California High School Proficiency and Equivalency Certificates
The State Board of Education (SBE) will award a “certificate of proficiency” to persons who pass the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE), established by the California Department of Education to assess proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics skills.
Education Code 51420-51427 provides that persons may be awarded the California High School Equivalency Certificate by taking a general educational development test and receiving a score that is at least as high as that determined by the SBE to be equal to the standard performance expected from high school graduates. The SBE has approved the use of two tests for this purpose: the General Educational Development (GED) test and the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) provided by the Educational Testing Service.
Students are advised that receiving a certificate of proficiency by passing the CHSPE, while equivalent to a high school diploma, is not the equivalent of completing all coursework required for high school graduation and may impact admission to colleges and universities. Students should contact the admissions office of the college or university they are interested in attending to determine if the certificate satisfies their admission requirements.
California High School Proficiency Examination
California Department of Education - CHSPE
What is CHSPE
CHSPE Testing
CHSPE FAQ
Notice and Consent to Discontinue Attendance for CHSPE
California High School Equivalency (HSE) Certificate
Eligibility for HSE Certificate
California Department of Education - HSE Tests
HiSET
HiSET Testing
HiSET FAQ
GED
Testing GED
GED FAQ