The California Supreme Court made a significant decision on Friday regarding the State Bar of California’s recent bar exam, which faced widespread criticism. The court decided to lower the passing score for the exam to 534 points. This change comes after many test-takers reported issues with the exam format and scoring.
In a surprising move, the court also ordered the State Bar to abandon its new multiple-choice questions. Instead, they will return to the traditional exam format for the upcoming July test. This decision follows concerns about how the new questions were created, particularly the undisclosed use of artificial intelligence in their development.
The court’s ruling was issued just hours after Leah T. Wilson, the executive director of the State Bar, announced she would step down in July. Wilson has been under pressure to resign due to the chaos surrounding the February exam. She acknowledged her responsibility for the problems that arose, stating that the experiences of test-takers were simply unacceptable.
Many candidates who took the February exam expressed their frustration and called for Wilson’s resignation. The exam was criticized for being hastily rolled out, leading to technical glitches and a lack of transparency about the new questions. Last week, it became clear that the State Bar had not been upfront about its use of AI in creating the exam questions, which added to the controversy.
The court’s decision to lower the passing score and revert to the traditional format aims to address the issues faced by test-takers. However, the results of the February exam have been delayed, as the State Bar was late in filing a petition with the court regarding scoring adjustments and the use of AI.
In a letter to the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, deans from several law schools expressed serious concerns about the fairness of the exam. They urged the court to release all 200 multiple-choice questions from the February test and to consider using the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ Multistate Bar Examination for future tests.
Despite the turmoil, Wilson emphasized the importance of California developing its own bar exam, reflecting the state’s values of innovation and accessibility. She highlighted her pride in her accomplishments during her tenure, including efforts to address racial disparities within the legal profession.
As the State Bar prepares for the July exam, many are hopeful that the changes will lead to a smoother and fairer testing experience. The focus now shifts to ensuring that the upcoming test meets the needs of future lawyers in California.