HSPE Basic
Information
High School Proficiency Exam
Formerly known as WASL
Prepared by: Jeni McAnally, Literacy Specialist VPS
Reading HSPE – Testing Session
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One 120 minute session
Extended time available for ALL students
requiring extra time
Extra time ends at the end of the school
day
Reading HSPE – Passages
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There are FIVE reading passages in the
exam.
Informational, literary, and poetic reading
passages are represented
Reading HSPE - Items
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There are 40 questions (“items”) on the
exam
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35 multiple choice items
Five short answer items
Of the 40 questions, six are “pilot” items (mixed
multiple choice and short answer) and are NOT
calculated in the student’s score
Reading HSPE - Scoring
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Multiple choice items (35) are worth one
point each (80% of total score)
Short answer items (5) are worth two points
each (20% of total score)
Total possible score 45
After pilot items are removed, the score is
calculated for a total possible score of 525
Reading HSPE – Ranges
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Level 4: 427-525
Level 3: 400-426
Level 2: 375-399
Level 1: 225-374
Pass
Fail
Writing HSPE – Testing Session
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Two Testing Sessions
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One 120 minute testing session for expository
essay on one day
One 120 minute testing session for persuasive
essay on the next day
Extended time available for ALL students
requiring extra time
Extra time ends at the end of the school
day
Writing HSPE – Modes
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One expository essay
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Students write an essay intended to explain a
concept to a reader
One persuasive essay
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Students write an essay intended to persuade a
reader to do or believe something
Writing HSPE – Scoring
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Content, Organization, and Style – 4 points
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On the six trait rubric, COS encompasses Ideas
and content, Organization, Voice, Word Choice,
and Sentence Fluency.
Conventions – 2 points
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This accounts for indentation, spelling,
punctuation, and grammar
Writing HSPE – Scoring (cont.)
Expository
4 (COS)
+ 2 (Con)
6 possible points
Persuasive
4 (COS)
+ 2 (Con)
6 possible points
Double Scored = 12 possible
points for expository
Double Scored = 12 possible
points for expository
24 points
possible
Writing HSPE – Ranges
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Level 4: 21-24
Level 3: 17-20
Level 2: 13-16
Level 1: 0-12
Pass
Fail
Writing HSPE – Do The Math

Writers who are weak in
conventions must be STRONG
in COS. Let’s look at an
example. Let’s say…
 Both essays score a 3 on
COS and a 1 on
Conventions
 4 points by two readers for
two tests = 16

16 is NOT PASSING
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Writers who are weak in COS
must be STRONG in
Conventions. Let’s look at
another example. Let’s say…
 Both essays score a 2 on
COS and a 2 on
Conventions
 4 points by two readers for
two tests = 16

16 is NOT PASSING
Writing HSPE – Do The Math

Writers who are weak
in COS must be
STRONG in
conventions. Let’s
look at another
example. Let’s say…



Both essays score a 2 on
COS and a 2 on CON
4 points by two readers
for two tests = 16
16 is NOT PASSING