Academic Technology CLAST Registration Office of Information Technology

CLAST Q&A Brochure

What is the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)?

The CLAST is an achievement test that measures selected communication and mathematics skills adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE). It includes four subtests: essay, English language skills, reading, and mathematics. The mathematics, reading, and English language skills subtests are multiple-choice. The essay requires written composition on one of two provided topics.

Is the CLAST a required test?

Demonstrating attainment of basic college-level communications and mathematics skills is required for (1) the award of an associate in arts degree from a community college or state university and (2) admission to upper-division status in a state university or receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a state university.

The CLAST is one measure of students' academic proficiency. Effective January 1, 1996, s. 240.107, F.S., provides alternative ways for students to demonstrate attainment of the required communications and mathematics skills. For further information about these alternatives, contact the person or office responsible for administering the CLAST at your college or university.

What are passing scores on the CLAST?

Passing scores on the CLAST have been established by the State Board of Education as follows:

  Essay ELS Reading Math
8/1/84-7/31/86 4 265 260 260
8/1/86-7/31/89 4 270 270 275
8/1/89-9/30/91 4 295 295 285
10/1/91-9/30/92 5* 295 295 290
10/1/92 & thereafter 6 295 295 295

*In October 1991, the essay scoring scale was revised. A score of 5 on the revised scale is equivalent to a score of 4 on the former scale.

A student is required to present scores which meet the standards that are in effect at the time he or she initially takes the test. Students should check with local school authorities to determine which passing scores apply to them.

What happens if a student does not pass all four subtests of the CLAST?

Students who have not passed all four subtests and who are seeking a baccalaureate degree may be required to pass at least three subtests before they are allowed to earn more than 60 degree credits; they also may be required to pass all four subtests before they are allowed to earn more than 96 degree credits.

May students retake the CLAST?

Students who have not passed a subtest of the CLAST may retake it during any subsequent administration for which they are properly registered. Students may retake as many subtests as necessary to meet the CLAST requirement.

Students may retake an examination no sooner than the thirty-first (31st) day after any previous administration date, regardless of whether the previous administration was a regular administration, a special administration, or a computer-adaptive (CAT) administration. If a student takes a subtest of the CLAST before the thirty-first (31st) day, the score(s) will be invalidated, and no score report will be mailed.

Students may not retake any CLAST subtest for which they already have a passing score.

Where do students register for the CLAST?

Students must register for the CLAST at an institution that can determine their eligibility to take the test. Normally, this will be that institution in which students are enrolled when they take the test. Registration must be completed by the established deadline; late registration, stand-by registration, or walk-ins to the test are not permitted.

When is registration and when is the CLAST given?

The Commissioner of Education has established the following registration and test dates for the CLAST for the coming year:

  Registration Deadine   Test Date
  September 7, 2007   October 6, 2007
  January 18, 2008   February 16, 2008
  May 9, 2008   June 7, 2008

Participation in any administration of the CLAST is limited to those persons who have registered for that administration on or before the registration deadline.

An alternate administration is held on the Tuesday following each regular administration of the CLAST. This administration is open only to students who were registered for but could not participate in the regular administration because of health or religious reasons, duty assignment in the military, administrative error on the part of the institution, or participation in an authorized school function.

Where is the CLAST administered?

The CLAST is administered in all community colleges and state universities and in many private institutions in Florida.

What is the total testing time for the CLAST?

The total testing time for the CLAST is approximately five hours, which includes the time required for arrival, instructions, and a break. The time allotted for each subtest is as follows:

When will test results be mailed?

Test results will be mailed to students approximately five weeks after the test administration.

Are special testing arrangements available for students with disabilities?

Yes. Adaptations of testing materials, as well as of testing conditions, are made for students with documented physiological impairments or learning disabilities. It is the responsibility of students who need special testing arrangements to request them when registering for the CLAST.

How do students prepare to take the CLAST?

Community colleges and state universities in Florida are required to afford students the opportunity to acquire the skills that are measured in the CLAST as a part of freshman and sophomore courses.

Additionally, each community college and state university has an individual who coordinates all activities involved in the administration of the CLAST. That person in each institution will refer students for the help they may need.

Some colleges and universities offer classes for review of basic skills. At the University of Florida, The Teaching Center offers tutorial sessions for the CLAST.

What do students need for the CLAST?

Students need an admission ticket from the institution, two forms of identification with at least one showing a picture, several soft-leaded pencils with erasers, and ballpoint pens with blue or black ink.

What specific skills are measured by the CLAST?

The following skills, which have been agreed upon by community college and state university faculty members, are measured by the CLAST:

Essay Skills

All of the skills tested on the English language skills subtest are also tested on the essay subtest.

English Language Skills

Word Choice Skills

Sentence Structure Skills

Grammar, Spelling, Capitalization, and Punctuation Skills

Reading Skills

Literal Comprehension Skills

Critical Comprehension Skills

Mathematics Skills

Arithmetic Skills

Geometry and Measurement Skills

Algebra Skills

Statistics Skills, Including Probability

Logical Reasoning Skills

The unedited definitions of the skills listed above are contained in State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.0316, Florida Administrative Code.

TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) users may contact the Toll-Free Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771 for telephone communication with the sources listed above.

© State of Florida, Department of State,