Use higher conjunctive cut scores on the existing test

The advice. “Set higher and conjunctive cut score (need at least ‘X’ on sub-areas using current test).”

Why. Probably the strongest of the four alternatives. A candidate seeking a biology endorsement must already pass the science test. Requiring a higher overall score and a minimum on the relevant sub-area converts an existing instrument into an endorsement decision at essentially zero development cost — no new items, no new rubrics, no scoring capacity.

The obstacle nobody raised. A conjunctive sub-area cut requires the sub-area score to be reliable enough to bear a pass/fail decision for an individual. That is precisely the property Session 5 spent a morning establishing that M-STEP claim-level subscores do not have — see M-STEP Subscore Reporting. The MTTC is a different instrument with different sub-area lengths, so the objection does not transfer automatically, but it does need answering before this route is taken. The corpus contains no MTTC sub-area reliability evidence.

Status. Open.