cut(-off) score; borderline performance; high-stakes testing; large-scale testing; setting cut scores; stakeholder, admission examinatio

The cut-off score is an essential construct of a theory of educational assessment and a subject of discussions and clashes among the stakeholders in the educational practice: politicians, executive bodies, non-profit organisations, school managers, teachers, students and their parents. The paper presents the theoretical concept of the cut-off score and its application in the admission procedure of secondary schools completed by the school-leaving examination. It brings selected stakeholders' views on the situation of its use to reduce the failure of pupils to complete secondary school studies. The text presents the results of empirical research among 409 school managers and teachers randomly selected in four regions of the Czech Republic. Respondents expressed their opinion on the usefulness of introducing the cut-off score into educational practice and commented on its proposed boundary. Their opinions were differentiated according to their engagement at the level of the educational system, the length of teaching practice and gender. At the same time, respondents expressed their opinion on the newly introduced uniform entrance examination for secondary schools and its potential to increase the objectivity and fairness of the admission procedure. The main finding of the research is that almost two-thirds of respondents accept the cut-off score procedure. The main aim of the study was to reflect the cut-off score as an essential construct of a theory of educational assessment as well as a subject of professional and public discussions with regards to a search for consensus on the cut-off score implementation in the uniform entrance examination for secondary schools completed by the school-leaving examination in the Czech Republic.