LAUSD Improves High School Exit Exam Scores

By City News Service

Los Angeles Unified School District 10th graders performed slightly better on the California High School Exit Exam than the previous year's class, with 78 percent passing the math portion and 77 percent passing the English section, according to test results released today.

The 2012-13 scores were an improvement over the previous 10th grade class, which had a 77 percent pass rate for the math portion and 76 percent for English, according to the California Department of Education.

LAUSD officials said 69 percent of 10th graders who took the test passed both portions of the exam, the district's highest rate ever.

"The district has been making excellent progress in preparing our 10th grade students to succeed on the CAHSEE exam and continue the path toward graduation," Superintendent John Deasy said.

Across Los Angeles County, 83 percent of 10th graders passed the math portion of the test -- up from 82 percent last year -- while 82 percent passed the English section, up from 81 percent last year.

Statewide, 84 percent of 10th graders passed the math portion, while 83 percent passed English -- the same as the previous year's 10th graders.

According to the CDE, 95.5 percent of students in the class of 2013 across the state passed the overall exam, a slight uptick from the previous year. This year's pass rate was the highest it has been since the test was made a graduation requirement.

"Despite the very real challenges of deep budget cuts and the ongoing effort to shift to new, more demanding academic standards, our schools persevered and students made progress," according to Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction. "These results should give us confidence as we start the new school year, and our efforts to make college- and career- readiness a goal for every student move into high gear."

All students in California must take the exit exam during their sophomore year. They have two more opportunities to pass it in the 11th grade and up to five chances as seniors.

The class of 2006 was the first graduating class in California that was required to meet the exit exam requirement.