Los Gatos High Excels on Exit Exam

In February of 2011, 417 students took the math portion of the California High School Exit Exam and 411 passed, or 99 percent. And of 432 who took the English Language Arts portion of the test, 414 passed, or 96 percent. 

The numbers are near perfect this year, particularly the math passage rate, according to the data released this week by the California Department of Education.

At LGHS, in 2010, of 395 students who took the math portion of the test, 381 passed, or 96 percent. Of 406 who took the ELA component, 381 passed, or 94 percent.

Since 2004, all tenth-graders or sophomores at LGHS have been tested in February on the two subjects, with opportunities to retake the exam twice in the 11th grade and up to five times as seniors, if needed, according to the CDE.

Although LGHS students have performed remarkably well over the years, consistently scoring above the state's overall pass percentage, sophomores tested this year set a four-year high in both math and ELA, scoring almost perfectly in mathematics.

In the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, a total of 755 students were tested in math this past February and 746 passed, or 99 percent. In ELA, 774 were tested and 751 passed, or 97 percent.

In Santa Clara County, a total of 8,875 students were tested in math, and only 7,266 passed, or 82 percent; and 9,030 were tested in ELA and only 7,056 passed, or 78 percent. That's way better than the statewide numbers of 155,470 tested in math, but only 105,524 passing for a 68 percent and 154,882 tested in ELA, but only 103,795 passing or 67 percent.

"It is heartening to see that our students continue to learn and achieve despite the painful toll that budget cuts are taking on our schools," said California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "The results of this year’s exit examination—and the progress schools are making to close the achievement gap—are yet another sign of the remarkable commitment that teachers, school employees, and administrators have to the students of California."

Here's how Los Gatos sophomores have scored on the CAHSEE during the past four years.

Los Gatos High School

99%

(411 of 417 pass)

96%

(414 of 432 pass)

96%

(381 of 395 pass)

95%

(403 of 423 pass)

97%

(375 of 387 pass)

94%

(381 of 406 pass)

96%

(436 of 452 pass)

95%

(434 of 459 pass)

For a student to pass the math portion of the CAHSEE, he or she must score "approximately 55 percent of items correct" and "approximately 60 percent of items correct" to pass the ELA portion of the exam, according to state guidelines.