REVISED 3/2009
Frequently
Asked Questions
(CAHSEE)
1. What is "CAHSEE"?
"CAHSEE" refers to the California High School Exit
Exam.
2. Who must take the CAHSEE?
Students graduating in 2006 and beyond must take the exam.
3. Why do students take the CAHSEE for
the first time in grade 10 instead of grade 11 or 12?
Requiring the exam to be taken for the first time in grade
10 provides students who are unsuccessful with additional opportunities to
pass the CAHSEE. It is also being used by
4. What about students who are not fluent
in English?
English learners are required to take the CAHSEE in grade
10 with all students. These students must complete six months of instruction
in reading, writing, and comprehension in English during the first 24 months
of enrollment in the
5.
Will students with special needs have to take the CAHSEE?
Yes. Students with special needs must pass the CAHSEE to receive
a high school diploma and must be allowed to take the CAHSEE with accommodations
or modifications as specified in their Individualized Education Program (IEP)
or Section 504 Plan for classroom or statewide testing. Students who take
the test using a modification will receive an invalidated test score. However,
if the invalidated test score is the equivalent to a passing score(i.e.350
or higher), the district may submit a waiver request on behalf of the student
to waive the requirement of successful passage of one or both parts of the
CAHSEE to receive a diploma.
*(Please see the CDE website on Q&As
regarding Test Variations "A test variation is defined as a change
in the manner in which a test is presented or administered, or in how a test
taker is allowed to respond. Test variations include, but are not limited
to, accommodations and modifications.") Students can get a diploma if
they pass the CAHSEE with modifications prior to turning 22. They can get
a certificate of completion if they do not pass the CAHSEE and remain in school
prior to age 22.
Information for ESes: The modifications are listed in FRED and also on page 2 of the transition plan in the student's IEP. When a student passes the CAHSEE, the ES must contact Special Education with the most recent CAHSEE scores, and also request that the parent (or student if age 18) send the special education department a written request to seek a waiver for a diploma. The waiver can only be passed by our school board which meets early May, Sept, Dec, and March, so if a student passes in May, they may not have their waiver presented to the board until September.
For test taken and passed in Oct with modifications the student can receive their diploma in December pending board approval.
For test taken and passed in Feb with modifications the student can receive their diploma in May pending board approval.
For test taken and passed in May with modifications the student can receive their diploma in December pending board approval.
6. What if parents do not want their
student tested?
All students must pass the CAHSEE in order to receive a high
school diploma from a
7. Who decided what the CAHSEE should
cover?
A High School Exit Examination Standards Panel, appointed
by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, reviewed state content
standards in English-language arts and mathematics and recommended what they
believed a student should know and be able to do to graduate from high school.
8. What does the English-language arts part
of the CAHSEE cover?
The English-language arts part of the CAHSEE addresses state
content standards through grade 10. In reading, this includes vocabulary,
decoding, comprehension, and analysis of information and literary texts. In
writing, this covers writing strategies, applications, and the conventions
of standard English (e.g.,
grammar, spelling, and punctuation). The English-Language Arts portion of
the exam is divided into two sections and is administered over two days.
9. What does the mathematics part of
the CAHSEE cover?
The mathematics part of the CAHSEE addresses state standards
in grades 6, 7, and algebra 1. The exam includes statistics, data analysis
and probability, number sense, measurement and geometry, mathematical reasoning,
and algebra. Students also are asked to demonstrate a strong foundation in
computation and arithmetic, including working with decimals, fractions, and
percents. The Mathematics portion of the exam is divided into two sections
but is administered on the same day with a break in between.
10. How can parents help their student pass
the test?
There are many resources on the CDE (California Department
of Education) website to assist teachers/students in covering the required
material such as released test questions, teacher guides, and test blueprints.
Visit the website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/resources.asp
11. What happens if students don’t pass the
CAHSEE?
Students
that do not pass one or both parts of the Cahsee in tenth grade will be required to do CAHSEE prep courses.
Students must attend the following
scheduled appointments: learning record meetings, CAHSEE Prep tutoring
sessions and CAHSEE classes, Special Education meetings and related tutorials,
and exam/testing sessions. There will be additional
opportunities in grades eleven and twelve to retake the part(s) not passed.
Students who desire to participate in the graduation ceremony must take
two out of the first threesessions of the CAHSEE (and
pass the test) during their senior year (unless exam has been passed).
12. If a student takes and passes the high
school exit exam, do they have to continue taking it each grade until graduation?
No, as each part is passed, they are not allowed to take each
section over again. They have completed that requirement.
13. If the students takes the CAHSEE and passes
it with another school, do they have to take it and pass it with an
No. They do not have to retake the test if it has already
been passed, although they are responsible to provide their exam results to
the IEM Assessment office. Please send a copy of their results to: IEM, Assessment
Dept, 1166 Broadway, Suite Q,
15. Can 9th grade students take the exam?
No, it is not allowed.
16. Can a student choose to leave the school after
12th grade, having met all other graduation requirements, to return for one
more opportunity to pass the exam? Procedure for enrolling student
for 1-2 days for CAHSEE:
*Procedure for enrolling/activating previously enrolled 12th
grade students short term in order to attempt CAHSEE* : Parent/student needing
this service calls Assessment Dept.
Assessment emails/calls CAHSEE Test Site Coordinator Assessment emails/calls
Student Assignment with student information and request to assign them to
the site coordinator(regardless of student count since it is very short term)
Site Coordinator prints out SA and Attendance rollsheet
for the student and brings with them to the test site Parent/student signs
the SA and attendance at the test site ES also creates a 1-2 day learning
record Site Coordinator mails in SA, attendance roll sheet (with a note stating
that this was a 1-2 day student activation for testing), and drop form(using
drop code: 360 )