CIA Cut-Score

The CIA Cut Score (formerly known as the Basic or Level 2 score) is a graduation requirement option for a class of 2015 through 2021 student receiving special education services, as indicated in their IEP. The CIA cut score alternative allows the student to fulfill the state's assessment graduation requirement by applying a score at or above the established CIA requirement cut score for accountability assessment or other approved state assessment. The CAA/CIA Database application will be updated to replace language reflecting "L2 Basic" with language reflecting "CIA-Cut Score."

The student's IEP team must determine that the student should take the accountability assessment or other approved state assessment, with or without accommodations, with a cut score for meeting standard set at the CIA Cut Score level.

The CIA Cut Score cannot be used for meeting standard, as recorded in state and federal accountability reporting; it is solely applicable to fulfilling a student's graduation requirement. However, students who have used the CIA cut score option for federal accountability assessment administrations (Math and ELA Smarter Balanced assessment) count as having participated in these exams on-grade level.

Assessment Graduation Alternative Eligibility

To be eligible for this assessment graduation alternative, the student must:

  • Be receiving special education services during the time of administration, as indicated in CEDARS
  • Be in the class of 2015 through 2021

Submitting the Assessment Graduation Alternative

This assessment graduation alternative is not submitted through the Graduation Alternatives Application.

To indicate a CIA cut score for state assessments, District Coordinators can change the assessment type to Basic (L2) for a past test administration in the CAA/CIA database by following these Retro-Basic Instructions.