Assessments/Measures for Graduation

• Accuplacer is a computerized test that assesses reading, writing, math and computer skills. The results help place students in courses that match their skill levels.
   
• The first test is free to prospective concurrent enrollment students who plan to take a mathematics or English course. Students may retest once per semester at an additional cost (and may test a total of four times in a five-year period).
   
• The test is taken junior year or when a student plans to attend a community college.
   
• The test is not timed. Free practice materials and a study app are available for students on the Front Range Community College website.
   
• Students must bring a photo ID on test day.
   
• Check testing locations and dates for Front Range Community College, AIMS Community College, and other testing locations by visiting their websites.
   
• Next Generation Accuplacer website
   
• Accuplacer website 

• ACT is an entrance exam used by many colleges and universities to make admissions decisions.

• Students register for the test on the ACT website or by mail.

• Special or personal accommodations for students must be applied for and approved prior to testing.

• The ACT costs $50.50. Learn about fee waivers on the ACT Fee Waiver Program web page.

• Test preparation is available on the ACT test preparation web page and through other resources.

• One can retake the test up to 12 times.

ACT WorkKeys - National Career Readiness Certificate

ACT WorkKeys is an assessment that tests students’ job skills in applied reading, writing, mathematics and 21st century skills. Scores are based on job profiles that help employers select, hire, train, develop and retain a high-performance workforce.

To earn the ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate, students must score at the bronze level (a score of at least 3) in all three assessments:

• Applied Mathematics
• Graphic Literacy
• Workplace Documents
   

• AP courses are college level courses offered at the high school level. These courses are approved by the College Board and may allow students to earn college credit, if they meet score requirements on AP exams. 

• Check your high school curriculum guide for a list of approved classes or with your student's high school counselor.

• AP exams - cost varies by test

• Special or personal accommodations for students are accepted.

• College Board Approved Courses and Exams

• The ASVAB assessment scores four critical areas - arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension and mathematics knowledge. The scores count towards the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score, which determines whether one is qualified to enlist in the U.S. military.

• Before taking the test, the student must meet with a recruiter to determine if they qualify for enlistment.

• ASVAB testing is conducted at several locations and possibly may be taken at school if organized with a proctor. Students should check with their counselor.  

• The test is free.

• The test is timed.

• Special or personal accommodations for those hoping to enlist in the military are not accepted for the ASVAB.

• After taking the ASVAB the first time, one must wait one month to retake the test. After the second time, one must wait another month to take the test again. After that, one must wait six months to retake the ASVAB. Scores may be used for enlistment for up to two years from the date of testing.

• ASVAB website

• Concurrent enrollment provides students the tuition free opportunity to enroll in post-secondary courses, simultaneously earning high school and college credit.

• PSD concurrent enrollment options:
  • College Credit in High School- College classes in high school.
  • ASCENT - Seniors take a fifth year of high school to take only college classes at Front Range Community College or AIMS.
  • Career Pathways - Technical education classes offered for high school credit with optional college credit. 
• Contact a school counselor for information about application requirements and deadlines.

• A Capstone Project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic, intellectual, and personalized learning experience for students. Capstone experiences are offered at each high school.

• PSD approved capstone template

• Special or personal accommodations are accepted for students, if needed.

Industry certificates are credentials recognized by businesses and industries that show a student has mastered knowledge and skills in a particular occupation or industry.

• IB exams assess students' knowledge of IB courses they have taken while enrolled in an official IB diploma program.

• Special or personal accommodations are accepted for students, if needed.

• In PSD, exams are administered via the Poudre High School diploma program.  

• Cost is $120 per IB exam.

• Poudre High School IB Program

• The SAT is a college entrance exam that is accepted (or often required) at nearly all four-year colleges and universities in the United States. The SAT includes sections on reading, writing and math. The highest possible score for each section is 800.

• PSAT (preliminary SAT) exam -  Available to ninth and tenth graders at no cost, taken at school.

• Special or personal accommodations must be applied for and approved before taking the test.

• Free practice tests are available on the College Board SAT website.

• The SAT is offered at no cost to Colorado juniors once a year in their school district on a scheduled test date, often in the spring of the junior year. 

• Students may take additional SAT exams (an unlimited  number of times). Registration cost is $49.50 per exam.

• Learn about fee waivers for 11th and 12th grade students who qualify on the SAT fee waivers web page. 

Visit the College Entrance Exams web page for information.