California High School Proficiency Exam - Testing and Scores

Testing and Scores

Students who are in the second semester of their sophomore year (and aged 15 or over) in high school, or 16-18 years old, or those that have enrolled in the 10th grade for two semesters or more. This exam only pertains to the high school curriculum in California, and may or may not apply to other states. Therefore, a student must check to see if their college of choice outside of California will accept such a test. It is offered twice every six months, and its cost is $110 ($160 if after deadline).

Those that have taken the CAHSEE (the California High School Exit Exam, required of all high school students to graduate in California) will find the CHSPE very similar in format, with a longer exam and more difficult questions.

Upon passing the exam, the student has an opportunity to head straight to a community college. (However, as with any student entering community college, assessment tests may be required upon entry to determine the student's English and math ability in order to place the student in the appropriate classes.) If a student is under 18 and succeeds in passing the exam, the student may not leave high school unless their parent or guardian consents. The CHSPE eliminates the need for minors to get a work permit before being employed, but is not otherwise considered "emancipation", and laws regulating minors still apply.

All persons and institutions subject to California law that require a high school diploma for any purpose must accept the CSHPE certificate as satisfying the requirement. The U.S. military policy on the CHSPE varies depending on the branch of the armed forces applied to and the position.

Anyone who satisfies the age and/or grade requirements is eligible to take the exam, even if they are still enrolled in high school. Students who have taken and passed the CHSPE must continue education in their current high school unless they have verified parent/guardian ratify permission to stop attending school, usually using a notarized document. Those who have left high school but are still under 18 can return to high school if they meet re-enrollment requirements.

The CHSPE tests Mathematics and English-language Arts. Students have three and a half hours to complete the exam, and are free to divide their time as they wish between the two sections. Because the Math and English sections are graded separately and can be passed separately, some students can sit the exam twice, with three and one half hours for the math section and three and one half hours for the English. The GED is also generally given to those above the age of 18, at adult schools, and targets immigrants and those who have already dropped out of high school. In addition to English, the GED is also given in Spanish and French, while the CHSPE is only given in English. The CHSPE is targeted at home schoolers, and those students who want to legally exit high school before their 18th birthday (as opposed to those who drop out). Many CHSPE takers are students who are advanced learners and find the environment of high school stifling. Others are employees in the entertainment or agriculture industries who need to work.