GGUSD BENCHMARK EXAMS
Benchmark Exams are administered to students quarterly in their academic classes. The subject areas include English, Social Science, Mathematics and World Language.
CALIFORNIA ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT TEST (CELDT)
This assessment is administered yearly to all students who speak English as a second language. Students take a reading, writing, listening and speaking portion each Fall. Proficiency level results are mailed home by the end of February.
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSESSMENTS
The previous California State Tests have been replaced by the Smarter Balanced assessments. These assessments are aligned to the new State Standards, and go beyond multiple-choice questions to include extended response and technology enhanced items, as well as performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. These assessments will be given in the month of May to 11th grade students. 10th grade students will still be taking the Life Science State Standards assessment.
PSAT/NMSQT
Students take the PSAT during their sophomore or junior year. Results of the junior year test are used to qualify students for the national Merit Scholarship program and college scholarships. The PSAT provides practice for the SAT, the college entrance qualifying exam.
SAT AND ACT
Colleges and scholarship programs use scores as tools to evaluate the academic preparedness of applicants. Students should take the SAT Reasoning test during their junior year and the SAT subject tests soon after completing courses. Seniors who are not satisfied with their junior year scores may retake tests in the fall of their senior year. All four-year college-bound students must complete their testing by December of their senior year. Students may also take the ACT, which are accepted at most colleges and universities in lieu of the SAT. Fee waivers may be available, check with your counselor. More information and testing dates may be found at:
www.collegeboard.com. ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS
The AP Program at Los Amigos offers approximately 18 courses across multiple subject areas. Each course is developed by a committee composed of college faculty and AP teachers, and covers the breadth of information, skills, and assignments found in the corresponding college course. AP courses are taught by highly qualified high school teachers who use the AP Course Descriptions to guide them. The AP Examinations are administered each year in May and represent the culmination of college-level work in a given discipline in a secondary school setting. Rigorously developed by committees of college and AP high school faculty, the AP Exams test students' ability to perform at a college level. Specific information about each test and end-of-the-year testing dates may be found at
www.apcentral.collegeboard.com.