March 13, 2006

First Poway Unified High School Achieves Recognition for Student Achievement on the 
California High School Exit Exam
Mt. Carmel High School to be Honored at PUSD Board of Education Meeting

The Poway Unified School Board of Education and Superintendent Don Phillips plan to recognize the first PUSD high school to have 100% of its students pass the California High School Exit Exam at its March 13, 2006, meeting. Every general education student on track to graduate from Mt. Carmel High School has passed the CAHSEE, even though there are two more administrations of the test to go. In order for graduating seniors to receive a diploma in California high schools in June 2006, they must pass this exam.

Tom McCoy, Mt. Carmel High School principal, is scheduled to receive recognition from Penny Ranftle, school board president, and Don Phillips, superintendent. 

PUSD Superintendent Don Phillips said, “Mt. Carmel has a long tradition of providing individual academic attention for all its high school students. Being the first school in our district and one of the first in the state to reach 100% pass rate for students on track to graduate is both a major accomplishment and not a surprise.”

Poway Unified School Board President Penny Ranftle added, “The Board is very pleased that our school staff, students, and parents are working together to meet the district’s very worthwhile target of 100% of our students passing the high school exit exam.”

Kevin Skelly, Associate Superintendent, said, “We are determined to have 100% of our students pass the exam. We are paying attention to kids’ basics. We want every kid to graduate from our schools with basic English, mathematics, and language arts skills, and the test shows they have those skills. Can you imagine the conversation with a parent that basically goes like this: ‘You have spent four years in our high school and you have the 230 units you need to graduate, but you don't know enough to pass the CAHSEE’?”

Skelly added, “Poway Unified still has a lot of students who have not passed the CAHSEE – about 3-4%. Many of them are special education students, and the state has given them a one-year pass as the state struggles to figure out the vexing issue of disability versus performance. There are fewer than a dozen students or so with moderate learning disabilities in our district who have not passed the CAHSEE. However, there are also students who are not on track to graduate and will have to either go to adult education or spend more time earning credits. They have failed their classes and need to make up the credits. We are working with them and their families to help them get back on track.”

Mt. Carmel’s name is being placed on a perpetual plaque and the school district is hoping the names of other schools will be added after the next administration of the test. 

There are a total of 10 students, who are non-special education and who are on track to graduate in June, at Abraxas, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, and Westview high schools who have not passed the exit exam. They will have opportunities in March and May to take the test; however, if they do not pass the test in March, they will not be able to receive their diploma with their graduating class in June.

The school district continues to offer tutoring and class sessions to help students with the high school exit exam. It also offers options for students to continue their schooling beyond June 2006 to receive their diplomas. Students can enroll in adult education classes or continue class work at their high schools next fall. There are students who are considered fifth year seniors who continue classes in order to obtain the 230 credits needed for graduation. There will be additional opportunities to take the high school exit exam during the next school year.

What is the California High School Exam (CAHSEE)?
The CAHSEE is a pass/fail test consisting of two parts – English/language arts and mathematics. The English section covers California’s content standards through 10th grade in a multiple-choice format with one essay. The math section, also multiple-choice, covers math standards through Algebra I. Students have six opportunities to take the test during high school – once as sophomores, twice as juniors, and three times as seniors – one of which can be after graduation. If students pass one section of the test, they do not have to take the test again. For sample questions from the CAHSEE go to: http://www.edsource.org/pub_edfct_samplecahsee.cfm