DAPHNE — Daphne High School students will take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam next week.

The number of students taking the test could be anywhere from 650 students to 800 students, DHS 11th-grade counselor Connie Yelding said.

The testing involves seniors who have not passed a portion of the exam; juniors who are new to the area or have not had the opportunity to take the exam; sophomores who completed algebra and biology this past spring as freshmen; and freshmen who earned an algebra credit in the eighth-grade, according to Yelding.

Six weeks prior to each test administration, tutoring is available in every subject, according to Yelding.

The AHSGE comprises five sections: math, reading, language, social studies and science. Students must pass all sections to graduate, Yelding said.

The exam is written on an 11th-grade level, according to Pam Henson, director of Instructional Support for the Baldwin County Board of Education.

“The AHSGE covers information that students should have learned through the curriculum; it’s based on the Alabama course of study,” Yelding said.

When a student passes a section of the test, the report they receive only shows “pass”, resource teacher Cindy Marshall said.

If a student fails a section of the test, that is the only time an actual score is given, Marshall said.

Students who have difficulty passing classes can talk with their parents, teachers and counselors to figure out their weaknesses and get help, Yelding said.

The tutoring takes students through practices and exercises to help them learn concepts, Yelding said.

For students taking the test, Yelding has some tips.

“All week we encourage students to get plenty of rest, eat a good breakfast and to have a positive attitude about the testing,” Yelding said.

“You want to provide a good testing environment; we want the kids to be comfortable,” Yelding said.

That can be accomplished by providing adequate space, tables, lighting and few distractions, according to Yelding.

This year, DHS will use an adjacent, newly acquired building — formerly the Eastern Shore Christian Center — for testing, Yelding said.

The facility can accommodate every student and classes at the high school can continue as scheduled, Yelding said.