Science Proficiency Score Standards 1997-2002

Proficiency Level

Proficiency Descriptors

• Demonstrates all the characteristics of proficient performance and consistently exhibits superior performance.
• Identifies appropriate tools and processes for conducting scientific investigations; interprets data, draws conclusions, and communicates scientific information.
• Recognizes products of technology and man's impact on the environment.
• Displays an in-depth understanding of Earth's surface, changes in matter and energy, and the interrelationship of organisms to the environment.

(scale scores 671 and above)

• Demonstrates a competent level of science literacy; compares charts and graphs and communicates them to others.
• Identifies the tools needed for inquiry and can communicate about simple investigations.
• Competently exhibits conceptual knowledge, skills and understandings about matter, energy, life cycles and the Earth.

(scale scores 619 to 670)

• Demonstrates a good portion of expected conceptual knowledge in the science content of matter, energy, earth and space and living systems.
• Exhibits a somewhat competent understanding and communication of charts and/or graphs and can transfer data from one to another.

(scale scores 587 to 618)

Proficiency Level

Proficiency Descriptors

• Demonstrates all the characteristics of proficient performance and consistently exhibits superior performance.
• Interprets results of a controlled experiment, communicates about the results, and transfers the results to another experimental situation.
• Demonstrates an in-depth comprehension of the content in living systems, earth and space systems, and physical systems.

(scale scores 729 and above)

• Makes inferences about an experiment.
• Demonstrates a competent level of science literacy.
• Demonstrates and communicates competent understanding of the concepts of living systems, earth and space science, and physical science.
• Works with various types of visual displays of data and can communicate that information to others.

(scale scores 692 to 728)

• Demonstrates a somewhat competent understanding of scientific concepts.
• Makes observations from experiments and describes results with a limited scientific vocabulary.
• Recognizes and recalls facts of life, earth and space, and physical sciences; and provides partial interpretations of those facts.
• Shows partial knowledge of graphs and interpretation of charts.

(scale scores 662 to 691)

Proficiency Level

Proficiency Descriptors

• Demonstrates all the characteristics of proficient performance and consistently exhibits superior performance including application of concepts to new and real world situations.
• Interprets an experiment with complex results; transfers the results of scientific inquiry to a variety of settings.
• Shows an in-depth understanding of how living systems, earth and space systems and physical systems are interrelated.

(scale scores 756 and above)

• Demonstrates a competent level of science literacy and content knowledge.
• Evidence of competent understanding of the interrelationship of living systems, earth and space systems and physical science.
• Shows a competent understanding of science inquiry and communicates the results using scientific vocabulary.
• Uses logic in well developed presentations.
• Applies science concepts to real world situations and provides explanations of how science concepts and principles impact society.

(scale scores 718 to 755)

• Sometimes provides evidence of knowledge and application of scientific facts, vocabulary, concepts, and skills in science.
• Demonstrates somewhat competent identification, construction, and communication of results based on scientific evidence.
• Defines problems and designs scientific experiments that elicit reasonable conclusions somewhat competently.
• Demonstrates limited understandings of science concepts literacy.
• Demonstrates knowledge of science facts such as atomic theory, matter, chemistry, biology, earth systems.

(scale scores 685 to 717)