The CHSPE is the California High School Proficiency Examination. By taking and successfully passing the CHSPE, the State of California Board of Education will legally confer upon you a Certificate of Proficiency, which is the equivalent of a high school diploma. The CHSPE is comprised of two sections: the English-language Arts section and the Mathematics section. The Mathematics portion of the CHSPE consists completely of multiple-choice questions. The English-language Arts section is divided in two sub-tests: Language and Reading. The Language portion of the English-language Arts sub-test consists of both multiple-choice questions and a writing test, while the Reading portion of the English-language Arts subtest consists solely of multiple-choice questions. By spending time to properly prepare and study for this important examination, you will walk into the examination room on the day of the test feeling confident and knowing that you will pass both sections. What follows are some valuable tips that will help you practice for the CHSPE.
First, you will need to understand the types of questions you can expect to see on the examination. If you know what information will be included, you can then tailor your studies to ensure you spend sufficient time working on those areas where you are the weakest. The mathematics section contains 50 multiple choice questions covering all areas of high school level mathematics, including multiplication and division, fractions, decimals, and basic algebra and geometry. To be well prepared for the mathematics section, you will need to review and study the following areas: basic operations, number types, percentages, averages, factoring, probability, geometric figures, angle relationships, properties of parallel lines, basic shapes, area and perimeter of shapes, and volume. You will need to demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles that are relevant to mathematical operations as well as an ability to solve problems.
In addition to containing a written examination requirement, the English-language Arts section of the test contains 84 multiple choice questions that will test your knowledge and skills relating to: reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, reading for information, and reading for analysis. Specifically you will be asked to identify errors and issues with apostrophes, commas, references, subject and verb agreement, and parallelism. When preparing for the CHSPE writing task, you will need to keep proper writing techniques in mind. You should plan and organize what you will write to ensure it addresses the topic at hand. Make sure your writing is consistent and flows smoothly. Provide sufficient detail to back up your points, use proper grammar and vocabulary, and include a solid conclusion that ties your entire composition together.
In addition to understanding the material that will be included on the CHSPE, there are other test preparation tips that you may find useful. It is important to have an appropriate place to study as you will want to ensure you have a study environment that lets you be the most productive. Ensure noise and temperature levels in your study area are comfortable and that you have proper lighting and space to spread out your study materials. Whether you study at home or in a library, consider hanging out a “Do Not Disturb” sign to minimize all distractions.
Establish a study routine by setting aside time every day that you can dedicate specifically to studying and preparing for the CHSPE. Write down your CHSPE study periods on a weekly schedule, and as you complete each one, cross it out as a visual reminder of what you have already accomplished and how much remains till you meet your objective. Just make sure your study routine is one that works for you and is one that you can maintain consistently. Prioritize your daily or weekly activities, making CHSPE study a high priority and making it as productive as possible.
Understanding CHSPE Scoring and Results
The California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) is comprised of two sections: the English-language Arts section and the Mathematics section. The Mathematics portion of the CHSPE consists completely of multiple-choice questions. The English-language Arts section is divided in two sub-tests: Language and Reading. The Language portion of the English-language Arts sub-test consists of both multiple-choice questions and a writing test, while the Reading portion of the English-language Arts subtest consists solely of multiple-choice questions.
Scoring on the multiple-choice questions in the Mathematics section as well as on the multiple-choice questions in the English-language Arts Language and Reading sub-tests is based upon the number of questions that were answered correctly. Because you are not penalized for guessing at an answer, in the event you do not know the answer to a multiple-choice question, it is always a good idea to choose one of the answers that you believe is correct.
The writing test that is part of the English-language Arts Language sub-test is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 the highest. A minimum of two individuals who are trained to review and score the written portion of the Language test review the essays independently and provide their score. These scores are then averaged to produce your score for this portion of the test.
The results on both the Mathematics and English-language Arts sections are tallied and reported on a scale that generally ranges from 250 to 450. In order to correct for differences in the levels of difficulty across test forms, the raw scores are then converted to the scale-based score. Your raw score is the number of questions you answer correctly. By using a scale for scoring, test-takers who have the same scale scores are indicative of equivalent levels of performance, even if they used different test forms and took the test on different dates.
Your scale score must be at least 350 in order to pass the Mathematic section of the CHSPE. You must pass both the Language and Reading sub-tests in order to pass the English-language Arts section of the CHSPE. Your scale score must be at least 350 in order to pass the Reading sub-test. Your multiple choice and written essay scores are combined to produce your results for the Language sub-test, as noted below. In order to pass the Language sub-test, you must score as follows.
| Written test score | Multiple-choice test score |
| 3.5 | 342 |
| 3 | 350 |
| 2.5 | 365 |
| 2 or lower Not applicable | – You cannot pass with this score |
You will receive a CHSPE score report in the mail approximately five weeks after the date you took the test. This report will indicate:
- if you passed or did not pass the CHSPE, and
- your results for each content cluster of the examination. Your overall performance is rated as: “Adequate or Better,” “Below Adequate,” or “Far Below Adequate.”
If you did not pass a specific section or sub-test, that is, the Mathematics section, the English-language Arts Language sub-test, or the English-language Arts Reading sub-test, you are permitted to retake whichever section or sub-test you did not pass. If you re-take the English-language Arts Language sub-test, you will be required to re-take both the multiple choice and written essay portions of the test at the same time. Note: if you passed both the Mathematics and English-language Arts sections of the test you will also receive your Certificate of Proficiency in the mail.
If, after five weeks, you have not received your official score report, contact the CHSPE Office to confirm your correct U.S. mailing information and submit a written request for a replacement set of test results.
If the California Department of Education and the CHSPE Office find sufficient reason to question the legitimacy of either your test score or registration information, they may choose to void your CHSPE score.
Understanding the CHSPE Writing Task
The English-language Arts section of the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) contains a Language sub-test that consists of both multiple choice questions and a writing task. You must complete both portions of the Language sub-test during the same administration of the CHSPE in order to receive appropriate overall scoring. The scoring for the multiple choice portion of the Language test is based on the number of correct responses. Scoring for the writing task portion of the Language test is done on a scale of 1 to 5; one is the lowest score and 5 the highest. Trained test scorers review the essay independently and provide their individual score. These scores are then averaged to provide the written task score.
The writing task of the Language sub-test assesses your level of expository writing skills in response to an essay question or topic. The goal of expository writing is to explain, inform, define, clarify, or instruct. In the case of the CSHPE, your task is to write an essay explaining your opinion about a specific issue. The test scorers will then use a specific rubric that sets out the criteria and level of writing skills that are expected for each level of the scoring scale. By understanding the rubric, you will understand how your written essay will be evaluated and scored. You can use the rubric criteria to perform your own review of your essay and make necessary revisions prior to submitting it as final.
In addition, at the time you take the CSHPE Language test, you will be given a “Writer’s Checklist” to use when completing the writing task. You should take the time to use this checklist in order to verify that your essay meets the writing requirements. The writer’s checklist asks you to confirm that you:
- Wrote about the essay topic
- Used complete sentences to express your ideas
- Provided sufficient and only relevant supporting detail
- Organized your ideas in a clear format
- Wrote a topic sentence for each paragraph
- Used proper punctuation and spelling
- Wrote or printed clearly
An essay will receive a score of 1 if it has no central idea and provides few, if any, supporting details. The writer will have demonstrated little to no control over the structure of his/her sentences, and the essay will contain a significant number of confusing grammar and language usage errors.
An essay that covers the writing task in a limited manner will receive a score of 2. This essay will probably not have a central idea and few or irrelevant supporting elements. The writer will demonstrate inadequate control over the words used and the structure of sentences, and the essay will not be well-organized. This essay will contain grammar and word usage errors throughout, causing possible reader confusion.
If an essay addresses the writing task in a basic manner it will receive a score of 3. This essay will be somewhat organized and contain reasoning and details that support its central idea. The writer will demonstrate a basic control over the words used and the structure of sentences. While the essay may contain some grammar and word usage errors, they do not cause confusion to the reader.
The writer whose essay addresses the writing task in a competent manner will receive a score of 4. This essay will be organized and provide sufficient reasoning that specifically supports its central idea. For the most part, the writer uses words appropriately and has control over sentence structure, with some minor errors in grammar, word usage, and writing conventions.
A top score of 5 will be given to an essay that addresses the writing task effectively. This essay is well-organized, providing appropriate reasoning and specific details to clearly support its central idea. The writer uses specific words and a variety of sentence structures, and the essay contains few, if any, grammatical or word usage errors.