WVGSA Performance Levels & Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many performance levels does the WVGSA use to categorize student achievement?
- Three
- Four (Correct answer)
- Five
- Six
Correct answer: Four
The WVGSA reports student achievement in four performance levels: Distinguished, Mastery, Partial Mastery, and Novice.
Question 2: A student who demonstrates strong command of grade-level content on the WVGSA is most likely placed in which performance level?
- Novice
- Partial Mastery
- Mastery (Correct answer)
- Distinguished
Correct answer: Mastery
The Mastery level indicates that a student demonstrates solid, grade-level proficiency with the assessed standards.
Question 3: Which WVGSA performance level indicates that a student exceeds grade-level expectations with exceptional depth of understanding?
- Mastery
- Partial Mastery
- Distinguished (Correct answer)
- Advanced
Correct answer: Distinguished
Distinguished is the highest WVGSA performance level, awarded to students who exceed grade-level expectations.
Question 4: On a WVGSA score report, what does 'Novice' indicate about a student's performance?
- The student exceeded all grade-level standards
- The student met most grade-level standards
- The student demonstrated limited understanding of grade-level content (Correct answer)
- The student did not attempt the assessment
Correct answer: The student demonstrated limited understanding of grade-level content
Novice is the lowest WVGSA performance level, indicating limited grasp of the grade-level standards assessed.
Question 5: WVGSA summative score reports are primarily sent to which stakeholders?
- Only the state legislature
- Students, parents, and schools (Correct answer)
- College admissions offices only
- Federal Department of Education only
Correct answer: Students, parents, and schools
WVGSA score reports are distributed to students, their families, and school and district personnel to inform instructional decisions.
Question 6: Which federal law requires West Virginia to report WVGSA results disaggregated by student subgroups?
- No Child Left Behind Act
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Correct answer)
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Correct answer: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
ESSA requires states to report assessment results for all students and for specific subgroups such as race, income, and disability status.
Question 7: A teacher notices that most of her students scored at the Partial Mastery level on the WVGSA ELA assessment. What is the most appropriate instructional response?
- Celebrate the results since Partial Mastery is the highest level
- Identify specific standards where students struggled and target reteaching (Correct answer)
- Move on to the next grade's curriculum immediately
- Exempt struggling students from future assessments
Correct answer: Identify specific standards where students struggled and target reteaching
Partial Mastery scores signal gaps in specific standards, and teachers should use score data to plan targeted reteaching.
WVGSA Performance Levels & Reporting 2
How many performance levels does the WVGSA use to categorize student achievement?