IMPORTANT DATES (2008-2009 CAHSEE Dates):

• July 29 and 30 – Class of '09 seniors and any non-grads from previous years (IHS students will test at PHHS)
• Nov 4 and Nov 5 – 11th and 12th graders
• Feb 3 and Feb 4 – 10th graders only
• Mar 17 and Mar 18 – 10th makeups, and 11th and 12th graders

What is the CAHSEE?

State law, enacted in 1999, authorized the development of the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE), which students in California public schools would have to pass to earn a high school diploma. Beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, all California public school students are required to pass the CAHSEE and meet all other state and local requirements to earn a high school diploma.

The purpose of the CAHSEE is to improve student achievement in high school and to help ensure that students who graduate from high school can demonstrate grade level competency in reading, writing, and mathematics.

One part of the CAHSEE addresses state English-language arts content standards through grade ten. This part of the exam, which consists of multiple-choice questions and a writing task, has a reading and decoding section and a writing section. The reading and decoding section covers vocabulary, informational reading, and literary reading. This section includes 50 percent literary texts and 50 percent informational texts. The writing section covers writing strategies, applications, and conventions. In addition to the multiple-choice questions, students are asked to write one essay on a specific topic or in response to a literary or informational passage.

What is CAHSEE English?

CAHSEE English is a support class offered for elective credit. This class has been designed specifically for 10th-12th grade students who are performing below proficient in California Standards Testing and/or have not passed the California High School Exit Exam.

Response to Literature