California's Acupuncture Licensing Exam Failed Nearly Half Its Test-Takers in Late 2025 — The Board Met March 26 and Said Nothing

For the last 6 months of 2025, California Acupuncture Licensing Examinations failure rates have increased substantially for both Englih and non-English speakers.

This information wasn't presented or discussed at the March 26th California Acupuncture Board meeting.

118 students paying over $100,000 each for student loans at schools accredited by Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM) and supported by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM) are being kept out of the workforce and are saddled with unforgivable student loans.

The system is failing both students and consumers. Can the Acupuncture Associations please address this? The students have no lobby and the California government and the FTC don't seem to care.

CALE By School Pass rate (Total Students Pass/Total Fail)

First Time Takers 63% (120/70)

Overall 54% (140 out of 118)

CALE By Language

Chinese 53% (36/32)

English 54% (94/81)

Korean 57% (10/5)