Counties and schools may register non-public and homeschool students for the online Golden Horseshoe Multiple Choice Test. Please use the Golden Horseshoe registration form (Excel).
January 3, 2026
Deadline for requesting a braille test.
January 19-30, 2026
Practice Test 1
February 2-13, 2026
Practice Test 2
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Golden Horseshoe Written Essay Test is given statewide.
We only accept scanned submissions of Golden Horseshoe essays by the county contact. Please collect all essays from schools and scan them into individual PDF files by School Name. We no longer accept mailed copies of the essay.
Friday, February 27, 2026
Deadline for Golden Horseshoe written essays to be scanned and emailed to the West Virginia Department of Education.
March 10-24, 2026
Golden Horseshoe Online Multiple Choice Test window. If the testing window conflicts with an event or program in your county, please notify Dustin Lambert (dllambert@k12.wv.us) as soon as possible.
March 25, 26, 27, 2026
Make-Up Multiple Choice Test
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Golden Horseshoe Ceremony
Preparing for the Essay and Multiple Choice Online Test
Access to Golden Horseshoe Online Practice and Actual Tests for Your County
All eighth-grade students must take the Golden Horseshoe Test. While this test is a competition, it meets the social studies testing requirement per W.Va. State Code §18-2-9. It is not a summative exam. We use WebTop to administer the Golden Horseshoe Online Multiple Choice Test. We request all students test their usernames and passwords by January 31, 2026.
Both home and private school students are eligible to take the test. All students must register using the Golden Horseshoe Registration form by February 1, 2026. If the form is incorrect, it will be returned and the student(s) will not be registered.
Public School Students
Public school students do not need to register. Principals or county technology specialists can provide a login for students who do not have one. Your county technology specialist can provide a new or simplified login as well.
Homeschool Students
Only teachers, school counselors, or school/county administrators may complete the registration form. Please contact the school your student would attend if enrolled in public school. We will send login information once student registration is processed.
NOTE: Homeschool students must take the exam at a local public school.
NOTE: Private school students must take the essay and online multiple choice tests the same day as the rest of the county.
Practice Test Information
Each practice test can only be taken once and scores are not released. These tests familiarize students with the testing portal. Students access the practice tests in similar fashion to the actual tests. Public school students use WebTop and private/homeschool students use the Non-Public School Student Login.
Note: Due to the recent weather conditions across the state, we have updated the practice test windows to ensure all students have access:
Practice Test 1: Extended to February 2nd through 6th
Practice Test 2: February 9 through 20, 2026
Essay Test – February 24, 2026
The essay test is used to break ties within counties. While it is not required to write the essay to take the online test, it is highly recommended for all students to attempt the essay. The essay test is on February 24, 2026. One week before the test, we will e-mail the essay question to the Golden Horseshoe County Contact.
We only accept scanned submissions of Golden Horseshoe essays by the county contact. All essays from schools should be scanned into individual PDF files by SCHOOL NAME. We no longer accept mailed copies of the essays.
The West Virginia studies teacher can administer the essay test during a 40-45 class period. This teacher must complete a confidentiality agreement and an absentee roster. The roster should only include absent students and students opting out of the essay test.
Please reference the schedule below for testing dates by county.
Testing Calendar
2026 Golden Horseshoe Online Testing Dates
County
Testing Date
Barbour
Tuesday, March 10
Berkeley
Thursday, March 12
Boone
Thursday, March 12
Braxton
Tuesday, March 10
Brooke
Wednesday, March 11
Cabell
Wednesday, March 11
Calhoun
Thursday, March 12
Clay
Wednesday, March 11
Doddridge
Tuesday, March 24
E. Pan Prep
Wednesday, March 11
Fayette
Tuesday, March 10
Gilmer
Wednesday, March 18
Grant
Thursday, March 19
Greenbrier
Tuesday, March 24
Hampshire
Thursday, March 12
Hancock
Thursday, March 12
Hardy
Tuesday, March 10
Harrison
Wednesday, March 18
Jackson
Thursday, March 12
Jefferson
Thursday, March 12
Kanawha
Wednesday, March 18
Lewis
Tuesday, March 17
Lincoln
Thursday, March 19
Logan
Tuesday, March 24
Marion
Thursday, March 12
Marshall
Tuesday, March 24
Mason
Wednesday, March 18
McDowell
Tuesday, March 24
Mercer
Tuesday, March 10
Mineral
Wednesday, March 11
Mingo
Thursday, March 12
Monongalia
Wednesday, March 18
Monroe
Tuesday, March 17
Morgan
Tuesday, March 10
Nicholas
Thursday, March 12
Ohio
Tuesday, March 24
Pendleton
Tuesday, March 10
Pleasants
Tuesday, March 24
Pocahontas
Thursday, March 19
Preston
Tuesday, March 17
Putnam
Thursday, March 12
Raleigh
Wednesday, March 18
Randolph
Wednesday, March 11
Ritchie
Tuesday, March 24
Roane
Wednesday, March 11
Summers
Tuesday, March 17
Taylor
Tuesday, March 17
Tucker
Tuesday, March 24
Tyler
Wednesday, March 18
Upshur
Tuesday, March 17
Wayne
Tuesday, March 17
Webster
Thursday, March 12
Wetzel
Tuesday, March 10
Wirt
Thursday, March 19
Wood
Tuesday, March 17
WV Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (WVSDB)
Thursday, March 19
WV Schools of Diversion and Transition (WVSDT)
Wednesday, March 18
WV Academy
Tuesday, March 10
WV Virtual Academy
Wednesday, March 18
WV Virtual Preparatory Academy
Tuesday, March 17
Wyoming
Thursday, March 19
Public school students access the testing platform via their WebTop. Home and private school students will have a link to access the Golden Horseshoe online test. The online test is a 50 multiple choice question test that can be completed in 40-45 minutes.
The online test is a 50 multiple choice question test that can be completed in 40-45 minutes.
2026 Golden Horseshoe Test Proctor/Moderator
Below are guidelines for proctoring and moderating the online test.
The test proctor/moderator/administrator MUST NOT be the regular classroom teacher for the online Golden Horseshoe Test.
The test is available from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day, and should take 40-45 minutes to complete
If a student has an individualized education plan for classroom accommodations, please provide them. For example, if a student requires extra time or the exam be read to them.
We require an online confidentiality agreement [PDF] stating that the test administrator is NOT the regular West Virginia studies teacher, and all information regarding the Golden Horseshoe test remain confidential. Please email this agreement to Dustin Lambert.
Internet Usage Tips on Test Day
We suggest any other computer users to not download content or use the broadband during the testing window. If there is an internet slow down, please allow the students enough time to make the test fair. If a student gets disconnected from the internet, have them log back in. As long as the student has not submitted the test, he/she can re-enter the test.
Test Rosters
Essay test administrators maintain an absentee roster in each testing room. During the online test, the test administrator must use the online test roster to record every student who took the test in the room. These rosters must be emailed to Dustin Lambert.
Online Test Forms
Please email your roster and confidentiality agreements to Matthew Kelley (mmkelly@k12.wv.us).
Winners
The number of winners is determined by population, but every county is given a minimum of two winners. The larger the population, the larger the number of winners. The Golden Horseshoe test is a competition within a county NOT within the state. We do not have average scores for the state or counties.
Nominating Honorees
Each year, selected educators or individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to West Virginia, West Virginia studies and/or the Golden Horseshoe program are designated as Honorary Knights of the Golden Horseshoe. The county superintendent nominates this individual, but only one person per year. Only 10 people per year may receive the award. If more than 10 nominations are received, a committee will review all nominations and select the ten most deserving nominees. To nominate an individual, please complete the Golden Horseshoe Online Honorary Nomination Form.
