ACT: The ACT with Writing is also a four-year college entrance examination, generally taken during the Junior and/or Senior year. Students receive scores in English, Reading, Math, and Science Reasoning, and Writing, as well as a composite score. Four-year college-bound students should check the college catalog to determine whether the ACT or the SAT would be most appropriate. A fee is charged for this test and you must register directly with ACT (www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html).
ACT Career Survey: All ninth grade students complete this assessment of skills in reading and math as well as an interest inventory. The student responses are keyed to occupational selections.
ACT VIESA: All tenth grade students complete this inventory of skills and aptitudes. The results assist students with course selection and post-secondary education planning.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS: These tests are administered on the Los Alamitos High School campus each May. The test schedule is set by the College Board. Students may earn college course credit based on their exam score. For more information on Advanced Placement Exams, please refer to www.collegeboard.com. See AP Testing for Advanced Placement courses are offered at Los Alamitos High School.
ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery: Each year an Armed Services representative administers the ASVAB to interested students. Test results help the student determine areas of occupational interest and aptitude. Students interested in this test should visit the Career Center for details. The Armed Services charge no fee for this test, and test-takers are under no obligation to enlist.
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMINATION (CAHSEE) - MANDATORY FOR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA: All California public high school students must pass the CAHSEE to receive a high school diploma. This exam consists of two parts: math and language arts.
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL PROFICIENCY EXAM: This is a test that the State Board of Education offers to eligible persons to demonstrate proficiency in the basic skills taught in California public high schools, as defined by the average performance of second-semester seniors in those schools. Each person who passes the CHSPE is awarded a Certificate of Proficiency, which is considered equivalent to a high school diploma. This test is administered by the Educational Testing Services. A fee is charged for this test. Successful passage of this examination provides the student with a “certificate of completion,” not a diploma.
CELDT – California English Language Development Test: School districts are required to administer this test to students whose home language is not English. The purpose of CELDT is to identify new students who are English Learners in grades K-12 to determine their level of English proficiency and to annually assess their progress toward becoming fluent in English. Schools must administer the CELDT annually to all English Learners until they are reclassified from English Learner to Fluent English Proficient. This test assesses the following skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
PLAN (Pre-ACT): PLAN is taken by sophomores in either October or November as another way of assessing a student's knowledge in several different curricular areas besides the verbal and math areas tested by the PSAT. An important part of PLAN, the interest inventory, enables students to examine career and educational options. A fee is charged for this test at the Activities Office.
PSAT: The PSAT is taken by juniors in October (no make-up), but sophomores are also encouraged to participate in the test. In addition to providing information about the student's aptitude for college-level studies, the PSAT scores are used by the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) service to determine National Merit semi-finalists. Students planning to attend college should take this test. A fee is charged for this test at the Activities Office.
SAT Reasoning - Scholastic Assessment Test Reasoning: This is a four-year college entrance examination generally taken during the Junior and/or Senior year. The SAT Reasoning assesses the student's aptitude for college-level work and students receive a Critical Reading, Math, and Writing score. Many colleges require this test for admission. A fee is charged for this test and students register directly with College Board (www.collegeboard.com).
SAT Subject Tests: These one-hour tests determine the student's level of competency in a number of subject areas: foreign language, mathematics, English, science, or history. The more selective colleges require the SAT Subject Tests for placement purposes. A fee is charged for this test and students register directly with College Board.
STANDARDIZED TESTING AND REPORTING PROGRAM (STAR): This is a state-mandated testing program for all students in grades 2-11. It includes tests in the areas of language arts/reading, mathematics, science, and social science. The results of the STAR testing program are available on the California Department of Education's STAR website, http://star.cde.ca.gov. In addition, the Accountability Performance Index has been published and the results for Orange County schools are available from the state's website, http://api.cde.ca.gov. You Can Help Your Student Do Better On Tests.
