Dear parents and guardians,

I’ll be administering the National Spanish Exam to interested students at the end of March, 2020. The
test is optional. The cost for this test is $5, which includes the national and chapter fees. I will be
collecting the fee through Friday, January 17 @ 3:00 p.m. Please pay by cash or check (payable to
Raleigh Charter High School.) Students will have a choice of taking the test on Thursday or Friday,
March 26 and 27 from 12:30 to 2:00. (These are mini-ex days).

Besides helping us assess and measure our Spanish program and make adjustments, the NSE is a useful
tool for students who will be taking the AP, SAT II and college placement exams. While we will do
practice activities in class, students do not need to study for or stress over this exam. We simply ask that
students do the very best they can. There are scholarship opportunities available for students who score
very high, and there are award levels (bronze, silver and gold) for achieving certain levels. For chapter
winners, there are prizes given (usually gift cards). A number of students have earned these certificates
and prizes, and several students have been awarded scholarships in the past.

The National Spanish Examinations are a motivational contest to recognize student achievement in the
study of Spanish and to stimulate further interest in the teaching and learning of Spanish.

The National Spanish Examinations are online, standardized assessment tools for Grades 6 -12, given
voluntarily by about 4000 teachers throughout the United States to measure performance (interpretive
communication) and achievement of students who are studying Spanish as a second language.

The National Spanish Examinations are the most widely used tests of Spanish in the United States. In the
spring of 2018, a total of 150,303 students registered for the National Spanish Examinations.

The National Spanish Examinations are recognized by many administrative and teaching associations and
organizations at the local, state and national levels. The National Association of Secondary School
Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for
2018-2019.
What is the purpose of the National Spanish Examinations?

The purpose of the National Spanish Examinations is

1. to recognize achievement in the study of the Spanish language
2. to promote proficiency in interpretive communication in the Spanish language
3. to assess the national standards as they pertain to learning Spanish
4. to stimulate further interest in the teaching and learning of Spanish

Thank you,
Mark Slattery