WVGSA Performance Levels & Reporting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How does the WVGSA score report differ from a student's classroom grade?
- The WVGSA score reflects mastery of state standards, while classroom grades may include participation and effort (Correct answer)
- The WVGSA score is always higher than classroom grades
- Classroom grades are required by federal law, but WVGSA scores are optional
- There is no difference; both measure identical outcomes
Correct answer: The WVGSA score reflects mastery of state standards, while classroom grades may include participation and effort
WVGSA scores reflect demonstrated mastery of state academic standards, whereas classroom grades often incorporate non-academic factors.
Question 2: What information is typically included in an individual student's WVGSA score report sent home to parents?
- Only the student's total scale score
- Performance level, scale score, and subscores by reporting category (Correct answer)
- The student's percentile rank compared to students nationwide only
- Only whether the student passed or failed
Correct answer: Performance level, scale score, and subscores by reporting category
WVGSA reports include the overall performance level and scale score as well as subscores for specific reporting categories within each subject.
Question 3: What does a WVGSA subscore or reporting category score tell educators?
- The student's overall proficiency in the subject
- How well the student performed on a specific cluster of related standards (Correct answer)
- The student's attendance record
- How the student compared to students in other states
Correct answer: How well the student performed on a specific cluster of related standards
Reporting category scores break down performance by clusters of related standards, helping educators identify specific areas of strength or weakness.
Question 4: West Virginia must publicly report WVGSA results for all of the following subgroups EXCEPT:
- Students with disabilities
- Economically disadvantaged students
- Students by teacher certification status (Correct answer)
- English Learners
Correct answer: Students by teacher certification status
ESSA requires disaggregation by student subgroups such as race, income, disability, and EL status, not by teacher certification.
Question 5: Why is it important for schools to track the percentage of students reaching Mastery or Distinguished on the WVGSA over multiple years?
- To determine which students should skip grades
- To monitor trends in academic achievement and evaluate the impact of school improvement efforts (Correct answer)
- To calculate teacher salaries automatically
- To decide which textbooks to purchase
Correct answer: To monitor trends in academic achievement and evaluate the impact of school improvement efforts
Multi-year proficiency trends reveal whether school improvement strategies are raising student achievement over time.
Question 6: A district reports that 72% of its students scored at the Mastery or Distinguished level on the WVGSA ELA assessment. What does this percentage represent?
- The percentage of students who passed the class
- The percentage of students meeting or exceeding the state's proficiency standard (Correct answer)
- The percentage of students who took the test
- The percentage of students receiving special education services
Correct answer: The percentage of students meeting or exceeding the state's proficiency standard
The combined Mastery and Distinguished percentage represents the share of students who met or exceeded state proficiency expectations.
Question 7: Under ESSA, what happens if a school consistently has low WVGSA proficiency rates and fails to improve?
- The school is immediately closed by the federal government
- The school may be identified for additional state support and intervention (Correct answer)
- All teachers in the school are automatically reassigned
- The school's accreditation is revoked by the U.S. Department of Education
Correct answer: The school may be identified for additional state support and intervention
Under ESSA, persistently low-performing schools are identified and must receive targeted or comprehensive support through state intervention plans.
WVGSA Performance Levels & Reporting 4
How does the WVGSA score report differ from a student's classroom grade?