Testing Program
Various tests are administered by the counselors and administration in order to help the student discover his/her achievements, interests, attitudes, abilities and aptitudes. Many of the instruments are designed to give the student a better picture of his/her educational development. Test results assist the school in curriculum planning and assessment and help the student in present and future planning.
PSAT Test: The PSAT is a measure of verbal and mathematical abilities that are important for college. It is also useful for predicting performance on the SAT test that some colleges require for admission purposes. Select sophomores and juniors will take this test in the fall. The juniors who take this test are automatically entered into scholarship competition as the National Merit Corporation administers it.
PRE-ACT Test: This is a three-hour test administered to all freshmen and sophomores in the spring. Four academic areas are tested – English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning. The Pre-ACT is a predictor of success on the ACT and ACT WorkKeys.
ACT and SAT Tests: The ACT and SAT tests measure academic ability and achievement and are required by colleges for admission purposes. Kansas colleges and the majority of the Midwest require the ACT. Colleges on the East and West coasts generally require the SAT. A student should visit with the counselor to see which test is required by the school(s) of interest to him/her. The ACT is given to all KMC juniors during the school day in the spring.
ACT WorkKeys: The WorkKeys is a standardized test that measures foundational skills required for success in the workplace and helps measure the workplace skills that can affect job performance. It is a skills-based assessment. Students who plan to attend a technical college, enter into the workforce, or who do not plan to attend a traditional four year college, such as cosmetology school, should consider taking the WorkKeys. See more information HERE.
SAT II Tests: The SAT II tests are required by highly selective colleges and are usually taken after the student has completed the highest level course in a subject area or in the fall semester of the senior year.
Special PSAT, SAT, ACT Testing: In order for a student to receive special testing for PSAT, SAT, or ACT, documentation of a testing disability from a psychologist must be provided to the student’s counselor. Documentation must be current within the last three years. Documentation from an eye specialist will not suffice. Counselors will administer one ACT and/or SAT per year per student with special needs. These tests are administered and scheduled with the mutual agreement of the counselor and the parent; preferably tests will be given in June of the junior year. Request for special testing must be scheduled at least six weeks prior to the test date.
Advanced Placement Exams: The AP exams grant college placement and/or credit to students if a qualifying score is achieved. These tests, in selected courses, are administered to qualifying students at KMC in May. Registration and a fee are required for each exam.
State Assessments: KMC participates in the state-wide testing mandated by the Kansas State Legislature yearly. Results from the state assessments are used in a variety of ways, including school-wide educational goals, to provide feedback on skill levels of students within a specific subject, to measure indicators within the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards and to provide information for state accreditation. Students are tested on certain subjects on a rotating schedule. For more information, and to see which tests are being given this year, visit the KSDE website HERE.
Kansas English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA): KELPA is a yearly test to assess a student's proficiency in the English language in four domains: reading, listening, speaking and writing. The state of Kansas mandates that students who are eligible for English Learner (or English Language Learner) services take this test.
National Spanish Assessment: The World Language department uses the NSA test to assess a student's proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking. The computerized assessment adjusts to the student's level of expertise and gives the World Language teachers specific information on a student's abilities and deficiencies. NSA testing typically occurs in mid to late spring.