The Golden State Exams (GSEs) were 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 designed based on California's curriculum framework. They 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. Collectively, these awards were formally known as the Academic Excellence Awards. The exams were known for their rigorous nature. Each exam could only be taken once. The following is a timeline of when the various Golden State Exams began being offered:1987 - Algebra GSE and Geometry GSE 1990 - Economics GSE and U.S. History GSE 1991 - Chemistry GSE and Biology GSE 1996 - Written Composition GSE 1997 - Government/Civics GSE 1999 - Second Year Spanish GSE and Physics GSE