Early-released CAHSEE results reveal that only one of the
Dispatch-featured students passed
Gilroy – Valerie Zamaripa was braced for bad news.
While her infant bounced contentedly on her lap, Mt. Madonna High School Principal Sergio Montenegro told her that the majority of seniors who took the California High School Exit Exam in November, did not pass.
“Oh, I’m sad,” Zamaripa said assuming she was part of that group.
But before her eyes filled with melancholy tears Montenegro told her the good news: she’d passed both the math and English language arts sections of the CAHSEE.
When those words reached her ears Zamaripa’s eyes glossed over with tears of joy and her lips formed a smile.
“Oh my God, I’m excited,” the 18-year-old Mt. Madonna senior said. “I passed them both.”
Zamaripa left Mt. Madonna with a smile on her face, armed with the knowledge that she’d passed the high stakes exam and will be able to graduate this Spring. But for Saul Cardoza, Janet Lopez, Janeth Palomera and Maria Garcia, Monday was a day filled with disappointment and frustration.
Montenegro called each of the students into his office individually, to let them know they had failed to pass the November CAHSEE. All of the students improved their scores, but they still haven’t hit the magic passing number of 350.
Before Montenegro delivered the news, he explained that seniors only have one more chance to take the exam in March and if they don’t pass once again, they won’t receive a high school diploma this school year.
Students take the CAHSEE, which tests their English and math skills at the eighth grade level, for the first time in the 10th grade. They may retake the test five additional times after their sophomore year.
“We’re trying to bring it home to them, so they can see this is around the corner for them,” Montenegro said.
But by the looks on their faces and their worried eyes, it was obvious all four students understand the severity of the CAHSEE.
Garcia fought to keep from crying as she said, “It’s better, but I didn’t pass the test.”
As she walked away the 17-year-old, who still needs to take the English section and will have to retake the math portion in March, wiped away tears that had managed to sneak through
She didn’t take the English section in November because she was absent the day it was administered.
Cardoza, 18, who already passed the English section, said he knows he rushed through some of the math problems and next time he plans to take more time “and focus on every little thing and double check after I’m done.”
Lopez, who still needs to pass both the math and ELA sections, remained stoic, saying she plans to continue studying and taking advantage of her CAHSEE intervention class.
But Palomera couldn’t keep her emotions at bay while sitting in Montenegro’s office. The 17-year-old looked away and her eyes started watering when Montenegro told her she’d failed to pass the English section.
“Again, I can’t believe it,” she said. “That sucks.”
Montenegro explained that her score of 339 means she was only a few questions from passing. Palomera, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico six years ago, said she’s frustrated particularly since she’s already passed the math section.
“I feel sad because I didn’t pass it,” she said. “I thought I was gonna pass it.”
Palomera spent the entire day and stayed after school when she took the test in November. With a resigned look on her face, she simply said, “I really want to pass.”
The results were scheduled to be released on Friday but the state received them a week early.
This year’s seniors are the first group of students required to pass the CAHSEE in order to graduate. The legislation was enacted by the state in 1999 and was initially going to effect the class of 2004.
In 2003 the California Department of Education postponed the requirement. The Gilroy Unified School District is still deciding whether students who don’t pass the CAHSEE will be able to participate in graduation ceremonies and/or receive a certificate of completion.
Editor’s Note
This article is based on a Dispatch series highlighting five Mt. Madonna High School students struggling to pass the CAHSEE. Three of the five have been featured. Look for features on the two remaining students in the next two weeks.
