This Spring, the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability (CEQA) voted to restore Oklahoma’s academic cut scores to their 2023 levels. That decision was driven by three critical goals: aligning state assessments with national benchmarks like NAEP, closing the “honesty gap” that widened in 2024, and ensuring students labeled proficient are genuinely on track for college and career readiness.
As a result, you may notice a drop in the percentage of students scoring proficient or above compared to 2024. This doesn't reflect a drop in student achievement; it marks a return to more rigorous standards.
To help district leaders provide clarity and context for these changes, the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) has prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). It offers straightforward answers on topics like:
- Cut scores and why they matter
- What the honesty gap is and how it’s being closed
- Why Oklahoma aligns assessments with national measures
- How to interpret year-over-year changes in district and student scores
You can access the full FAQs here. For any additional questions or support needs, please reach out to us at info@oeqa.ok.gov.
