It's all or nothing for hundreds of San Diego high school seniors. This is the last week they can retake the California High School Exit Exam in time for graduation. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
More than 320 high school seniors plan to retake the test. If they don't pass, they won't graduate on time. Despite the large number, San Diego school officials are generally upbeat about exit exam passage rates this year. So far about 94 percent of the district's high school seniors have passed. That's up by 5 percent from last year.
Linda Hathaway is a test coordinator at University City High School. She says even though more kids are passing, it’s still hard to face the ones who don't make it.
Hathaway : I get very, very sad, especially when it gets down close to the end, when they're seniors and, they still didn't pass. And I just think, well, I guess we'll just have to work harder. Which is exactly what we're doing this time. We just work harder.
The district is spending over $1 million this year on programs to help seniors better prepare for test.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
