I don't think EXPLORE test is officially a state test. But some high schools may require the score report to screen the incoming 8th graders for honor classes.
Veering a bit OT for a moment, but fwiw, the EXPLORE is given to all 8th graders in our school district, but as erich mentions, it's not an official "state" test, and it's not administered for class placement purposes or for measuring student or school performance etc. Instead it's used to give 8th graders a measure of strengths and weaknesses that they can use in planning their high school academics (with an eye toward college admissions and success in college). With that goal, there isn't any prep given to students in school, other than letting them know what the test format is etc.
polarbear
