About YKSD
School Board
Our Schools
Families
Students
Skip to content
Assessments Post-Secondary
Student Choice
High school students in the state of Alaska are no longer required to take a high school graduate qualifying examination! Rather, the state of Alaska offers students a choice to take one of following three assessments: WorkKeys, ACT, or the SAT. One of these three examinations will be offered free of charge to high school students during his/her junior year with the option to retake an assessment during senior year.
WorkKeys
This assessment is provided by ACT, and aims to evaluate students' skills as they relate to the workforce. Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information are among the most widely known portions of this assessment. Employers across the nation have deemed WorkKeys as a valuable evaluative tool.
Aside WorkKeys Assessment, students in grades 11 & 12 also have the opportunity to take the ACT or SAT! The ACT is primarily utilized to determine post-secondary education admission and course placement in higher education.
The counseling department typically offers the ACT assessment between the months of November and January on-site to students to make early planning for life after high school easier!
If a student solely wishes to take the SAT/PSAT assessment, the counseling department can also make arrangements on an individual basis. Though most colleges accept placement scores from both the ACT & SAT.
Other optional assessments that students may opt to take are the Accuplacer and TABE! The Accuplacer test is primarily used for students interested in vocational or two-year programs. The Accuplacer very quickly assesses students' math, reading, writing, and computer skills knowledge. The TABE, test of adult basic education, is a test this can be required by specific program entrance into sectors such as nursing, firefighting or law enforcement.
Additionally, the counseling department can also help to arrange students to take the ASVAB which is the examination required for entrance into the United States military branches!
The counseling department does administer this assessment onsite on a as needed basis to those students whose post-secondary plans include vocational programs!