State sets new scores for math exam

Dan Kulin

Friday, June 27, 2003 | 11:50 a.m.

Some high school students in limbo over whether they passed the math portion of the High School Proficiency Exam can now know whether they need to take the test again, while their peers now know how well they have to do to pass.

The state Board of Education on Thursday set the minimum passing scores for the math portion of the test for those graduating in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The board was required to set the new passing grades after the state Legislature lowered the passing score to 290 for 2003 graduates because thousands of students scored below 304, which was the minimum to pass.

Officials and lawmakers blamed the poor showing on a tougher version of the math exam being used for the first time, and said there were inconsistencies between what students are expected to know on the exam and the curriculum being taught in schools.

The Legislature's action also required the passing score be raised back to 304 for those graduating in 2007, and tasked the state board of education with setting the minimum scores for the years leading up to 2007.

Thursday's action means that students who took the test last school year as sophomores or juniors and scored between the new minimums and 304, have now passed the test. Those students were told they had failed the test, which along with reading and writing tests, is required for graduation.

"There is a small group of students that will now have passed who were originally told they failed," said Paul La Marca, director of testing and accountability for the Nevada Department of Education. He did not know exactly how many students are in that group.

The new minimum passing scores for the math portion of the test are: 293 for 2004 graduates; 296 for those in the class of 2005; and 300 for students who graduate in 2006. Scores on the test can range from a low of 100 to 500.

"This allows the school districts and students to know exactly what they need to do to graduate," Board President Gary Waters said. "This sets in place very clear expectations. No one should be confused."

The board also voted to give the company that produces the tests, Harcourt Educational Measurement, a new $4.6 million a year contract that lasts through June 2007.

Harcourt's track record with the state includes telling hundreds of students in spring 2002 that they had failed the math portion of the test, when they had actually passed.

The company was fined $475,000 by the state for mistakes made with the spring 2002 version of the test.

On Thursday, board officials said Harcourt has fixed the major problems, and is generally working well with state education officials.

Waters said it is good to stick with a company that has experience with the school districts.

Switching test providers would probably only lead to a new set of problems with a new company as they worked to become familiar with the state, he said.

"Harcourt is no better or no worse than other testing companies," Waters said. "And if we did change we would probably encounter the same or worse transitional problems."

Keeping Harcourt will "minimize errors in the future," he said.