Los Gatos, Saratoga High Schools Earn Nearly Perfect Exit Exam Scores

Of the 781 tenth-graders in the who took the English-language arts portion of California High School Exit Exam, a total of 759, or 97 percent passed.

Just as impressive is the fact that of the 768 tenth-graders at both high schools who took the math component of the test, 756 passed, or 98 percent.

And that's excellent news, according to California Department of Education consultant Linda Hooper, who said the high passage rate means the district is one of the best in the state. The CDE released the data Wednesday.

"What we're tracking is how the 10th graders do upon the first administration of the test and at this district these students are doing really well," Hooper said, adding that the state average is 83 percent for English-language arts and 83.6 percent for mathematics.

"They're doing a great job where almost 100 percent of the students have passed the two key components of the high school exit exam," Hooper added.

At Los Gatos High School, 439 students were tested in English-language arts, and 423 passed, or a 96 percent. At Saratoga High School, 342 students were tested in the same subject, and 336 passed, or 98 percent.

The number of students at LGHS who took the math component of the test was 421 with 413 passing, or 98 percent and at SHS, 347 students were tested in this subject, and an impressive 343, or 99 percent passed.

Since 2004, all tenth-graders or sophomores in the LGSUHSD 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.

The Santa Clara County Office of Education announced Wednesday that the CAHSEE data showed area students overall continue to outperform their statewide counterparts, and that demographic subgroups have shown a steady, gradual improvement in performance since the test first was instituted.

The achievement gap between lower- and higher-performing subgroups has shown a corresponding decrease over that span, the office said.

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson also said the percentage of students from the Class of 2012 meeting the CAHSEE graduation requirement increased slightly over last year to 95 percent, marking the sixth straight year of improving performance.

For more information on 2011-12 CAHSEE result data, please visit the exam's results page by clicking here.