COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

June 1, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Cut Scores Adopted by the Board of Education for the Grades 3-8 and the Algebra I Mathematics Virginia Modified Achievement Standards Test (VMAST)

On May 24, 2012, the Virginia Board of Education adopted cut scores for the Virginia Modified Achievement Standards Tests (VMAST) for grades 3-8 and Algebra I. The VMAST is an alternate assessment in which research-based supports and simplifications are applied to existing online test items to make them more accessible to eligible students with disabilities who are instructed in grade level content but are not likely to achieve proficiency in the same time frame as their non-disabled peers. Cut scores that are expressed in the number of items a student must answer correctly to achieve a certain level of proficiency were adopted as follows:

Test	Fail/Basic	Pass/Proficient	Pass/Advanced
Grade 3	9 out of 32	22 out of 32	29 out of 32
Grade 4	9 out of 40	23 out of 40	36 out of 40
Grade 5	13 out of 40	28 out of 40	36 out of 40
Grade 6	10 out of 40	26 out of 40	36 out of 40
Grade 7	11 out of 40	26 out of 40	36 out of 40
Grade 8	10 out of 40	27 out of 40	36 out of 40
Algebra I	N/A	24 out of 40	36 out of 40

These cut scores have been communicated to Pearson, Virginia’s testing contractor, so that the work necessary to implement these cut scores and report the results of the grades 3-8 mathematics and Algebra I VMAST administered in spring 2012 can begin.  It is important to remember that the cut scores listed above apply only to the test form that was reviewed by the standard setting committee.  Other forms of the grades 3–8 mathematics and the Algebra I VMAST will be statistically equated to the “standard setting” test form to ensure that the same level of achievement is required of all students taking a test for a particular course.  As a result of the equating process, the number of items a student is required to answer correctly for a particular achievement level may fluctuate slightly.

If you have questions, please contact the student assessment staff at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov  or (804) 225-2102.

PIW/SLR/cd