Ohio's African-American and Hispanic eighth-graders made strong gains on most state proficiency tests over the past two years, but passing rates still trail far behind white and Asian students.

        The Ohio Department of Education released passing rates Thursday for students taking the ninth-grade proficiency tests.

        The test is required for graduation and is offered to students in eighth through 12th grades, who have several opportunities to pass.

        The disparities among races are greatest in science and math.

        “We're emphasizing ways to look at the ... data, why the gap is occurring and what we can do to improve public education in Ohio,” said Dottie Howe, Department of Education spokeswoman.

        Among eighth-graders who took the tests in 2002, 32 percent of black students and 48 percent of Hispanic passed the math portion.

        The passing rate was much higher among Asians and whites, with 82 and 73 percent passing, respectively.

        Each group improved from 2000 passing rates in math. Hispanic students improved the most, with a gain of 9 percentage points. Black students improved by 5 percentage points.

        “I'm really glad scores are improving,” said Edith Thrower, chairwoman of the Cincinnati NAACP's education committee. “People have been under increasing pressure from groups like ours to do something.”

        But it's not nearly enough, Ms. Thrower said.

        Black students' passing rates trailed between 17 and 41 percentage points behind whites in 2002.

        “It's a lack of resources in high-poverty areas,” she said. “Those schools do not have the resources they need to equip students to take the exams.”

        Ms. Thrower said high-poverty schools need teachers certified in the subjects they teach, updated textbooks, safe facilities and strong reading and other programs.

        Overall, students achieved record results on the tests, according to the Department of Education.

        Ninety-eight percent of the class of 2002 (116,752 students) passed the five parts of the ninth-grade tests necessary to graduate.

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