Who takes this test?
Students who wish to earn a High School Equivalency Diploma take the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) exam. Test takers in New York City must be:
- At least 17 years old and turn 18 by June 30 and
- Meet one of the following requirements:
- Student is enrolled in a State approved prep program (all District 79 programs are approved) or
- One year has passed since the student was discharged from school; or
- Student’s high school class has graduated.
When is this test given?
The TASC exam is given 12 months a year.
What is on the test?
TASC has five sections:
- Language Arts – Reading
- Language Arts – Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
The TASC takes about eight hours to complete and is usually given in one or two days. If you don't pass one or more of the five subject area sub-tests, you can retake those parts after 60 days. In most cases you can take the TASC exam up to three times in a calendar year.
How are the results scored?
The minimum passing score is 500 for Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The TASC Writing sub-test has one additional requirement—you must score at least 500 and get at least a 2 out of the 8 possible points on the Writing essay.
How are the results used?
The results of the exam are used to see if a student qualifies for a High School Equivalency diploma.
For more information, you can also read up about Adult Education.