We need your feedback to help improve the CDE website.
Please take a few moments to fill out the CDE Website Effectiveness and Usability Survey by Sept. 13.
Let us know how you and your audience use the website and how we can make that experience better.
You are here
CSAP / TCAP - Scoring Information
Scoring rubrics are used to guide the scoring of each constructed response item on the TCAP/CSAP. These rubrics further guide the development of actual Scoring Guides for each individual constructed response item which contains specific information pertaining to individual items.
- Writing Rubrics
- Kid-Friendly Writing Rubrics
- Mathematics Rubrics
- Performance Level Scale Ranges for TCAP/CSAP Assessments (PDF)
How are CSAP items scored? All Multiple Choice items are scanned using high speed scanners. All constructed response items are scored by trained scoring teams after a thorough training process involving Colorado teachers:
- Anchor Review
Each year, after the completed TCAP/CSAP booklets have been sent to the scoring center, scanned, and reviewed, teams of Scoring Supervisors bring samples of actual student work for each constructed response item to Colorado. Teams of content area teachers review these items with the Scoring Supervisors, score the sample items, provide guidance which defines the student behaviors and item characteristics for each performance level for each item. Here is where Colorado teachers may refine the individual scoring guides that item developers prepared for each item after reviewing multiple student responses to each item. - Scoring Team Training
Scoring Supervisors return to the scoring center to train their teams using the "anchor papers" reviewed by Colorado teachers. The supervisors use the guidance provided by Colorado teachers with each item. Scoring teams are trained in RIBS - each assigned to a maximum of 5 items - with which they will become "experts" and score only those items until all tests are completed. They may be trained on another RIB of items should they complete a set of items. - Scoring of Items
Teams score each RIB of items until the sets of items are completed in the scoring. Scoring teams apply the individual scoring guides for each item which have been refined by Colorado educators. The following activities are used to maintain the ongoing reliability of scoring between raters and within raters over time:- Anchor items serve reference points for each score assigned to an item.
- Read-behinds regularly happen. Random items are double and triple scored by different scorers (with only the supervisor's awareness) The scores are analyzed for any differences in scores assigned to an item between individual scorers on each team.
- Rater-severity items are items that have been scored in years previous and allow for analysis of scoring to be compared year-to-year
Links to TCAP/CSAP Scoring Rubrics for Writing
- Grade 3 - Analytical Rubric English (PDF)
Used for the Short Constructed Response - Grade 3 - Analytical Rubric Spanish (PDF)
Used for the Short Constructed Response - Grade 4-10 - Holistic Rubric English (PDF)
Used for the Short Constructed Response - Grade 4-10 - Holistic Rubric Spanish (PDF)
Used for the Short Constructed Response
- Grade 4-10 - Analytical Rubric English (PDF)
Used for the Extended Constructed Response - Grade 4-10 - Analytical Rubric Spanish (PDF)
Used for the Extended Constructed Response - Grade 4-6 - Writing Checklist (PDF)
- Grade 7-10 - Writing Checklist (PDF)
Kid-Friendly Links to TCAP/CSAP Scoring Rubrics for Writing
2-Point Writing Rubric
- 2-Point Writing Rubric - Student Friendly Version (English) (PDF)
- 2-Point Writing Rubric - Student Friendly Version (Spanish) (PDF)
4-Point Writing Rubric
- 4-Point Writing Rubric - Student Friendly Version (English) (PDF)
- 4-Point Writing Rubric - Student Friendly Version (Spanish) (PDF)
Grade 3 Analytic Writing Rubric
Connect With Us
![CDE Jobs](/sites/default/files/pics/globalcontent/CDEJobsIcon_a03e77c1c9896dc528190dfc5b593ef3.png)