No. 70         Office of the Superintendent

Attachment A - Sample Exam Answer Sheet (Acrobat PDF)

1. Tto identify and recognize honors-level achievement by individual students in specific academic subjects and

2. To function (in some instances) as end-of-course examinations.

Golden State Seal Merit Diploma Program

This program was established in February of 1997 with the Merit Diploma available for the first time

to June 1997 graduates. To qualify for the diploma, students must attain high honors, honors, or recognition designations (by receiving a score of 6, 5, or 4) on six (6) GSEs. (Additional information can be found in Section C.)

Testing Schedule

The following is the statewide testing administration schedule for the Golden State Examinations. Note: Students must complete both parts of an examination to be eligible to receive recognition as a Golden State Scholar, or to receive scores to qualify for the Merit Diploma.

A testing window has been designated for schools that cannot test on the established dates listed above due to scheduling conflicts. Schools with such conflicts were asked to submit requests for alternate testing dates to the district for forwarding to the state for approval.

1.) Economics and/or Government/Civics GSEs: Any student who is currently enrolled in Economics and/or Government/Civics (or who have taken the course since the previous test administration in May 2000) may take the appropriate examination.

2.) High School Mathematics GSE: Any student who has completed 3 years of high school mathematics covering content in algebra I, algebra II, and probability and statistics may take the exam. Students are not required to be enrolled in a particular mathematics class.

3.) Reading/Literature and/or Written Composition GSEs: Any student enrolled in Grade 11 or 12 may take the exam. Students are not required to be enrolled in a particular English class.

Since each exam is designed to measure a student's understanding of a subject, students with comprehensive preparation in the subject matter are most likely to do well. All students who show interest in the exams should be encouraged to take GSEs.

This new honors diploma program was established in February of 1997 and made available for the first time to June 1997 graduates. To be eligible for the diploma, students must attain achievement levels of 4 (Recognition), 5 (Honors), or 6 (High Honors) on six (6) GSEs:

• written composition or reading/literature,
• U.S. History,
• at least one mathematics exam (first-year algebra, geometry, or high school math),
• at least one science exam (biology, chemistry, or physics) and
• any two (2) other GSEs of the student's choice.

Current seniors must meet all these requirements to be eligible for the June diploma. (Since there is no make up testing for GSEs, this means that current seniors must have attained recognition or honors level scores on the spring 2000 U.S. History GSE in order to qualify for the June diploma.)

Students for whom no precoded identification label exists must enter their official, complete, and correctly spelled first and last name and correct 9-digit student ID number (Item 12 on the back of the answer document) on all forms. Forms used in the past indicated that completing the Student ID section is optional. Please be advised that completing Item 12--the Student ID section—IS NOT OPTIONAL for students who do not have precoded identification labels. For those students, Item 12 must be completed. (Item 12 is on the back of the attached sample answer document (Attachment A). All teachers who administer GSEs should be provided with a copy of the attachment and instructed that completion of Item 12 is required. Prior to testing, teachers should revise their administration manuals to indicate this requirement.)

Schools will be notified of availability for pick-up of site materials upon district receipt of Golden State Examination materials.

All materials are to be returned to the Testing Unit, Annex 3, by 4 p.m., Thursday, January 18, 2001. Schools need to carefully follow packing instructions for each type of materials.

School Coordinators should refer to the Instructions for Returning Test Materials section of the Supervisor's Manual for complete return instructions for each individual GSE test. It is critical that persons administering the various tests are completely familiar with and follow the repackaging instructions in the manual.

All instructions in the Test Coordinator's Manual and the Supervisor's Manual should be followed carefully. Note particularly those sections which describe testing and security procedures (including procedures for the safekeeping and accounting of all test materials). It is critical that persons administering the test are completely familiar with the directions in the manual for sorting, packaging, sealing, and returning GSE tests to the Testing Unit.

NOTE:

• All student forms must include either a precoded identification label or the student's official, complete, and correctly spelled first and last name (as in the district's Student Information System) and the correct 9-digit student ID number (Item 12 on the back side of the answer document). All teachers who administer GSEs should be provided with a copy of the attached sample answer document (Attachment A) and instructed that completion of Item 12 is required. Prior to testing, teachers should revise their administration manuals to indicate this requirement.)

• Tests must be sorted and repacked correctly.

• All materials must be counted, verified, and banded together.

Each principal should complete all certification forms and return them according to the process outlined in the Test Coordinator's Manual.