Half-Day Scoring Session Protocol

Suggested Time Half Day Scoring Session (3-3.5 Hours) Resources Needed 1. 1 min. Assign Roles: Elect a group facilitator to keep the group on task; a time-keeper to remind the group of time and keep the group moving forward in the agenda; and a recorder (to take notes on questions, issues, agreements) 2. 5 min. Orientation to the relevant rubric (Argumentation OR Informational/Explanatory OR Copies of the appropriate or Narrative) relevant rubric  Q&A - Teachers raise questions about the meaning of the rubric dimensions or wordings (e.g., What is L2? L3?). Peers share their own understandings. 3. 5 min. Orientation to grade level expectations (as outlined in the PA Common Core) Copies/online access to grade level Each teacher on the team references grade level/span PA Common Core State Standards for standards for writing in ELA, writing and a student exemplar paper and annotation. history/social studies, science, and technical subjects and copy/online access to student exemplars (either PACCSS Appendix C or LDC benchmark sets on the SAS portal) 4. 1 min. Orientation to the task from which the calibration sample is drawn. It is strongly Copies of the LDC student work recommended that a Meets Expectations paper is used for the calibration activity. sample for calibration with However, if there is a specific need for teachers to see student work that is Advanced or teaching task at the top. Approaches Expectations to reinforce common expectations for student writing, those levels can also be used for calibration prior to individual scoring.  MS: Alexander the Great (Argumentative) or MS: The Bottom Line on Biodiversity (Informational/Explanatory)  HS: Yes or No to Nuclear Power (Argumentative) or HS: Impact of Human Activity on the Chesapeake Bay (Informational/Explanatory) 4. 3 min. Agree on / remind teachers of norms for discussing teacher and student work Chart paper to record agreed upon Suggestions: norms. The norms should be  Focus of critique should be the work, not the student posted at every calibration session  Keep the names of students confidential thereafter.  Be honest and precise in evaluating the student work  Cite evidence in your evaluation of student work; evidence should be tied to the relevant rubric  Disagree respectfully, but work toward agreement 6. 10 min. Calibration Activity  Scoring and annotation forms 1. Read and score the work sample in common using the relevant rubric. (5 min)  Pens, post-it notes, highlighter 2. Everyone charts their own scores of the sample as below in Figure 1 on sheet of markers chart paper (or white board).  Chart paper, markers 3. Discuss any discrepancies among the group. Come to agreement on scores. 4. Compare group scores with annotation. (5 min.) 7. 2-2.5 hrs. Individual Scoring  Electronic or paper copies of 1. Teachers score own papers (1-2 class sets). relevant rubric 2. Teachers use the “LDC Results and Response Sheet” to keep track of class data.  Electronic or paper copies of 3. Teachers select 3-5 papers representing various levels of performance (Advanced, Meets “LDC Results and Response Expectations, Approaches Expectations, Not Yet) to cross-score. Sheet” 8. 40 min. Partner Scoring:  Blank copies of relevant 1. In partners, (can be same or different discipline), teachers swap and score 3-5 pre-selected papers. rubrics (argumentation, 2. When each teacher is finished scoring individually, teachers discuss scores in each domain to see if informational/expository, they match. narrative) 3. Teachers use a 3rd person tie-breaker, if needed. 4. Individual teachers make adjustments to “LDC Results and Response Sheet” and complete the questions at the bottom.

Figure 1