Results from the exit-level TAKS showed that minority students were most affected by the graduation requirement, as 17 percent of black students and 14 percent of Hispanics were unable to pass all four sections of the exam, measuring skills in English, math, science and social studies. About 5 percent of white students and 4 percent of Asian students failed.

Students who failed were tripped up primarily by the math and science sections of the test. Overall passing rates were up for all ethnic groups from last year.