California, August 2025 – Additional February bar exam candidates in California have had their originally failing grades updated to passing status, as the State Bar continues to uncover and rectify grading deficiencies stemming from a flawed exam rollout. Recent revisions have pushed the total figure of beneficiaries to 243 examinees.
What Went Wrong?
California’s February bar exam debuted a hybrid format—a combination of in-person and remote testing—without the usual Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) components. The hastily planned change aimed to save money but faltered due to widespread technical failures, such as software crashes, proctoring mishaps, and incomplete data transfers.
Score Revisions and Impact
- 243 examinees now receive passing status instead of failure, thanks to new scoring methods and corrections.
- Some candidates were initially misscored due to incomplete export of performance test notes—a glitch corrected for several examinees.
- After adjustments, the overall pass rate soared to around 65%, nearly double California’s historical average near 35%.
Earlier corrective actions—including upgraded scoring rules and passing score reduction—had already inflated the pass rate to 56%.
System Overhaul & Moving Forward
In response to the debacle:
- The California Supreme Court now mandates that the July 2025 exam revert to the traditional in-person MBE format, reversing course on the hybrid model.
- The State Bar introduced an expanded provisional licensure program, enabling affected candidates to practice under supervision while awaiting retaking the exam. This initiative still requires California Supreme Court approval.
- Authorities have spent substantial funds—including $185,000 for an external review—to rectify the fallout and are considering more structural reforms moving forward
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