1. Policy Approaches to Cut Scores for College & Career Readiness
Deb Lindsey
Director of State Assessment
NCSA June 23, 2015

2. State Assessment Transition
2012 Legislative Session included many changes to the state assessment system
Eliminated constructed response items from the reading, math, and science tests
Initiated new, separately administered writing test in grades 3, 5, and 7 (subsequently eliminated in 2015 Legislative Session)
Eliminated custom state test in grade 11
Added ACT Plus Writing as the state’s accountability test to grade 11
Added ACT Explore and ACT Plan in grade 9 and 10 to support state accountability

3. State Assessment Transition
Adopted CCSS as the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards in ELA and Math in 2012
Transitioned the state custom test (Proficiency Assessments for Wyoming Students – PAWS) to address new content standards, 2012 – 2014
Conducted standard-setting for PAWS, grades 3-8, ELA and Math in summer 2014

4. HS Assessment Transition – 2013
ESEA requires states to report student performance in terms of performance levels
Traditional ACT reporting is on 36 point scale
Wyoming had nearly census testing in 2010, 2011, 2012 due to state scholarship program – approximately 90% of students participated each year
Conducted equipercentile linking to PAWS scale to report 2013 ACT data
Used those cuts and corresponding results to report for 2013 but were NOT able to continue with this in 2014

6. HS Assessment Transition – 2014
Since big performance shift was expected in grades 3 – 8, WY decided to make high school shift at the same time
Implemented an empirical standard-setting to establish new cuts aligned with higher expectations
Panelists were administrators, counselors, teachers and representatives from higher ed
ACT facilitated the sessions and provided the outcome data required

7. HS Assessment Transition – 2014
Created a Wyoming ACT Scale based on thetas provided by ACT
Simple transformation of the theta scale so that 150 is the cut point recommended by the standard-setting panel
Sets the SD at 20
Assures consistency from one year to the next regardless of form administered in any particular year

8. Performance Results—Grades 3 - 8

9. Performance Results—Grades 3 - 8

10. Performance Results—High School