The Golden State Exams (GSEs) are a family of exams that were administered to qualifying high achieving students in California during the mid 1980s through the early 2000s. The GSEs were authorized in 1983 by Senate Bill 813. The first exams began being offered in 1987. Those who performed well on the exams earned one of the following awards: Recognition, Honors, or High Honors. In 1996, the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma began being awarded to individuals whom received some type of award on six or more of the exams. The exams were known for their rigorous nature. The following is a timeline of when the various Golden State Exams began being offered:
There was one year (1995) when the only state testing administered in California was that to the high achieving individuals that qualified for the Golden State Exams. In 1998, high school comprehensive exams in "High School Reading/Literature" and "High School Math" became available to all students and school districts under the GSE banner. These two comprehensive exams were later integrated and absorbed into the California Standards Tests (CSTs). In 2003, the GSE subject tests were discontinued due to budget cuts.