Students can take regular math and English classes so long as they perform well on the PERT. However, below-average performance means students will have to take basic or remedial classes. Over the years, the exam has managed to determine students’ skills and abilities for course placement successfully.

Primarily, PERT involves diagnostic and placement subject matters concerning math, reading, and writing. Additionally, the Florida official faculty has deemed it a necessary framework to qualify for entry-level college courses.

It is imperative to understand that PERT is a computer adaptive test (C.A.T). Moreover, students’ placement score is based on twenty-five (25) operational items.

Exemption of the Test

As per current legislation, students enrolled in the 9^th grade in a Florida public school onwards 2018 or after, do not have to take the PERT. Similarly, Florida College System Institution states that students who have earned a high school diploma or serving as active members of the U.S Armed Forces are not required to enroll in the PERT as well.

PERT Background

Historically, the PERT exam was devised by the Florida Department of Education’s College Division in October 2010. It was customized and developed from the original blueprint of the K-12 team and university faculty. However, it took several more years to customize the exam. What’s interesting is that the implementation of the test became a statewide movement among numerous colleges.

As soon as the contract of the previous placement exam expired, administrative faculties moved forward to adopt a new college readiness program. The college readiness section is arguably the most developed portion of the test.

Before 2010, there was no recognition of the test that could create more opportunities for students. However, the readiness section was re-defined and reflected throughout the foundational development of the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT).

Today, the State works with the colleges to help restructure and develop courses’ sequence. With time, more equivalent courses and numbers have appeared statewide.  When courses are standardized across colleges, it allows the educational department to establish score cuts effectively. However, entry-level college credit courses weren’t standardized before October 25, 2015.

The first rollout of the PERT exam in numerous colleges took place in a proctored setting. That said, most of the colleges transitioned at the end of 2011. Currently, colleges in Florida are required to utilize PERT as a placement tool for students. PERT system largely increases the diagnostic capabilities of the colleges and helps students get ready for college-level coursework.

As a result, colleges are now able to reduce remediation time and increase the probability of students’ success. Also, the Division of Florida Colleges and Public Schools consistently explore the feasibility and authorization of high schools to administer the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test.

The underlying goal of the high schools is to develop the capacity to administer and monitor the computer-based PERT exam for each student without compromising the standards. Currently, the security protocols of the PERT exam are regulated by the administration that adheres to college requirements.

How the Test is Designed

The Education Department worked alongside psychometricians to craft a provisional program that eventually cuts placement scores for entry-level college courses and lower-upper educational development.

Interestingly, the strategy was formulated to place students for suitable courses perfectly. The proportion of similarity helps avoid dramatic changes when students change courses’ enrollment. Colleges utilize the same provisional cut score strategy for placement purposes.

Purpose of the Test

In hindsight, the PERT exam evaluates the course placement accuracy as per students’ skills and abilities. Furthermore, the test is administered in public high schools to assess students’ readiness for standard college coursework regarding Math and English.

The Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PER) uniquely assess your academic skills in three components, such as math, reading, and writing. It finds out about your delivery mechanism and knowledge in these three areas to place the right courses at your college.

The Adaptability of the Test

The adaptability of the test is computer-oriented. It means the questions are designed to increase the difficulty with each correct answer. It is one of the perfect ways to challenge and analyze students’ overall skills.

You can, on the other hand, use the elimination method to look for incorrect answers and make relevant choices based on your guess. Also, you should remember that the validation of PERT scores is two (2) years.

Everything You Need to Know about PERT Test Scores

Math, Reading, and Writing are the three sections of the PERT exam. There’s no time limit attached to each section. Generally, it takes about 45 minutes to complete each section that contains a total of thirty (30) questions.

Math – 30 Questions

Reading – 30 Questions

Writing – 30 Questions

Students should be aware that each section contains five experimental questions that have no relevancy attached to the total score count. What’s the trick? Students aren’t aware of which questions are experimental. 

Your score for each section usually ranges from 50 to 150. However, you will need more than 100 to skip lower-level classes in college. To be more precise, you will need over 110 on the Math section to skip remedial classes. In the same manner, you will need at least 103 in writing and 106 in the Reading section to enroll in freshman English classes.

In simple words, the PERT exam contains 30 questions for each. That is; 90 questions in total. Just because of the three sections, a number of students naively mistake the test to be too easy. It is, however, in the best interest of the students to thoroughly prepare for PERT to answer questions without confusion.

Format and Structure

First, you won’t be able to alter or change your answer. Therefore, it is vital to make sure you are choosing the right answer. And there’s no specific time allocation, which means students you answer the questions at your own pace without rush.

That said, you shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to complete the math section. Conversely, reading, and writing collectively take at least an hour to finish. It is important to understand that test-takers are not informed about which questions will be marked and which won’t.