Far more California high school students failed the state Exit Exam and did not graduate this year than last year, a decline that state educators blamed largely on the fact that test results of disabled students were counted for the first time.

Nearly 10 percent of the Class of 2008 - 45,910 students - never passed the required Exit Exam, compared with 6 percent of the Class of 2007 - 26,587 students - state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced, emphasizing that the figures are estimates.