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