There is a lot of confusion about the California High School Proficiency Exam, or CHSPE. Many people get it mixed up with the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). Other people have it confused with the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program.
It’s easy to understand why there is so much confusion on the topic, as all three of these tests have many similarities, and the purpose of the CHSPE is not all that different from the purpose of the GED. However, all three of these tests were created for a particular reason, and serve a purpose that the other two don’t. Even though the differences may not always be very obvious, they are real, and it’s important to understand what the CHSPE is all about.
To put it simply, the California High School Proficiency Exam is geared toward students aged 15 to 18 who are still enrolled in school, (public, private, or home school) but wish to finish high school early. It was created to give them a way of earning the equivalent of a high school diploma.
Generally speaking, these are students who feel they are ready for college, or ready to join the work force, even though they may be a couple of years away from the traditional graduation age of 18, with four full years of high school classes under their belts. CAHSEE is a set of exams that all California high school students must pass in order to receive the traditional high school diploma. The GED is for people who have already dropped out of high school, but now wish to earn the equivalent of a diploma.
The CHSPE is open those students who are aged 16 through 18, or anyone who has taken the 10th grade twice, or anyone 15 or older who has completed at least half of the 10th grade. Any institution in California that requires a high school diploma must accept the CHSPE in place of it, by law. However, institutions outside California are not required to do so. Some schools do accept it, but a student who wishes to study out of state should always check this with the school before applying.
Currently, there is a fee of $162 to take the exam, which is given three times a year. There are two sections on the test; Math and English Language Arts. The English Language Arts section includes an essay writing assignment. The CHSPE is very similar to the CAHSEE, but the questions are more difficult. A student is given three and a half hours to pass the exam, and must attain a passing score on both sections. However, it’s not necessary to achieve a passing score on both sections during the same testing period, so some students choose to take the exam twice, spending the entire time on math during one test, and the entire time on language arts during the other.
CHSPE Self-Assessment Modules
- Basic Algebra
- Intermediate Algebra
- Advanced Algebra
- Averages and Rounding
- Arithmetic
- Commas
- Estimation and Sequences
- Exponents
- Fractions and Square Roots
- Geometry
- Author's Purpose
- Basic Grammar
- Intermediate Grammar
- Advanced Grammar
- Graphs
- Basic Math
- Intermediate Math
- Advanced Mathematics
- Measurement
- Nouns
- Percents and Ratios
- Reading for the Main Idea
- Basic Reading Comprehension
- Intermediate Reading Comprehension
- Advanced Reading Comprehension
- Reading Vocabulary
- Sentence Correction
- Sentence Flow
- Word Usage Test 1
- Word Usage Test 2
- Word Usage Test 3
- Verbs
- Writing Section 1
- Writing Section 2
CHSPE Study Guide
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