprehensive schools where 69 percent of their sophomores passed the English section and 75 percent passed the math portion.
Districtwide, the percentage of boys and girls passing the math portion were in the high eighties, but fewer boys than girls reportedly passed English section – numbering 80 percent.
An ethnic achievement gap was also reported where more white, Asian and Filipino sophomores passed the CAHSEE than blacks and Latinos. A similar situation also occurred statewide, according to state results.
In Elk Grove Unified, around 93 percent of whites and Filipinos passed both of the English and math portions. A similar number of Asians passed the math section while 87 percent of them passed the English section.
On the other side of the achievement gap, around 72 percent of blacks passed both sections, while 79 percent of Latinos passed the math portion and 75 percent passed the English portion.
As for this year’s seniors, 42 percent of them who still had to complete the CAHSEE requirement passed both of the exam’s portions last year.
Penna said that the district offers CAHSEE support classes to students who still need to pass the exam during their regular school days or summer school.
All public high school students in California must pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as one of their graduation requirements.
The exam focuses on basic, high school-level math and English skills. Students first take the test when they are sophomores. If they fail, they have five more chances to pass the test until they are seniors.
Around 76 percent of the district’s sophomores reportedly passed the CAHSEE during the first time they took it.
“This marks the district’s highest percentage of CAHSEE completion ever after only one testing cycle,” said Christina Penna, the district’s associate superintendent of secondary education.
Penna mentioned that 94 percent of the last school year’s seniors had passed the test as of last May. She noted that this passing rate is a little lower than the previous year since students with learning disabilities were required to take the exam during the 2007-08 school year.
The California Department of Education reported that around 85 percent of Elk Grove Unified’s 3,800-plus sophomores passed the math portion and 84 percent passed the English section.
Around 78 percent of sophomores statewide reportedly achieved that same success.
Of Elk Grove’s comprehensive high schools, Franklin and Pleasant Grove had the highest amounts of sophomores passing the exit exam. For Franklin, 93 percent of their sophomores passed the math portion and 92 percent of them passed the English segment.
As for Pleasant Grove, 94 percent passed the math section and 93 percent passed the English portion.
In contrast, Valley High had the lowest passing rate of the comprehensive schools where 69 percent of their sophomores passed the English section and 75 percent passed the math portion.
Districtwide, the percentage of boys and girls passing the math portion were in the high eighties, but fewer boys than girls reportedly passed English section – numbering 80 percent.
An ethnic achievement gap was also reported where more white, Asian and Filipino sophomores passed the CAHSEE than blacks and Latinos. A similar situation also occurred statewide, according to state results.
In Elk Grove Unified, around 93 percent of whites and Filipinos passed both of the English and math portions. A similar number of Asians passed the math section while 87 percent of them passed the English section.
On the other side of the achievement gap, around 72 percent of blacks passed both sections, while 79 percent of Latinos passed the math portion and 75 percent passed the English portion.
As for this year’s seniors, 42 percent of them who still had to complete the CAHSEE requirement passed both of the exam’s portions last year.
Penna said that the district offers CAHSEE support classes to students who still need to pass the exam during their regular school days or summer school.
