85 Percent of Local Juniors Ready to Graduate High School

Los Angeles Unified School District 10th-graders performed slightly better on the California High School Exit Exam than the previous year’s class, with 79 percent passing the math portion and 78 percent passing the English section, according to test results released today.

• At Venice High School, 85 percent of 10th graders (now juniors) passed the English section, with the same percentage passing the math component.

The 2013-14 scores were an improvement over the previous 10th-grade class, which had a 78 percent pass rate for the math portion and 77 percent for English, according to the California Department of Education.

According to the LAUSD, 68 percent of 10th-graders passed both the English and math portions of the exam, compared to 69 percent the previous year.

“We held mostly steady for the year, but when you look at the historical trends, we’re making great progress in preparing our sophomores and other students for graduation,” Superintendent John Deasy said. “There’s no doubt that we have more work to do in serving our historically underserved students, and we are committed to doing so.”

Across Los Angeles County, 84 percent of 10th graders passed the math portion of the test -- up from 83 percent last year -- while 82 percent passed the English section, the same as last year.

Statewide, 85 percent of 10th graders passed the math portion, up from 84 percent last year, while 83 percent passed English, equaling last year’s class.

According to the CDE, 95.5 percent of students in the class of 2014 across the state passed the overall exam, matching the record high passage rate set last year.

“Dedicated educators have worked hard in difficult times to prepare students for college and careers, but we must keep striving for even higher levels of achievement so all students have the skills, knowledge and tools they need to be successful,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said.

All students in California must take the exit exam during their sophomore year. They have two more opportunities to pass it in the 11th grade and up to five chances as seniors.

The class of 2006 was the first graduating class in California that was required to meet the exit exam requirement.

--City News Service

Patch Senior Editor Penny Arévalo contributed to this report.

PHOTO Patch file photo.