West Virginia Practice Tests
West Virginia Practice Books and Flashcards
WVGSA·
West Virginia's State Tests at a Glance
In grades 3 through 8, West Virginia students take the West Virginia General Summative Assessment (WVGSA) in English language arts and math every year, plus science in grades 5 and 8. The tests are given online. The ELA reading test and the math test are computer adaptive, which means each test adjusts to how the student is answering. The WVGSA is untimed, so the times below are the state's suggested times for scheduling. Each county or public charter school sets its own testing dates within the statewide testing window, and paper, large print and braille versions are available as accommodations.
English Language Arts
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 | Two tests; online; a computer-adaptive reading test with a listening portion; a writing test where students read sources and write an essay | Untimed; about 2 hours for the reading test and about 2 hours for the writing test | Reading literary text, reading informational text, writing and language |
Students must complete both the reading test and the writing test to get an overall ELA score. The writing test must be finished on the same day it is started, and the state strongly recommends giving the reading and writing tests on separate days.
Mathematics
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 3, 4 and 5 | Online; computer adaptive; no calculator | Untimed; about 2 hours | Operations and algebraic thinking; number and operations in base ten and fractions; measurement, data and geometry; plus modeling and problem solving, and using mathematical reasoning |
| Grade 6 | Online; computer adaptive; two segments, a calculator segment with an on-screen calculator followed by a no-calculator segment | Untimed; about 2 hours | Ratios and proportional relationships and the number system; expressions and equations; geometry and statistics and probability; plus modeling and problem solving, and using mathematical reasoning |
| Grade 7 | Online; computer adaptive; on-screen calculator for the whole test | Untimed; about 2 hours | Ratios and proportional relationships and the number system; expressions and equations; geometry; statistics and probability; plus modeling and problem solving, and using mathematical reasoning |
| Grade 8 | Online; computer adaptive; on-screen calculator for the whole test | Untimed; about 2 hours | Expressions and equations and the number system; functions; geometry and statistics and probability; plus modeling and problem solving, and using mathematical reasoning |
Questions are multiple choice and computer-enabled questions. An on-screen ruler and protractor appear with the questions that need them. Students may not bring their own calculators unless their accommodations call for a special calculator. In grade 6, once a student moves into the no-calculator segment, the student cannot go back to the calculator segment.
Science
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 5 and 8 | Online; computer adaptive with a matrix design; on-screen calculator available | Untimed; about 2 hours | Life science, physical science, earth and space science |
The grade 5 test covers science taught in grades 3, 4 and 5, and the grade 8 test covers grades 6, 7 and 8. Under the matrix design, each student sees questions covering part of the grade-band standards, and the test includes embedded field-test questions.