SACRAMENTO -- Nine of every 10 seniors passed California's high school exit exam in time to graduate with their class last May, with black and Hispanic students making the greatest strides, according to figures released Thursday.

The state Department of Education said 93 percent of seniors in the class of 2007 had passed the exam by May, about 2 percent more those in the class of 2006 at the same point last year. More than 88 percent of black and Hispanic students passed, a jump of nearly 5 percentage points for blacks and about 3 percentage points for Hispanics.

The pass rate is a cumulative figure that includes multiple opportunities for students to take the two-part math and English exam, starting in their sophomore year.

Pass rates also increased for those taking the test for the first time in 10th grade. The rate rose across every student subgroup except those learning English.

When English-learner students in the class of 2006 took the test, 39 percent passed the English portion the first time and 49 percent passed the math portion. When English-learners in the class of 2009 took the test last winter, pass rates had dropped to 36 percent in English and less than 47 percent in math.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said he is not sure what caused the decline but is hopeful an outside evaluation will help pinpoint what went wrong.

In releasing the results, O'Connell was optimistic but noted there is still a dramatic achievement gap between racial subgroups.

Emphasizing a point he made last week, he said the performance gaps appear to be racially based and not merely a result of socio-economic status, as many had previously thought.

White students from impoverished families outscored their black and Hispanic counterparts even when those students came from wealthier households, O'Connell said. He blamed systemic inequities that have developed over time and pledged to "confront and change the things that are holding these students back."

Specifically, he said minority students typically have not had as many qualified teachers as their white peers, have not had the same quality of schools in which to study and have not been held to the same academic expectations.

Equally important in addressing the inequities, he said, is increasing the rigor and relevance of career and technical education programs that typically have high numbers of minority students enrolled.

The 2007-08 state budget approved by the Legislature this week includes $72.4 million in remedial funding for students who have failed to pass the exit exam.

O'Connell, who wrote the legislation creating the exit exam while he was a state senator, has long been a supporter of the test. It survived legal challenges and became a mandatory requirement for graduation starting in 2006.

The exam measures 10th-grade English and ninth-grade math and algebra skills.

"It is the minimum skill-set necessary to become a productive and contributing member of our society," O'Connell said.