| As the San Diego schools graduating class of 2007 | | | | blacks and Latinos had passed the test, and 98.5 |
| begin their senior year, school district superintendents | | | | percent of whites and Asians had passed. When the |
| across San Diego County are celebrating. The San | | | | class of 2006 first took the exam two years ago, 65 |
| Diego County Schools announced in September that, | | | | percent of blacks and Latinos passed the math portion, |
| as of the class of 2006, the gap in passing the crucial | | | | with 90 percent of whites and Asians passing it. |
| math portion of the state exit exam is nearly closed | | | | The math portion of the California High School Exit |
| between black/Latino and white/Asian students. | | | | Exam covers middle school math and some algebra. |
| The county school report represented three years | | | | A score of at least 55 percent must be achieved to |
| worth of student testing. The results break a | | | | pass the exam. Students first take the exam in their |
| long-standing pattern of lagging scores for black and | | | | sophomore year and have numerous chances in their |
| Latino students. | | | | junior and senior years to retake the exam. The test |
| Across the nation, as well as in the San Diego schools, | | | | was first administered in 2001, but the requirement to |
| gaps have long been evident between races in many | | | | pass or not receive a high school diploma was |
| academic measures, such as SAT scores, dropout | | | | implemented with the class of 2006. |
| rates, and college prep course enrollment. | | | | Passing the math portion is of particular concern to the |
| There are many theories as to why the gap exists. | | | | San Diego schools, where 43 percent of its students |
| Some believe high-achieving minority students are | | | | fall into this lagging behind category. Latino children |
| condemned by their peers as "acting white", while | | | | represent its largest racial or ethnic group. |
| others believe that racism is built into the institution to | | | | San Diego schools Superintendent Carl Cohn pointed |
| discourage minorities from enrolling in rigorous courses. | | | | out the importance of this test. He said it means the |
| It is even believed that predominantly low-income, | | | | difference between a lifetime of unemployment and/or |
| minority schools generally employ inexperienced or | | | | incarceration and a successful lifestyle for San Diego |
| uncredentialed teachers. | | | | schools students. "It makes all the difference in the |
| Whatever the problem, it seems the San Diego | | | | world," stated Cohn. "The test is genuinely high stakes." |
| schools and other districts in the county are resolving it. | | | | The National Center for Education Statistics |
| About three years ago, 42 school district | | | | underscores the San Diego schools superintendent's |
| superintendents, including the San Diego schools, | | | | remarks. It reports that, if a student enrolls in algebra in |
| pledged to help black and Latino students bring their | | | | the eighth grade, the chances that student will apply to |
| math skills up to par. The Superintendents' | | | | a four-year college almost doubles. |
| Achievement Gap Task Force closed the gap by | | | | With all the good results for the county's class of 2006, |
| using teacher training, prep courses, increased teaching | | | | 1,207 students were denied diplomas, because they did |
| time for struggling students, and a symposia for county | | | | not pass the math portion of the exit exam. Thus, for |
| educators to share techniques and results. A variety | | | | the San Diego schools, a gap is still a gap. San Diego |
| of methods were employed to ensure students had | | | | schools officials acknowledge that more work needs |
| every opportunity to succeed. | | | | to be done to bring blacks and Latinos' pass rates up |
| By class of 2006 graduation day, 92.3 percent of | | | | within the San Diego schools. |