WVDE is charged with determining and approving rigorous yet reasonable cut scores to ensure an accurate representation of student performance in English language arts (ELA), math, and science as mandated by state and federal law.
Standard Setting Process
To set cut scores and establish achievement levels for both the West Virginia General Summative Assessment in Grades 3-8 and the SAT School Day in Grade 11, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), in collaboration with its testing contractors, conducted standard setting meetings during the summer of 2018. Standard setting is the technical process in which panels of content experts participate in a federally approved process to determine cut scores per grade level, per content area. The panelists, which included West Virginia educators, business representatives, parents, and higher education faculty, set cut scores to determine four achievement levels – Exceeds Standard, Meets Standard, Partially Meets Standard, and Does Not Meet Standard.
The SAT School Day is administered to students in Grade 11. Students receive scores in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science. Grade 11 students also took the SAT Essay and received scores for their writing ability.
Presented in the charts below are the scaled score ranges for each achievement level for ELA, math, and science for the SAT School Day. Ranges for the SAT Essay also are presented.
Achievement levels descriptors provide a general description of student performance at each level. A cut score is a selected score point on the scale for each assessment that determines each of the achievement levels for that assessment.
Grade 11 SAT School Day Scaled Score Ranges and Achievement Level Descriptors
English Language Arts (Evidence Based Reading/Writing)
Does Not Meet Standard
200-400
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a minimal understanding of, and ability to, apply English language arts (ELA) knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for ELA.
Partially Meets Standard
410 – 460
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an incomplete understanding of, and ability to, apply English language arts (ELA) knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for ELA.
Meets Standard
470 – 570
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an adequate understanding of, and ability to, apply English language arts (ELA) knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for ELA.
Exceeds Standard
580 – 800
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a thorough understanding of, and ability to, apply English language arts (ELA) knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for ELA.
Mathematics
Does Not Meet Standard
200 – 410
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a minimal understanding of, and ability to apply, math knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Math.
Partially Meets Standard
420 – 510
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an incomplete understanding of, and ability to apply, math knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Math.
Meets Standard
520 – 580
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an adequate understanding of, and ability to apply, math knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Math.
Exceeds Standard
590 – 800
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a thorough understanding of, and ability to apply, math knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Math.
Science
Does Not Meet Standard
50 – 58
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a minimal understanding of, and ability to, apply grade-band science knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia NxGen Science Standards.
Partially Meets Standard
59 – 61
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an incomplete understanding of, and ability to, apply grade-band science knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia NxGen Science Standards.
Meets Standard
62 – 63
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates an adequate understanding of, and ability to, apply grade-band science knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia NxGen Science Standards.
Exceeds Standard
64 – 70
Scaled Score Range
Achievement Level Descriptor
The student generally demonstrates a thorough understanding of, and ability to, apply grade-band science knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the West Virginia NxGen Science Standards.