PVUSD Test Scores Fall Short of State Average

Test scores for tenth graders in the  lagged behind those of other students in the county and the state, according to the California High School Exit Exam results released Wednesday morning.

But statewide, 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, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

“When 95 percent of California students are hitting the mark—despite the tremendous challenges we face and the work we still have to do—there’s an awful lot going right in our public schools,” Torlakson said in a prepared statement. “I congratulate the students who succeeded on this test, the teachers who provided invaluable instruction, and the parents who gave their support and encouragement.”

The CAHSEE is administered each year to ensure that students who graduate from public high schools demonstrate competency in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students who do not pass the CAHSEE in 10th grade have two opportunities in 11th grade and up to five opportunities in 12th grade to pass the exam.

In PVUSD, the largest school district in Santa Cruz County, the highest test CAHSEE scores were recorded at  , where 88 percent of students passed the math portion of the test and 92 percent passed the English/Language Arts section.

Also performing well on the exams were students at the  , a small vocational program in Watsonville.

Among the school district's two other traditional high schools, Watsonville High students tested slightly better than their counterparts at .

The PVUSD results are consistent with .

AVCI

This year's CAHSEE results were delayed because of , including Watsonville High, that led to photos of test materials being posted online.