Testing

• Make a testing appointment at Clearwater Campus
• Make a testing appointment at Downtown Center
• Make a testing appointment at Midtown Center
• Make a testing appointment at Seminole Campus
• Make a testing appointment at St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus
• Make a testing appointment at Tarpon Springs Campus

Alternate methods to FCLE testing are listed below under FCLE.

If you have approved accommodations through Accessibility Services, please inform your Testing Coordinator before the scheduled exam.

Taking a college placement test helps you decide which classes you should take at SPC. The college placement test used at SPC is the Post-Secondary Education Readiness Test, also referred to as the PERT. Test scores are not pass/fail and are used to help you succeed on your academic path. 

Learn more about the test, how to take the test, preparing for the test, and an explanation of scores on the college placement test page.

Math placement is determined by your score on the Post-Secondary Readiness Test (PERT). If you score high enough on the PERT test you may be eligible to take the Accuplacer Advanced Algebraic Functions test to determine if you qualify to enroll in a higher-level math course. Find out more about the PERT test and Accuplacer AAF on our College Placement Test page, including an explanation of scores for math placement.

If you qualify to take the Accuplacer for math or have questions about math placement testing, contact the SPC Testing Department.

If your native language is not English and you score below college level on the reading portion Post-Secondary Readiness Test (PERT), you will need to take the Accuplacer ESL (formerly LOEP). This test determines your appropriate placement in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, which we offer online and on-campus. 

*If you need to take the Accuplacer ESL, you may still take the math section of the PERT. However, you may not enroll in math courses until you have successfully completed or are co-enrolled in EAP 1500.

 *International students with F1 visas who have a combined score of 85 or less on the Accuplacer ESL will be referred directly to the Intensive English Program.

You can take the Chemistry Placement Exam ONCE to place directly into CHM 2045/L if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You completed one year of high school chemistry with a grade of C or better.
• You have completed MAC1105 or MAC1106 (or tested into a higher level math on the algebra pathway) with a minimum grade of C or better.

To schedule the Chemistry Placement Exam, please contact your Academic Advisor. Once the advisor verifies that the student has taken high school chemistry AND had met the math requirement, the advisor will notify the SPC testing center. The notification from the advisor will indicate that the student has met the eligibility criteria. Students will not be permitted to notify the testing center themselves as only the advisor will be able to verify eligibility.

A score of 70% (ACS raw score of 36) or higher is required to pass the exam.

 Contact an advisor.

You can earn credit for the Basic Computer and Information Literacy course (CGS 1070) requirement by successfully completing the Basic Computer and Information Literacy Exam.

You cannot take this exam if you are currently enrolled in or have previously attempted these courses at SPC:

• CTS 1101
• CGS 1060
• CGS 1070

You will earn 1.00 credit hour with a passing score. The test credit is posted to your record as CGS 1070T with a "P" and will not be calculated into your GPA.

Taking the Test:

• There is a $33 exam fee, paid to the testing vendor (McGraw-Hill) and a $10.00 proctoring fee to take the test, paid to St. Petersburg College
• You must achieve a passing score of 70 on each section of the exam (Computer Concepts, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel)
• The test must be taken in-person on an SPC Campus, make an appointment above.

Preparing for the Test: You can view a list of skills needed to pass the exam here: CGS 1070 Opt Out Exam Practice Resources

Retake Policy:

Students can take the Basic Computer and Information Literacy Exam a total of two times. There is a waiting period of three days between attempts and a charge of $10 for the second attempt.

The current testing platform does not support online administration of this exam.

If you are proficient in a language other than English, Spanish, French or German you may be able to satisfy your foreign language requirement by successfully completing the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and earning a Language Proficiency Certificate from the American Council the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL).

 Scheduling the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI):

1. Go to https://www.languagetesting.com/
2. Click the Buy a Test button.
3. When you reach the screen titled Find your Institution, you must enter St. Petersburg College as the institution name. If you do not, we will not receive your certificate to satisfy your foreign language requirement.
4. There is a fee of $145.00 for the interview and a fee of $20.00 for the proctor session through Examity you will need to pay.

If you also want college credits based on the completed Certificate, or you did not select St. Petersburg College as your institution during the registration process, you need to request a transcript through the American Council on Education (ACE). You can find instructions on submitting your certificate and ordering your transcripts by clicking here . ACE transcripts must be sent directly to admissions.records@spcollege.edu. Transcripts received from the student are considered unofficial and credit cannot be awarded.

If you are proficient in Spanish, German or French we recommend you take the College-Level Examination Program or CLEP (further info found in course credit by exam).

Did you know you can earn up to 45 academic credits for your scores on certain standardized tests? SPC accepts and grants college course credit for these tests:

Find out here which course credits are available through each exam.

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• DSST Examination Program (formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests)
• International Baccalaureate (IB) (You can earn a maximum of 35 credits.)
• Excelsior College Examinations (ECES)
• Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE)
• American Council on Education (ACE)

Please note that you cannot be awarded credit for a course you have already taken and passed.

Contact Admissions and Records for questions.

The FCLE assesses students' civic literacy competency. Any Associate of Arts (AA) degree or baccalaureate degree seeking student in catalog 2021-22 (595) or beyond must have credit for POS2041 or AMH2020 AND must pass the FCLE prior to graduating.

This requirement will also apply to Associate in Science students under the 2022-23 catalog year or later.

Taking the test:

• There is no fee to take the exam
• The test is untimed with most students completing it within 1 hours. We recommend you plan for a minimum of 1/2 hours when making your appointment
• The exam is only offered by appointment at our on-campus testing centers, at our After Hours events and online on scheduled days and times. on scheduled days and times.

After Hours FCLE testing:
These events are held at EPI Tech* on select weekdays from April/May and Nov./Dec. Testing starts at 7 p.m.

If you do not see testing sessions, please check back often if you do not see a date or time that works for you.

*If you have approved accommodations through Accessibility Services, please reach out to your Accommodation Coordinator on your campus. Find your Accessibility Coordinator.

Remote Online Testing Option see below under Online Proctored tests.

• You must score 60% or correctly answer 48 of the 80 multiple choice questions on the exam.
• If you need to retake the exam, you will need to submit a new request to reserve your seat. You may not take the exam more than once per day and we recommend waiting seven days and utilizing our study guides to prepare.
• Priority is given to students graduating at the end of the term. If you are a candidate for the current semester, you will be notified by email and provided the registration link.
• Scores will be available in MySPC 1-2 business days after completing the exam.

Preparing for the test: Learn more about the Florida Civic Literacy Exam and access study guides here.

Testing at SPC: What You Need to Know

You may test at any SPC Campus Testing Center. Appointments are strongly recommended and may be required depending on the exam.

Bring a Valid ID

You must bring a current, valid ID on test day. Acceptable forms include:

• Driver’s license
• SPC student ID
• State or federal ID card (e.g., Green Card)
• Passport

What You Cannot Bring

To keep testing fair for everyone, the following items are not allowed:

• Cell phones (must be turned off and put away)
• Smartwatches or fitness trackers
• Smart glasses or wearable technology
• Earbuds or headphones
• Tablets, laptops, or personal devices
• Cameras or recording devices
• Notes, books, or study materials
• Calculators (unless your test allows it)
• Bags, backpacks, or large purses
• Food or drinks

All personal items must be stored before testing begins.

On Test Day

• Arrive on time. Late arrivals may need to reschedule.
• Only the student testing is allowed in the testing center.
• Friends and family must wait outside.
• Children may not be left unattended at any time.

Important

If prohibited items are brought into the testing room or testing rules are not followed, your scores may be invalidated.

If you are unsure about an item or policy, please ask a staff member before your test.

If you have approved accommodations through Accessibility Services, please inform your Testing Coordinator before the scheduled exam.

Take the PERT Online

Take the PERT from home through McCann/Vantage using Proctorio remote proctoring. You can test when it works for you, but you must follow all online testing rules.

What do I need?
You need:

• A computer with a webcam and microphone
• Reliable internet
• A quiet, private place to test
• A valid, physical, government issued photo ID

Your webcam and microphone must remain on during the test.

How much time should I allow?
The PERT is not timed, but you must complete your test in one sitting and on the same day you start.

Plan for about one hour per section.

You must finish by 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The system closes at 10:59 p.m., even if you are still testing. An unfinished test will count as an attempt.

Start early enough to finish before the system closes.

What are the online testing rules?
During your entire test:

• Keep your face visible. Do not wear hats, hoods, or anything that blocks the camera's view.
• Turn off and put away cell phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices. They cannot be on silent or vibrate.
• Stay at your computer and in camera view.
• Keep your eyes and attention on your test. Do not repeatedly look away, look around the room, or reach offscreen.
• Test alone. Do not communicate with anyone or allow anyone into your testing area.
• Do not leave your testing area.
• Do not use notes, books, personal calculators, smart devices, or other outside materials.
• Do not open other websites, browsers, programs, applications, or online calculators.
• Do not cover, turn off, or obstruct your camera.
• Do not copy, photograph, record, screenshot, or capture test content.
• Follow all scratch-paper instructions, including destroying your scratch paper when finished.
• Use your own valid identification and take only your own test.

What does my room scan need to show?
Before testing, complete a full 360-degree scan that clearly shows:

• Your entire room and testing area
• Your desk and everything on or around it
• The floor around your testing area
• That no one else is in the room
• The area in front of your computer screen

If your webcam cannot show the area in front of your screen, use a mirror or other reflective surface to show it.

Move your camera slowly enough for the entire area to be clearly seen. A quick or incomplete scan does not meet the requirement.

Your testing area must be clear of phones, smart devices, notes, books, calculators, and other unauthorized materials.

Can I use a calculator?
You cannot use a personal calculator.

For PERT math questions that allow a calculator, a calculator icon will appear on your screen. Use only the calculator provided within the PERT.

What happens after I test?
Testing Services will review your recorded testing session.

If you did not follow the online testing rules or your testing environment cannot be verified, your PERT score will be invalidated.

If the review identifies potential academic or testing misconduct, your score will be invalidated and the incident will be reported as a potential Student Code of Conduct violation.

This includes behavior such as receiving help from another person, using unauthorized resources or devices, capturing test content, providing false identification, or having someone else take the test for you.

Violations may also result in losing the option to take future PERT attempts online.

Is online testing right for me?
By choosing online PERT testing, you agree to follow these requirements for the entire test.

If you cannot meet these requirements, take the PERT at an SPC Testing Center instead.

Online FCLE

Online FCLE is proctored live online by testing staff proctoring in real time. For this reason tests are held during SPC business hours only.

Students living outside of Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough counties have the option to take the FCLE online remotely.

*Testing staff verify based on your official address listed in our system.

Technical requirements:

Students are required to:

• Have stable internet access.
• Must download a secure browser.
• consent to video and audio recording.
• Take a pre/computer compatibility test.
• must be available on the day and time of the scheduled appointment to take the test.

At peak times remote testing is limited to a maximum of 2 hours.

Request online FCLE

In addition to certification testing, the Certification Testing Center at the EpiCenter in Clearwater, provides test proctoring services for the community and non-SPC students.

Please reach GetCertified@spcollege.edu | 727-341-4462 or 727-341-4760.