Each section of the CBEST will be scored using a raw score and
a scaled score. For the Reading and Mathematics sections, the
number of correct answers will equal your raw
score. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. The
raw scores are then converted into scaled scores
ranging from 20 to 80 for each section.
The essays for the Writing section are scored by trained
educators in the California or Oregon area. Two scorers are
assigned to each essay and will assign a score from 1 to 4 based
on a criteria rubric, which will be discussed in the coming
chapters. The four scores are then added together to give a raw
score of 4 to 16. That raw score is what will be converted into
the scaled score of 20 to 80 that will make up your total with
the scores from the other two sections. You need a total score of
123 to pass the CBEST.
The passing score for each section is 41 points. The points
are scaled for each test to reflect varying levels of difficulty
so that the passing score is always 41. It is possible to pass
the CBEST with a section score as low as 37 as long as the total
for all three parts is 123 or more. However, scoring less than 37
on any section means failing the CBEST as a whole, no matter how
high the total score is. If you repeat the test, the highest
score for any repeated part is always the one that is
counted.
