Scale Scores State Assessments

The cut (or threshold) scores for Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, within the scale score range, were initially developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, with input from thousands of educators and community members. The Smarter Balanced member states approved these scores. The scores were then adopted by the State Board of Education in January 2015. ESHB 2224 (passed July 2017) moved the high school testing grade from grade 11 to grade 10. Grade 10 cut scores were adopted by the State Board of Education in January 2018. The graduation cut scores for both ELA and Math, adopted by the State Board in August 2015, did not change.

Below are the scale score ranges for all achievement levels on the Smarter Balanced assessments.

Smarter Balanced ELA Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 3 <2367 2367-2431 2432-2489 >2489
Grade 4 <2416 2416-2472 2473-2532 >2532
Grade 5 <2442 2442-2501 2502-2581 >2581
Grade 6 <2457 2457-2530 2531-2617 >2617
Grade 7 <2479 2479-2551 2552-2648 >2648
Grade 8 <2487 2487-2566 2567-2667 >2667
Grade 10* <2491 2491-2576 2577-2677 >2677

*On 8/5/2015 the State Board of Education (SBE) set the minimum scores on the high school assessments needed to meet the assessment graduation requirement. View these cut scores.

Smarter Balanced Math Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 3 <2381 2381-2435 2436-2500 >2500
Grade 4 <2411 2411-2484 2485-2548 >2548
Grade 5 <2455 2455-2527 2528-2578 >2578
Grade 6 <2473 2473-2551 2552-2609 >2609
Grade 7 <2484 2484-2566 2567-2634 >2634
Grade 8 <2504 2504-2585 2586-2652 >2652
Grade 10* <2533 2533-2613 2614-2696 >2696

*On 8/5/2015 the State Board of Education (SBE) set the minimum scores on the high school assessments needed to meet the assessment graduation requirement. View these cut scores.

Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS)

The cut (or threshold) scores for Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 were developed by Washington educators. These cut scores were adopted by the State Board of Education in August 2018.

WCAS Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 5 375-649 650-699 700-784 785-1060
Grade 8 345-649 650-699 700-764 765-1060
Grade 11 390-649 650-699 700-790 791-1190

Historical Scale Score Ranges

Below are the scale score ranges for assessments that were not administered in the 2017-18 school year. They include all levels on the grades 3-8 (Reading, Math, and Writing) Measurements of Student Progress (MSP), Grade 11 Smarter Balanced Assessments, High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) and the End-of-Course (EOC) exams. HSPE and MSP are the same scale score ranges as the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), which was replaced as of 2009-10 school year. The scale score ranges include the lowest and highest attainable score on each test (reading, writing, math, and science).

Reading Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 3 275-374 375-399 400-425 426-500
4 275-374 375-399 400-423 424-475
5 275-374 375-399 400-421 422-475
6 275-374 375-399 400-424 425-475
7 275-374 375-399 400-417 418-475
8 250-374 375-399 400-418 419-500
High School (HSPE) 225-374 375-399 400-426 427-525

 

Math Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 3 200-374 375-399 400-435 436-575
4 200-374 375-399 400-446 447-575
5 200-374 375-399 400-439 440-575
6 200-374 375-399 400-441 442-575
7 200-374 375-399 400-443 444-575
8 200-374 375-399 400-436 437-575

 

Writing Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 4 0-6 7-8 9-10 11-12
7 0-6 7-8 9-10 11-12
High School (HSPE) 0-12 13-16 17-20 21-24

 

MSP Science Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 5 200-374 375-399 400-431 432-550
8 250-374 375-399 400-430 431-550

 

Smarter Balanced ELA Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 11*   2493-2582 2583-2681 >2681

 

Smarter Balanced Math Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Grade 11*   2543-2627 2628-2717 >2717

 

EOC Math Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Algebra/Integrated 1 200-374 375-399 400-442 443-675
Geometry/Integrated 2 200-374 375-399 400-435 436-600

 

EOC Math Exit Exams Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Algebra/Integrated 1 200-374 375-399 400-439 440-675
Geometry/Integrated 2 200-374 375-399 400-426 427-600

 

EOC Science Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Biology 275-374 375-399 400-422 423-525