About the West Virginia WESTEST 2

State Testing Information for West Virginia

Portions of the following material were taken from the West Virginia Department of Education website. Please see our links and source sections at the bottom of the page for more details and references.

General Description of the Tests

WESTEST 2

• Grades: 3-11
• Subjects: Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
• A criterion-referenced test that measures student mastery of the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives by the content area and grade level of the student’s enrollment
• Results are used to determine achievement levels, re-direct instruction and assist in school improvement efforts.

WESTEST 2 Online Writing

• Grades: 3-11
• Designed to measure the writing ability of West Virginia students
• Assesses a variety of passages and prompts on the genres of narrative, descriptive, informative and persuasive
• Results are used to make instructional decisions and assist in school improvement efforts in reading and writing.
• A score of 1 to 6 is assigned in the analytic areas of Organization, Development, Sentence Structure, Word Choice and Mechanics and assign a Summative Score and Performance Level is also assigned.

Alternate Performance Task Assessment (APTA)

• Grades 3-8, 10, 11
• Subjects: Mathematics, Reading/Language Arts, Science
• Designed for a small number of students with significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the general assessments, even with accommodations
• Results are used determine achievement levels, to re-direct instruction and assist in school improvement efforts.
• The reading/language arts content area of the test contains items at each grade level addressing the three content standards of (1) reading, (2) writing, and (3) listening, speaking and viewing.
• The mathematics content area contains items at each grade level addressing the five content standards of (1) number and operations, (2) algebra, (3) geometry, (4) measurement, and (5) data analysis and probability.
• The science content area contains items at grade 4, 6, and 11 addressing the three content standards of (1) nature of science, (2) content of science, and (3) application of science.

National Assessment Educational Progress (NAEP)

• Grades: 4, 8, 12
• Subjects: conducted periodically in Mathematics, Reading, Science, Writing, Arts, Civics, Economics, Geography, U.S. history
• The only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas

ACT EXPLORE

• Grade: 8
• Subjects: Mathematics, Reading, Writing, Science
• A norm-referenced assessment
• Commonly called “the Nation's Report Card”
• In addition, information about students' educational career plans, interest, high school course work plans and self-identified needs for assistance is gathered and reported.
• The purpose of this assessment is to provide career awareness, exploration activities; additionally, it is used by 8th graders to develop their individualized plans for the 9th and 10th grades.
• Results assist students/parents/educators in decision-making about educational career plans, interest and high school course work plans.

Our curriculum is focused around actual material that a student is likely to see on the upcoming West Virginia WESTEST 2 test. Nationally known for delivering high quality and affordable materials that help students improve their scores, we provide you both paper-based instruction and easy to use online test preparation.