The California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) is an early-exit exam for high school students aged who are in the second semester of their sophomore year in high school, or 16-18 years old, or those that have enrolled in the 10th grade for two semesters or more. This exam only pertains to the high school curriculum in California, and may or may not apply to other states. Therefore, a student must check to see if their college of choice outside of California will accept such a test. It is offered twice every six months, and its cost is $85 ($100 if after deadline).
Upon passing the exam, the student has an opportunity to head straight to a community college. (Assessment tests will be required upon entry to determine the student's English and math eligibility, however.) If a student is under 18 and succeeds in passing the exam, the student may not leave high school unless their parent or guardian consents. The CHSPE eliminates the need for minors to get a work permit before being employed, but is not otherwise considered "emancipation", and laws regulating minors still apply.
Under California law, a CHSPE degree is equivalent to a high school diploma; that is, any institution within California (except the Federal Government, which is not bound to state law) which requires a high school diploma cannot discriminate against individuals on the basis of having a CHSPE degree. For civilian positions, the Federal Government accepts the CHSPE as an acceptable proof of graduation from high school. The U.S. military policy on the CHSPE varies depending on the branch of the armed forces applied to and the position.
Anyone who satisfies the age and/or grade requirements is eligible to take the exam, even if they are still enrolled in high school. Students who have taken and passed the CHPSE may continue education in their current high school. Those who have left high school but are still under 18 can return to high school at any time they wish. Furthermore, if the student wishes to return to their previous high school, that school is required to accept them.
Unlike the GED, the CHSPE tests only Mathematics and English skills. Students have three and one half hours to complete the exam, and are free to divide their time as they wish between the two sections. Because the math and English sections are graded separately and can be passed separately, some students can sit the exam twice, with three and one half hours for the math section and three and one half hours for the English. The GED is also generally given to those above the age of 18, at adult schools, and targets immigrants and those who have already dropped out of high school. In addition to English, the GED is also given in Spanish and French, while the CHSPE is only given in English. The CHSPE is targeted at home schoolers and those students who want to legally exit high school before their 18th birthday (as opposed to those who drop out through truancy). Many CHSPE takers are students who are advanced learners and find the environment of high school stifling. Others are employees in the entertainment or agriculture industries who need to work.
Those that have taken the CAHSEE (the California High School Exit Exam, required of all high school students to graduate in California) will find the CHSPE very similar in format, with a longer exam and more difficult questions.