The purpose of the National Spanish Examination is

1. to recognize achievement in the study of the Spanish language
2. to promote proficiency in interpretive communication in the Spanish language
3. to assess the national standards as they pertain to learning Spanish
4. to stimulate further interest in the teaching and learning of Spanish

In addition:

• Many teachers state that they use the National Spanish Examinations to prepare students to take other standardized tests such as AP, IB, SAT II and college placement exams.
• Many administrators state that they can use data from the National Spanish Examinations to create reports to show how their schools have improved over an academic year.