WY-TOPP
From July 10–12, 2018, AIR (now CAI) facilitated standard-setting workshops for grades 3-10 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics and for grade 10 in Science. The 84-member panel was composed of Wyoming teachers, curriculum specialists, education administrators, and other stakeholders. The members were selected from large and small Wyoming school districts, ensuring diverse perspectives throughout the standard-setting process.
Because the 2016 Science Standards were first assessed in the spring of 2022, new standards had to be set for science. In June 2022, standard setting panels were convened to determine the new scale score proficiency-level ranges for science in grades 4, 8, and 10.
WY-TOPP FAQ
WY-TOPP PROFICIENCY-LEVEL SCORES
| Grade | Below Basic | Basic | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ≤563 | 564-591 | 592-627 | ≥628 |
| 4 | ≤579 | 580-612 | 613-648 | ≥649 |
| 5 | ≤600 | 601-626 | 627-667 | ≥668 |
| 6 | ≤613 | 614-639 | 640-688 | ≥689 |
| 7 | ≤616 | 617-643 | 644-691 | ≥692 |
| 8 | ≤625 | 626-652 | 653-707 | ≥708 |
| 9 | ≤628 | 629-655 | 656-708 | ≥709 |
| 10 | ≤630 | 631-666 | 667-712 | ≥713 |
| Grade | Below Basic | Basic | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ≤416 | 417-437 | 438-460 | ≥461 |
| 4 | ≤441 | 442-465 | 466-490 | ≥491 |
| 5 | ≤465 | 466-493 | 494-532 | ≥533 |
| 6 | ≤489 | 490-520 | 521-559 | ≥560 |
| 7 | ≤515 | 516-551 | 552-587 | ≥588 |
| 8 | ≤542 | 543-584 | 585-626 | ≥627 |
| 9 | ≤572 | 573-616 | 617-667 | ≥668 |
| 10 | ≤602 | 603-652 | 653-713 | ≥714 |
| Grade | Below Basic | Basic | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | ≤376 | 377-400 | 401-424 | ≥425 |
| 8 | ≤776 | 777-803 | 804-828 | ≥829 |
| 10 | ≤979 | 980-1000 | 1001-1027 | ≥1028 |
WY-ALT
From July 16–18, 2019, AIR (now CAI) facilitated standard-setting workshops for grades 3-10 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics and for grades 4, 8, and 10 in Science. The 72-member panel was composed of Wyoming teachers, curriculum specialists, education administrators, and other stakeholders. The members were selected from large and small Wyoming school districts throughout the state, ensuring diverse perspectives throughout the standard-setting process.
Because the 2018 Science Extended Standards were first assessed in the spring of 2022, new standards had to be set for science. In June 2022, standard setting panels were convened to determine the new scale score proficiency-level ranges for science in grades 4, 8, and 10.
WY-ALT FAQ
WY-ALT PROFICIENCY-LEVEL SCORES
| Grade | Below Basic | Basic | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ≤275 | 276-299 | 300-314 | ≥315 |
| 4 | ≤277 | 278-299 | 300-336 | ≥337 |
| 5 | ≤274 | 275-299 | 300-326 | ≥327 |
| 6 | ≤284 | 285-299 | 300-335 | ≥336 |
| 7 | ≤280 | 281-299 | 300-344 | ≥345 |
| 8 | ≤279 | 280-299 | 300-324 | ≥325 |
| 9 | ≤283 | 284-299 | 300-327 | ≥328 |
| 10 | ≤283 | 284-299 | 300-327 | ≥328 |
| Grade | Below Basic | Basic | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ≤282 | 283-299 | 300-317 | ≥318 |
| 4 | ≤278 | 279-299 | 300-324 | ≥325 |
| 5 | ≤285 | 286-299 | 300-323 | ≥324 |
| 6 | ≤286 | 287-299 | 300-319 | ≥320 |
| 7 | ≤272 | 273-299 | 300-323 | ≥324 |
| 8 | ≤285 | 286-299 | 300-322 | ≥323 |
| 9 | ≤282 | 283-299 | 300-314 | ≥315 |
| 10 | ≤282 | 283-299 | 300-314 | ≥315 |
WY-ALT SCALE SCORE PROFICIENCY-LEVEL RANGES FOR GRADES 4, 8, 10 SCIENCE
| GRADE | BELOW BASIC | BASIC | PROFICIENT | ADVANCED |
| 4 | ≤276 | 277-299 | 300-328 | ≥329 |
| 8 | ≤270 | 271-299 | 300-335 | ≥336 |
| 10 | ≤263 | 264-299 | 300-324 | ≥325 |
ACCESS for ELLs PROFICIENCY-LEVEL SCORES
Composite Scale Scores for a Composite Performance Level of 4.6 by Grade Level
To be deemed proficient and to exit Active EL Status, a student must have both of the following:
- Composite Performance Level of 4.6 and a literacy performance level of 4.3.
- When students meet both of these, they are English Proficient.
| Grade | Composite Performance Level of 4.6 |
| Kindergarten | 313-315 |
| 1 | 333-335 |
| 2 | 347-349 |
| 3 | 359-361 |
| 4 | 370-372 |
| 5 | 378-380 |
| 6 | 386-388 |
| 7 | 393-395 |
| 8 | 399-401 |
| 9 | 405-408 |
| 10 | 411-414 |
| 11 | 417-419 |
| 12 | 422-424 |
ALT ACCESS for ELLs PROFICIENCY-LEVEL SCORES
Composite Scale Scores for a Composite Performance Level of P1
To be deemed proficient and to exit Active EL Status, a student must have an overall composite performance level of P1 or higher.
| Grade | Composite Performance Level of P1 |
| 1 – 12 | 938-960 |
CUT SCORE PROCESS
Cut scores are specific scores selected by educator committees that represent the overall knowledge a student showed based upon their answers to questions on the test. Educators determine the lowest score a student can have and still meet the definition of each performance level – Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. These definitions are based on the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards and Performance Level Descriptors. Educators and parents can utilize the information in the tables below in conjunction with the scale score shown on a student score report to gain an understanding of how the student performed on the test in relation to the content expected to be taught in their enrolled grade-level. Each performance level is represented by a range of scores due to the complex nature of each content area and the varying levels of understanding that can be had by a student in that level. The WY-TOPP cut scores are not vertically scaled, meaning they are not on a common scale, from grade to grade. Careful consideration should be made when making comparisons between scores in different grade-levels. Performance levels are a more accurate representation when making these between grade comparisons.
As students answer a variety of questions designed to assess their knowledge of the content standards, the computer algorithm assigns a scale score for their answer. In Wyoming, the Department of Education convenes a committee of educators from across the state to determine these cut scores using the “Bookmark Method,” the most common procedure used throughout the country and for previous Wyoming assessments. Educators are given a booklet of items ordered by level of difficulty. During the process, the educators reference the Wyoming College and Career Readiness Standards, the Performance-Level Descriptors (PLDs), and student performance data from the previous summative assessment (and the general assessment during the alternate assessment workshop). The educators bookmark items representative of minimum performance of Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. There are multiple rounds of bookmarks and resolution during a three-day workshop. The cut scores are used to determine the four performance levels – Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.