National Spanish Examinations

The National Spanish Examinations are used to measure performance (interpretive communication) and achievement of English-speaking students who are studying Spanish as a second language.

There are seven (7) levels of National Spanish Examinations:

LEVEL 01

• Entry level for any program where the course content is equivalent to the first half of first year high school Spanish. (Grade 7)

LEVEL 1

• Second year for JHS / MS students where the course content is equivalent to the second half of first year high school Spanish (Grade 8) or
• Entry level for any program where the course content is equivalent to a full year of high school Spanish. (Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)

LEVEL 2

• Second level of high school Spanish. (Grades 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)

LEVEL 3

• Third level of high school Spanish. (Grades 9, 10, 11 or 12)

LEVEL 4

• Fourth level of high school Spanish. (Grades 10, 11 or 12)

LEVEL 5

• Fifth level of high school Spanish. (Grades 11 or 12)

LEVEL 6

• Sixth level of high school Spanish. (Grades 11 or 12)

NOTES:

REPETITION OF LEVELS:  Because the National Spanish Examinations are a contest, no student may take the same level of the National Spanish Examination more than once. 

AP Language / IB-SL: Students enrolled in a course labeled AP Language or IB-SL should register to take the current year’s NSE exam at one level higher than the course in which they were enrolled the previous year. [Example: A student who is enrolled in AP Language this year and took Spanish 4 last year would sit for the Level 5 exam this year.] Under no circumstance may an AP Language / IB-SL student take the NSE at lower than Level 4.

AP Literature / IB-HL: Students enrolled in a course labeled AP Literature or IB-HL must take the NSE at either Level 5 or 6. These students should register to take the current year’s NSE exam at one level higher than the course in which they were enrolled the previous year. Under no circumstance may an AP Literature / IB-HL student take the NSE at lower than Level 5.

Cost per Teacher. There is a $75 cost to each teacher administering the National Spanish Examination. This cost covers administrative expenses associated with each teacher regardless of the number of exams he/she administers such as: mailings, results, etc…. Teachers may only register students who are currently enrolled in their classes, and must enroll them for the level of exam which matches the course they are currently enrolled.

NOTE: To ensure that students are enrolled in the registering teacher's class at the correct level, both the NSE national office and chapter coordinators reserve the right to request that each participating teacher submit an official class list signed by an administrator.

NOTE: AATSP members do not have to pay the $75 per teacher cost, as giving the National Spanish Examinations is a benefit of AATSP membership.

Current AATSP members must be in good standing and must have their 2021 AATSP dues paid in order to avoid paying the $75 test administration fee.

To join AATSP, visit www.aatsp.org. (Click here for Benefits of Joining AATSP.)

Cost per Student. Each school pays a fee per examination to the national office. This fee includes (1) a national portion of $4.00 and (2) an optional chapter portion (between $1.00 and $3.00 per student). Each chapter has a slightly different fee schedule because each chapter recognizes students in a different way (prizes, certificates, awards, banquets, etc.). Student recognition is funded through this chapter fee.

The national fee of $4.00 per student covers:

One (1) Online National Spanish Examination

Unlimited year long use of the free, online practice examinations

Seven (7) sets of percentiles for each student

A personalized report for each student listing percentages for all learner outcomes

National recognition

Printable certificates for students who earn medal placement

Eligibility to compete for Global Citizen Scholarships, Junior Travel Awards and Senior Scholarships

The chapter fee covers chapter prizes.

(See the Chapters and Coordinators page to obtain your chapter's fee schedule and how your local chapter recognizes students.)

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Cost per school / district. Schools requiring additional forms (such as vendor packets, affidavits, notarized or other legal documents) will be charged an additional processing fee. The amount of the processing fee is determined by the complexity of the documentation required and is generally between $25 and $50.

NSE is a non-profit organization. Once all operating expenses have been paid, all funds are returned to the students in the form of prizes and scholarships. NSE cannot absorb of the cost of completing additional documentation required by some school districts.

NOTE: All NSE invoices must be paid on time. Schools requiring extra time to process such documentation need to register with ample time in order for payment to be made before the deadline. If payment deadlines are not met, then applicable late fees will be charged

LATE REGISTRATIONS: There will be a late registration period from February 15 - February 25, 2022, for teachers who miss the regular registration period. Teachers are to follow the same process as above; however, there is a $2 late fee per examination.

CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE (formerly Regular)

A student whose only contact with Spanish is in the classroom.

OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE

A student who has had specific experiences with Spanish beyond the classroom.

1. The student is a heritage speaker who has had exposure to Spanish but limited practice in his/her home environment. The student may hear or speak some Spanish at home.
2. The student has been enrolled in a Spanish immersion or dual language program for the prior 3 years or more.
3. The student's principal language is another romance language (Catalan, French, Galician, Italian, Sicilian, Portuguese, Rumanian, etc.)
4. The student has participated in an elementary Spanish language program during grades K-6 for three years or more. (This specification applies to LEVELS 01 and 1 only. Any student taking the Level 2 exam or above who participated in an elementary Spanish program may be placed in the CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE category.)

NOTE: For the purpose of the NSE Contest, an elementary Spanish language program is defined as having had 30 minutes or more of Spanish instruction per week for three years or more during Grades K-6.

BILINGUAL

A student who comes from a home where Spanish is the predominant language.

1. The student has grown up in a home where Spanish is spoken.
2. The student is bilingual to some degree in both Spanish and English.

The following language experiences may place a student in either the outside experience category or in the bilingual category. The teacher should advise the student as to which category is appropriate.

A student has lived (after age 6) in a Spanish speaking country for more than a year.

A student has studied in a Spanish speaking country for more than 4 months.

A student whose principal language at home is Spanish or Spanish/English.

A student whose principal language outside the home is Spanish or Spanish/English.

NOTE: The National Spanish Examinations are used to measure performance (interpretive communication) and achievement of English-speaking students who are studying Spanish as a second language. Native Spanish speakers (i.e. foreign exchange students and students who were born in and who have studied the Spanish language formally in their native Spanish speaking country and later moved to the United States) are ineligible to sit for the National Spanish Examinations.