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Update on the Kansas Writing Assessment
FALL 2008VERSION 2 .0
MATT COPELANDL A N G UA G E A RT S A N D L I T E R A C Y C O N SU LTA N T
S TA N D A R D S A N D A SSE SS M E N T SE RV I C E S T E A MKA N SA S STAT E D E P T. O F E D U C AT I O N
7 8 5 - 2 9 6 - 5 0 6 0M C O P E L A N D @ K S D E . O R G
Writing Fact Sheet
A continually updated, one-page summary of the Kansas Writing Assessment, including information regarding: state testing window QPA writing targets cut points and performance
levels
Available on the KSDE Writing Homepage:
www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726
The Kansas Writing Assessment
Required biennially at grades 5, 8, and high
school (OTL)
Can be given on “off years” as a local option
Requires four untimed testing sessions,
approximately 45-minutes each
Scored locally using a 6-TRAIT analytic rubric
Writing samples from each district are sent to the
state
NOT a part of AYP but IS a part of QPA
Writing and QPA
For the 2006-2007 school year, writing
performance was added to the QPA process as a
requirement for all schools.
Writing scores for 2007 were for informational
purposes to help schools guide writing
instruction for 2009 when writing scores will
“count” toward QPA accreditation.
QPA Writing Targets
QPA writing goals have been established to tie student writing achievement to school accreditation.
5th Grade 67% of students meeting or exceeding standard
8th Grade 73% of students meeting or exceeding standard
High School
76% of students meeting or exceeding standard
* Unlike AYP targets, these numbers are static and will remain constant over time.
“Meeting or Exceeding Standard?”
In Summer 2009, the Kansas Writing Assessment will follow a similar standard setting procedure as the other content-area assessments to set new cut points for the five performance levels.
In previous years, the following cut points* have been used based upon a student’s composite score*…
* Note: These cut points and the composite score formula may change for 2009 and beyond.
Composite Score Formula*
Ideas and Content score x 3 = ____
Organization score x 3 = ____
Voice score x 2 = ____
Word Choice score x 2 = ____
Sentence Fluency score x 1 = ____
Conventions score x 1 = ____
Sum / 12* Note: The composite score formula may change for 2009 and
beyond.
Student Performance Levels
Determined by a student’s composite score:
Cut Points*
Exemplary 4.40
Exceeds Standard 3.75
Meets Standard 3.00
Approaches Standard 2.30
Academic Warning < 2.30
* Note: These cut points may change for 2009 and beyond.
Changes to the 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment
“We always overestimate the change
that will occur in the next two years
and underestimate the change that
will occur in the next ten.”
– Bill
Gates
What HAS NOT Changed for 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment
• process-based writing over four sessions
• grade levels assessed: 5th, 8th, and high school
(OTL)
• grade-level mode assignments:
• 5th grade—narrative
• 8th grade—expository
• high school—persuasive
• 6-TRAIT analytic scoring
Changes for 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment
• all new student prompt format
• new subject matter for students to write about
• updated scoring rubrics with descriptors for the
“2” and “4” ratings
• a suggested procedure for local scoring
• a new vision for state scoring
Assigned Writing Forms
• Fifth grade students – personal narrative in nature.
• Eighth grade students – expository essays that
explain an idea or
concept.
• High school students – persuasive essays (as
opposed to persuasive
letters).
Prompt Choice
• Fifth grade students – choice of 3 prompts.
• Eighth grade students – choice of 4 prompts.
• High school students – choice of 5 prompts.
Prompt Format
Writing Situation• The first sentence provides the background for the writing
assignment and the general topic.• The remaining sentences help writers consider different
aspects of the topic, realize that they know enough about the topic to write, and focus their individual responses.
Directions for Writing• The first sentence identifies the nature/form of the writing (an
essay) and also identifies an audience. • The remaining sentences remind students to help their
audience understand their ideas by giving many details and examples to support their ideas and, at the high school level, also direct students to address opposing viewpoints.
Instructional Example Prompts
For each assessed grade level, 8-12 example prompts are provided, each with a “teaching tip” to spark ideas on how these prompts might be used in classroom instruction and/or for formative purposes.
KSDE Writing Homepage: www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=1726
Updated Rubrics
Changes to format:
descriptors organized
under four criteria within
each trait
landscape orientation
“checkbox” bullets
Changes to content:descriptors added for the
‘2’ and ‘4’ levelspoint level labels were
changed to better reflect the stages of a writing process
Rubrics are available for download on the KSDE Writing Homepage: http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726
Updated Rubrics
Suggested Scoring Procedures
Includes:
General suggested
procedures for local scoring
Suggested procedures for
scoring each individual essay
Suggested Scoring Procedures are available on the KSDE Writing
Homepage: http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=1726
General suggested procedures for local scoring:Calibrating scorers to the rubric before each
sessionTwo readers are preferable to only oneScorers should be encouraged to discuss their
ratings with other scorersPeriodically, scorers should physically mark a copy
of the rubric as they score to personally verify their ratings
Suggested Scoring Procedures
Suggested procedures for scoring each essay:
Determine which set of descriptors best describe
the essay for each of four criteria within a given
trait
Then, scorers should use the four criteria levels
they identified to inform the rating of the overall
trait
Suggested Scoring Procedures
Scoring an Individual Essay
KSDE Training Manual for 6-TRAIT Scoring
Updated Training Manual (and accompanying PowerPoint) is now available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Includes pre-scored samples essays written by Kansas students that can be used for training/calibration purposes.
Practice Scoring
Using pre-scored sample essays from the
KSDE Training Manual for 6-TRAIT
scoring,
let’s practice scoring student writing at
the
5th grade, 8th grade, and high school levels.
A New Vision for State Scoring
“Old” Philosophy
Writing expertise existed
among a select few and
that select group needed
to convene each summer
for the purpose of
weighing in on the
accuracy of local
scoring.
“New” Philosophy
Quality scoring practices
and procedures can be
implemented at the local
level to facilitate accurate
scoring, and writing
expertise can be
cultivated in each school
district.
Changes to Local Scoring
“Old” System Local districts could—if
desired—use the “Local Rater ID” box on the bubble sheet to track local scoring.
No information was gathered about local scoring practices.
A 10% random sample of student writing from each local district was sent in for state scoring.
“New” System All local districts are now
asked to use the “Local Rater ID” box. However, the identity of each local rater will not be known outside the district.
Local raters are asked to complete a survey of scoring practices.
A 10% random sample of student writing will still be mailed to the state.
Changes to State Scoring
“Old” System
Student writing was scored
by a large state committee
and state scores were used
to recalculate local scores.
Score reports listed
combined local/state
scores and also
discrepancies between
state and local scorers.
“New” System Some state level scoring will
still occur to generate example essays for training purposes and, potentially, to also “spot check” some local districts.
State-level scores will not affect local scores or QPA performance determinations.
New reporting features will allow local districts to compare each local scorer to building, district, and state averages as well as review results from the survey of scoring practices.
English language learners who are not
exempt because of “Recently Arrived” status
will be administered the general education
writing assessment.
The 10% random sample of student writing
from each district will be mailed directly to
KSDE and not to CETE. In some cases, it may
also be possible to submit that sample
electronically.
Additional Changes for 2009 KWA
Other Available Resources
Glossary of Writing Terminology provides clarification on commonly
confused and/or misunderstood terms
in reference to their use on the
Kansas Writing Assessment
might be appropriate for both
students and educators
available on the KSDE Writing
Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=1726>
Other Available Resources
Rubrics for Incorporating Research and Citing Sources
• Grades 3-7• Grades 8-12
Although not a part of the Kansas Writing
Assessment, these rubrics are formatted like those for
the assessment and help educators communicate our
expectations for academic writing and avoiding
plagiarism. Available on the KSDE Writing Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Other Available Resources
illustrative lists of the various types and genres of writing that might fit into each mode (narrative, technical, expository, persuasive)
helps communicate that most writing often blends several modes or moves back and forth among modes
available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=1726>
Illustration of Writing Modes Chart
Other Available Resources
KAMM Writing Assessment simplified language in instructions and prompts reduced number of prompts writing scored using modified 6-trait rubrics (available at
<www.kansped.org>) only 3% of a district’s students may be classified as “Meets
Standard” or above using the modified or the alternate assessment
questions?... contact: Joan Houghton – [email protected]
No changes have been made to the 2009 KAMM Writing Assessement from recent years’ administrations.
Other Available Resources
Kansas Alternate Assessmentportfolio of student’s performance of skills and
content on five selected indicatorsadministered to identified students (IEP) in grades
5, 8, and once in high schoolonly 1% of a district’s students may be classified as
“Meets Standard” or above using an alternate assessment
questions?… contact:
Deb Matthews – [email protected]
KSDE Assessment Contacts
Scott Smith, Assistant Director for Assessments(785) 296-4358 [email protected]
Cherie Randall, Assessment Coordinator(785) 296-3996 [email protected]
David Bowman, Assessment Consultant(785) 296-4349 [email protected]
Communication from KSDE about Writing
• KSDE Writing Homepage—Standards, Assessment,
and Resources <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?
tabid=1726>
• KSDE Writing ListServ
(email me to be added to this list)
• Contact me directly
• Phone (785) 296-5060
• Email [email protected]
