www.CreativeMindSeries.org - CHSPE
California High School Proficiency Exam: CHSPE Strategies & Materials

The Creative Mind and the CHSPE

CHSPE INSIGHTS

Insight #1: The American educational system offers a vast amount of opportunities for the creative mind.

Insight #2: Those opportunities not only include the participation in clubs like theater, dance, music, or orchestra but also the opportunity to complete High School early.

Insight #3: You can pass the CHSPE, stay in high school, and take college classes all at the same time!

Insight #4: One of the best CHSPE test strategies includes taking the CHSPE test just to find out what the test is like. You can retake the CHSPE test as often as you would like.

CHSPE TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Tip #1: Do not get confused!
The CHSPE, California High School Proficiency Exam, is NOT the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam), or the GED.

Tip #2: Knowledge is power! Know the difference.

CHSPE California High School Proficiency Exam	CAHSEE California High School Exit Exam	GED General Educational Development Test
The CHSPE is a voluntary test. Persons who pass the CHSPE are awarded a Certificate of Proficiency by the California State Board of Education. California law requires that the Certificate of Proficiency be equivalent to a high school diploma. A student who receives a Certificate of Proficiency may, with verified parental approval, leave high school early.	The CAHSEE is a high school graduation requirement for all public school students since 2005/2006. The CAHSEE graduation requirement is mandated by California law and does not allow for students to leave high school early if they pass.	The GED test is for adults who do not have a high school diploma. Those who pass the test receive a California High School Equivalency Certificate.
A person may take the CHSPE if: He or she is at least 16 years old, OR He or she has been enrolled in the tenth grade.	All high school students that attend a public school have to take the CAHSEE in the tenth grade.	In California, persons who are 18 years of age or older may take the GED test. Some 17-year-olds who meet specific criteria for testing may also take the test.
Source: California Board of Education

Tip #3: The keyword for the CHSPE requirement is OR. You do not have to be 16 to take the CHSPE. If you are ten years old but already doing 10th grade course studies, you can take the CHSPE and finish High School at the age of ten.

Tip #4: The CHSPE test only consists of English, Math, and an Essay portion. It is not as difficult as the CAHSEE or the GED.

Tip #5: Once you pass the CHSPE, you can leave high school and enroll in college.

Tip #6: You can complete the CHSPE and still stay in high school. Check with your local high school about their policies.

Tip #7: If you want to attend a higher university, research their admissions requirements. Universities generally require more courses. However, having passed the CHSPE gives you the choice of completing those university requirements in a college.

Tip #8: All California public high schools are supposed to include information about the CHSPE in their school information booklets. Unfortunately, it usually consists just of a very small paragraph that most students miss.

Tip #9: Some of the information provided on the Internet about the CHSPE is INCORRECT. Some sources say that you have to be a high school drop out in order to take the test. That information is incorrect. Please rely on the information provided by the official California Board of Education website. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about the CHSPE as produced by the Sacramento County Office of Education for the California Department of Education.

What is the CHSPE?
How can the Certificate of Proficiency be used?
When can someone take the CHSPE?
Where can someone take the CHSPE?
Who may take the CHSPE?
How does someone register for the CHSPE?
How do students find out about the CHSPE?
How do students who receive a Certificate of Proficiency affect the dropout rate?
How can a district access CHSPE results?
How are the General Educational Development (GED) tests different from the CHSPE?
How is the California High School Exit Exam different from the CHSPE?
What are my options if I do not pass the CHSPE?
Do I need to retake the whole examination if I have passed a section or subtest?
Is there a limit to the number of times I can retest?
How much does it cost to reregister?
If I retest, what will be on my score report?
Will passing the CHSPE qualify me for college admissions?
On the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), question #26 asks, "When you begin college in the upcoming school year, what will be your high school completion status?" Which option should I select?

What is the CHSPE?
The California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) is a test that assesses proficiency in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills taught in public schools. Students who pass the CHSPE are awarded a Certificate of Proficiency by the California State Board of Education. The test is given in English only.
How can the Certificate of Proficiency be used?
California law requires that the Certificate of Proficiency be equivalent to a high school diploma. A student who receives a Certificate of Proficiency may, with verified parental approval, leave high school early. The Certificate of Proficiency, however, is not equivalent to completing all course work required for regular graduation from high school. If a student is planning to continue his or her studies in a college or university, they should contact the admissions office of the institution they plan to attend so that the student may understand that institutions admission requirements including whether or not the Certificate of Proficiency will be sufficient for admission.
When can someone take the CHSPE?
The CHSPE is offered three times a year. There is an administration once in each semester and once in the summer.
Where can someone take the CHSPE?
There are over 60 test centers throughout California. Some counties do not include a test center and other counties have more than one test center. A list of the counties and test areas may be found on CHSPE.net.
Who may take the CHSPE?
A person may take the CHSPE only if he or she meets one of the following requirements on the test date:
- He or she is at least 16 years old, or
- He or she has been enrolled in the tenth grade for one academic year or longer, or
- He or she will complete one academic year of enrollment in the tenth grade at the end of the semester during which the CHSPE regular administration (spring or fall) will be conducted.
How does someone register for the CHSPE?
Individuals must complete and submit by mail a CHSPE Registration Form with proof of eligibility and a cashier’s check or money order for proper payment.
How do students find out about the CHSPE?
California Code of Regulations, Title 5, requires the principal of each school that includes grades 11 and 12 to distribute to each student in those grades an announcement explaining the CHSPE. Distribution shall be made in sufficient time to enable interested students to meet all examination registration requirements for the fall test of that year.
How do students who receive a Certificate of Proficiency affect the dropout rate?
Students who receive a Certificate of Proficiency are not recorded as dropouts on the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) reports. Students earning a Certificate of Proficiency who sign out of high school are not coded as "graduates," but are coded as "completers" with school completions status "330 – Passed CHSPE." CHSPE may serve as an alternative to dropping out of school for students who intend to leave school prior to graduation or for students who have insufficient credits to graduate.
How can a district access CHSPE results?
A list of students who passed the CHSPE since April 2004 is available on the CHSPE Web site. In order to obtain a password that will allow a school district to access this Web site and download school district files, the district superintendent must designate a CHSPE District Contact by sending in the Superintendent's Designation of a District
How are the General Educational Development (GED) tests different from the CHSPE?
To take the GED a person must be eighteen years old or, under certain circumstances, a seventeen-year-old may qualify. The GED tests measure a student’s knowledge in five content areas including: language arts, reading; language arts, writing; mathematics; science; and social studies. The tests are given in English, Spanish, and French throughout the United States and in Canada.
How is the California High School Exit Exam different from the CHSPE?
The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) is a high school graduation requirement for all public school students beginning in the 2005-2006 school year. The CAHSEE graduation requirement is mandated by California law and does not allow for students to leave high school early if they pass. Students who pass the CAHSEE and want to graduate from high school also must meet all local and state graduation requirements.
What are my options if I do not pass the CHSPE?
You may continue to retake the CHSPE until you pass both sections of the examination.
Do I need to retake the whole examination if I have passed a section or subtest?
No. You do not have to retake a section or subtest that you have passed. *You may retake any part of the test you have not passed; that is the Mathematics section, the Reading subtest, and/or the Language subtest (on the Language subtest, both the writing task and the language multiple-choice questions must be completed at the same administration.)

*If, in the future, the CHSPE series changes, it is possible that results on the Current CHSPE will not be combinable with results on the new test series. Results on the CHSPE taken prior to January 2004 cannot be combined with results on the CHSPE taken after January 2004.
Is there a limit to the number of times I can retest?
No. There is no limit to the number of times you may take the CHSPE, but you must register and pay the current test fee each time.
How much does it cost to reregister?
The cost to register is dependent upon when your completed registration materials are received by the CHSPE Office.
If I retest, what will be on my score report?
If you retest, your score report will show your most recent performance on the section(s) or subtest(s) you have taken. If you retake a section or subtest that you have previously passed, it will not be scored.
Will passing the CHSPE qualify me for college admissions?
CHSPE meets the requirement of California state universities that an applicant have a high school diploma or equivalent. California state universities also require, however, that applicants have a certain number of units in several courses of study including social science, English, mathematics, laboratory science, and others. Applicants who have not yet completed the requisite units may complete their units at a community college. Units completed at a community college add up more quickly than high school units. One semester of community college is equal to one full year of study in high school.
On the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), question #26 asks, "When you begin college in the upcoming school year, what will be your high school completion status?" Which option should I select?
In California, your Certificate of Proficiency is the legal equivalent of a high school diploma. Confirmation of high school completion is often required as part of the admissions and enrollment process. Make sure you keep a copy of your Certificate of Proficiency available in case your college or university requests it.

PLEASE NOTE: The California Department of Education (CDE) is responsible for the above information and the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE). The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) administers the CHSPE under a contract with the CDE and has produced the content of the Information Bulletin of their web site and the FAQ section of this Web site. If you have questions regarding CHSPE registration, administration procedures, admission tickets, transcripts, or duplicate Certificates of Proficiency, contact the CHSPE Office at the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Telephone: 866-342-4773 (toll free)
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday, excluding holidays
7:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on test dates
7:00 a.m.-12 noon on Sunday test dates
E-mail: chspe@scoe.net
CHSPE official Web site: http://www.chspe.net/contact/

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CHSPE PREPARATION MATERIALS

Tip #10: Preparing for the CHSPE does not take a long time but it might be difficult to find reliable preparation materials. Amazon.com has some reviews on preparation materials. The following Creative Mind CHSPE materials below have helped many students pass the English portion of the CHSPE:

CHSPE Grammar: Our CHSPE grammar booklet prepares you excellently for the Grammar section of the test. Each page focuses on a grammar skill that is required in the CHSPE test. Each page has also a skills practice section.

CHSPE Essay: The Essay Writer instant download software program will teach you all important writing skills necessary to pass the CHSPE essay portion of the test. Click here to see a CHSPE essay example and its CHSPE score.

CHSPE Math: To prepare for the Math portion of the test, we recommend signing up for a password with the official CHSPE test site. Once you have obtained a log-in name and password, you have the opportunity to see test example questions. You can obtain a password with the CHSPE website by clicking here.

Did you Know?

If you are thinking about, considering, or preparing to leave high school early, compare your school experience with the troubled school experiences of Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Orville Wright, Harry Belafonte, Cher, Whoopie Goldberg, Michael Phelps, and many other famous people who left school early. You might be surprised how much you have in common with them!

Preparation Materials:


CHSPE Grammar Book Instant Download eBook $6.95	The Essay Writer Instant Download Software $ 29.95	Learning Disability Instant Download eBook $9.95

This eBook covers all essential grammar skills necessary for the CHSPE. Read more....	This essay writing software program is an excellent tool to prepare for the essay portion of the CHSPE. Read more...	This eBook discusses the troubled school experiences of many famous people, why they left school early, and what helped them to become successful in life. Read more...