ANALYSIS OF WEST E SCORES 2004-2007
All applicants must take and pass their endorsement area WEST E tests to be
admitted to the program. The first MIT cohort to take the WEST E tests entered
in 2004 and graduated in 2006. Between 2004 and 2006, three cohorts were
started (04-06, 05-07, 06-08) with 131 applicants admitted; 21 (16%) left or were
asked to leave by June 2007. Those admitted in 2006 are now in the second
year of the program.
According to the Praxis Institutional Summary Reports, the average scores of
candidates who did their endorsement preparation work at The Evergreen State
College met or exceeded the state and/or national averages in 2004 and/or 2005
except in English/LA (two points below the state average), Middle Level
English/LA (one point below the state average), and Math (eight points below the
state average). Even in those areas, however, the average scores exceeded the
state passing score by nine to twenty points. MIT candidates whose
endorsement preparation was at other institutions exceeded the state average in
all areas except Middle Level English/LA (ten points below the state average).
For that endorsement, the average score was eleven points above the state
passing score. WEST E scores for graduates in 2006 and 2007 exceeded the
passing score in all areas by 15 to 20 points.
WEST-E Elementary Education Endorsement Averages
Subject
Institutional
Average
04-05
N=17
%age
Correct
LA
Math
S.S.
Science
84%
72%
67%
69%
Endorsement
Area
Elementary
Education
Passing
Score=141
State
Average
04-05
National
Average
04-05
%age
Correct
%age
Correct
82%
76%
68%
71%
79%
68%
61%
64%
Institutional
State
National
Average
Average Average
05-06
05-06
05-06
%age
%age
N=12
%age
Correct
Correct
Correct
90%
80%
75%
74%
82%
75%
65%
68%
79%
69%
60%
64%
Average for
Preparation at
TESC
05-06
Average for
Preparation
at Other
Institutions
05-06
State
Average
05-06
171
(n=12)
174
(n=9)
169
(n=2930)
WEST-E Content Area and Middle Level Endorsement Averages
Entering in 2005 & 2006
Endorsement Area
Institutional
Average
05-06
English/LA
Passing Score=158
ML Eng./LA
Passing Score=158
Social Studies
Passing Score=157
Biology
Passing Score=152
Earth Science
Passing Score=150
General Science
Passing Score=153
ML Science
Passing Score=145
Math
Passing Score=134
ML Math
Passing Score=152
Special Education
Passing Score=152
177
(n=3)
178
(n=2)
175
(n=3)
0
177
(n=1)
0
179
(n=2)
143
(n=2)
182
(n=2)
178
(n=2)
Average for
Preparation at
Other Institutions
05-06
180
(n=2)
169
(n=1)
177
(n=5)
173
(n=1)
193
(n=1)
195
(n=1)
188
(n=1)
177
(n=1)
0
0
State Average
05-06
179
(n=463)
179
(n=128)
169
(n=407)
168
(n=171)
171
(n=41)
176
(n=143)
162
(n=174)
151
(n=300)
166
(n=225)
178
(n=598)
WEST E Averages for Graduates in 2006 & 2007
Endorsement Area
Elementary Education
Passing Score=141
Special Education
Passing Score=152
English/LA
Passing Score=158
ML English/LA
Passing Score=158
Social Studies
Passing Score=157
ML Social Studies
Passing Score=157
ESL
Passing Score=580
German
Passing Score=160
Spanish
Passing Score=160
General Science
Passing Score=153
ML Science
Passing Score=145
Biology
Passing Score=152
Chemistry
Passing Score=152
Visual Arts
Passing Score=155
Theater
Passing Score=560
2006 Cohort Average for
Program Completers
182
(n-9)
178
(n=2)
182.9
(n=8)
179.1
(n=8)
172.3
(n=11)
177.5
(n=8)
640.9
(n=11)
N=0
178
(n=1)
176
(n=3)
166.5
(n=2)
169.3
(n=3)
166.5
(n=2)
173
(n=7)
N=0
2007 Cohort Average for
Program Completers
175
(n=17)
N=0
180.6
(n=7)
190.2
(n=6)
173.8
(n=10)
184.6
(n=6)
713.3
(n=3)
188
(n=1)
198
(n=1)
174.3
(n=4)
180
(n=2)
167.3
(n=3)
161
(n=1)
174.4
(n=5)
715
(n=2)
Summary of scores of candidates who left the program
The MIT Director and Associate Director reviewed factors, including WEST B and
WEST E scores, related to candidates leaving or being asked to leave the
program. Six of those who left the program between fall 2004 and spring 2007
took and passed the WEST E for elementary education with scores ranging from
147 to 188 (passing score set by state at 141). Four applicants passed the
Social Studies WEST E with scores ranging from 164 to 169 (passing score set
by state at 157). One person scored 188 on the English/LA test with a passing
score set at 158 and one person scored 185 on the Visual Arts test with a
passing score set at 155. The other nine candidates took multiple endorsement
tests including General Science, Earth Science, Physics, Middle Level Math and
Science, Math, Special Education, and Theater. These eight all passed their
tests as required by MIT admission’s standards.
WEST E Scores for Candidates Who Left or Were Asked to Leave
2004-2007
Endorsement Area
Elementary
Education
Passing Score=141
Special Education
Passing Score=152
English/LA
Passing Score=158
2004-06
148
173
2005-07
166
172
2006-07
147
188
NA
196
NA
NA
186
188
NA
ML English/LA
Passing Score=158
Social Studies
Passing Score=157
ML Social Studies
Passing Score=157
General Science
Passing Score=153
ML Science
Passing Score=145
Physics
Passing Score=140
Earth Science
Passing Score=150
Visual Arts
Passing Score=155
NA
169
167
169
NA
168
196
164
168
197
190
NA
NA
165
162
NA
158
NA
NA
159
NA
NA
NA
NA
185
162
166
Tentative conclusions and actions taken: To the extent that the WEST E is a
valid and reliable assessment of content area knowledge, it would appear that
the MIT program is attracting and enrolling candidates who are prepared in their
endorsement areas. Sixteen of the 21 candidates described above exceeded the
state cut-off scores by 10 or more points. Only one person scored less than 5
points above cut-off scores and only one person made multiple attempts to pass
the WEST E. However, 15 of the 21 (71%) scored below the state average in the
WEST B reading, writing, and/or math tests. The WEST E scores do not seem to
be predictors of success or lack of success in the MIT program, though the
WEST B scores may be. At this point, the Admissions Committee has been
advised to continue to carefully assess grades and narrative evaluations of
endorsement area classes or programs but to pay particular attention to WEST B
scores, the quality of the application essays, and comments in reference letters
and narrative evaluations about the candidates’ writing and critical thinking skills.