Assessment News in Brief

PARCC Agrees to Release Cutoff Scores for Tests

By Catherine Gewertz — September 15, 2015 1 min read
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The PARCC testing consortium last week released the cutoff scores for its tests, after initially deciding not to disclose them.

Updated “mock” score reports on its website now show the actual cutoff points that mark the thresholds between levels of mastery, said PARCC officials. They are: 700 to score at Level 2, 725 for Level 3, and 750 for Level 4. The cutoff point for Level 5 will vary by grade and subject, but will be around 803. The scale score for each test is 650 to 850.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers is one of two major state consortia that have developed tests aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The conortium governing board voted Sept. 9 to approve cut scores on its tests in grades 3-8.

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A version of this article appeared in the September 16, 2015 edition of Education Week as PARCC Agrees to Release Cutoff Scores for Tests

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