Scoring Student Answers to Constructed-Response Questions and Essays

What Is Scored?

Over 6 million total student responses

• to constructed-response questions in Civics, English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science and Technology/Engineering (STE)
• to ELA essays (grades 3–8 and 10)

How Is Scoring Done?

Use of Scoring Rubrics

• Constructed-response questions in Civics, Mathematics, and STE are scored using a rubric, scoring notes, and student responses. These scoring materials indicate what knowledge and skills students must demonstrate to earn each score point.
• ELA constructed-response (short-response) questions for grades 3 and 4 are scored using a rubric, scoring notes, and student responses. Constructed-response items are worth up to 3 score points. The three-point constructed-response question assesses reading comprehension by requiring students to construct an answer in a shorter format.
• ELA essays in grades 3–8 and 10 are scored using a rubric, scoring notes, and student responses. The essays are evaluated using two criteria:
  • Idea Development, based on a 1–4 score-point scale for grades 3–5 and a 1–5 score-point scale for grades 6–8 and 10
  • Standard English Conventions, based on a 1–3 score-point scale for grades 3–8 and 10

Scorer Training

Scorer training sessions require that scorers

• answer each test question to be scored;
• review the content covered by the question and discuss its scoring rubric and benchmarked student responses;
• score a set of responses (training pack);
• discuss training pack responses and scores assigned to them; and
• score another set of responses (qualifying pack).

A scorer has two opportunities to accurately score a set of qualifying responses. A scorer who is unable to consistently and accurately score the responses will not be allowed to score that item.

Scoring High School Constructed-Response Questions and Essays

All high school Mathematics and STE constructed-response questions and ELA essays are scored twice by two separate scorers.

Who Does the Scoring?

Professional scorers are hired by the contractor to score all essays and constructed-response questions. The contractor actively seeks a diverse scoring pool and typically employs scorers with a broad range of backgrounds, including teachers, business professionals, graduate school students, and retired educators.

All scorers will meet, at a minimum, the following requirements:

• For grades 3–8, all scorers will have at least 48 college credits, with at least two classes related to the content area being scored.
• For high school, all scorers must have a 4-year college degree and a degree related to the content area being scored.

Last Updated: November 21, 2023