The percent of SBHS sophomores who passed the high school exit
exam in 2006-07 dropped slightly from previous years, but the
percentage remained similar to statewide averages.
Hollister – The percent of sophomores who passed the high school exit exam in 2006-07 dropped slightly from previous years, but the percentage remained similar to statewide averages.
The exit exam is a requirement for public high school graduation in California. Students must take both a multiple choice mathematics test and an English test their sophomore year – and can continue taking it until they pass both exams – to receive a diploma.
San Benito County high schools remain fairly consistent with statewide averages, although this year marked a drop in the number of sophomores passing the mathematics section of the exam.
At Anzar High School, fewer sophomores passed the exam than in previous years, but the percent of students passing still remained well above the state average.
San Benito High School District administrators say they are most concerned by continuing disparities between the percent of Hispanic and low-income students passing the exam compared with other subgroups.
At San Benito High School, the number of sophomores who pass the exam has remained fairly consistent with state averages. In 2006-07, the high school outperformed the state in the English exam, but lagged in the math exam.
Superintendent Stan Rose said Thursday he had not had time to sort through the compiled data from the exam results. But he said he would be looking at it in the coming days to examine how the school had done overall.
“We always look to see what our pass rates are for our sophomores,” Rose said. “We need to sift through the results and find what is working and what might be more helpful.”
At the high school, 81 percent of tenth-graders – the class of 2009 – passed the English and language arts test, compared with the statewide average of 77 percent. This marks an improvement from previous years.
In both 2005-06 and 2004-05, 77 percent of SBHS sophomores passed the English section of the exit exam.
There were less encouraging results on the math exam – 72 percent of the high school’s sophomores passed the math exam compared with the statewide average of 76 percent.
Seventy-five percent of the class of 2008 passed the mathematics exam their sophomore year in 2005-06, and 72 percent of the class or 2007 passed it their sophomore year in 2004-05.
Superior passing rates for sophomores in English were consistent across the high school’s subgroups. Hispanic and low-income, disadvantaged populations continued to underperform on both tests.
In the class of 2009, 61 percent of Hispanic students passed the English exam compared with 83 percent of white, non-Hispanics. On the mathematics exit exam, 71 percent of Hispanic sophomores passed, compared with 91 percent of white, non-Hispanics.
This disparity was more significant for low-income students. In 2006-07, 65 percent of low-income sophomores passed the English exam, compared with 89 percent of sophomores who were not designated as such. This difference was echoed on the math test, which 56 percent of low-income students passed, compared with 80 percent of sophomores who are not economically disadvantaged.
Rose said a district goal was to continue closing the gap between achievement of various subgroups so that the percent of students passing the exit exam their sophomore year is comparable between all subgroups.
For students that do not pass the exit exam their sophomore year, Rose said interventions are used to help ensure they will pass before graduation.
“I’m going to hope to see that the interventions that we’ve put into place are going to have some kind of effect on the number of people passing,” Rose said.
At Anzar High School, sophomore rates of passing dropped slightly, but remained above the state average. Eighty-three percent of sophomores passed the English exit exam compared with 88 percent the previous year. On the math exam, 85 percent of sophomores passed compared with 90 percent in 2005-06.
“We’re down a little bit from the previous year, but because of our numbers, that is not cause for worry,” Anzar Principal Charlene McKowen said. “I’m proud and pleased.”
When students do not pass their sophomore year, McKowen said they are offered an intensive, after-school tutorial.
“Absolutely no one did not graduate because of the exit exam (this year),” McKowen said. “I attribute the great success of the school 100 percent to the quality instruction in every classroom.”
