The School Principal – Completing a NYS Extended-Response Item at Proficiency: a Grit Event

The extended-response (ER) test item remains a challenge for most students in grades 4 through 8 even though it may be an untimed. It is a task requiring resolve, strength, and commitment to achieve. Examination of many student attempts each year to complete this task at proficiency (Level 3) demonstrates a lack of understanding the task and the academic strength to do it correctly.

Understanding the Task and Related Expectations

The ER is a “down-and-dirty” test item which expects student in grades 4-8 to complete at proficiency (e.g., meeting the standard) at a particular grade. It is, in fact, an attempt to write an essay. Students are requested to read two documents, literary or informational or both, and demonstrate an understanding of the subject.

Measuring the ER Performance

A 4-level writing rubric provides the basis for scoring it. The rubrics describe features expected at each level of performance:

• Content and Analysis—the extent to which the essay conveys complex ideas and information clearly and accurately in order to support claims in an analysis of topics or texts
• Command of Evidence—the extent to which the essay presents evidence from the provided texts to support analysis and reflection
• Coherence, Organization, and Style—the extent to which the essay logically organizes complex ideas, concepts, and information using formal style and precise language
• Control of Conventions—the extent to which the essay demonstrates command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

ER Performance Levels

The New York State (NYS) 1-4 performance level descriptors are used to assess a student’s knowledge and skills in relation to state learning standards. The levels are:

• Level 1: Not meeting standards
• Level 2: Partially meeting standards
• Level 3: Meeting standards
• Level 4: Meeting standards with distinction

Writing Process for Completing and ER

The process recommended is based on reading and scoring ERs at all grade levels since the task was assigned as a state test item. A method is described with the assumption that students have been guided in understanding and applying the measuring device for the grade:

• Read the prompt carefully and the related bullets that follow
• Read each document with the prompt in mind and respond to the document with marginal notes, underlining or circling of critical ideas
• Reread area which demand more thought
• Write an introductory paragraph in a few sentences which relate to the prompt
• Use each bullet in the prompt as the basis for a paragraph(s) and begin by transforming the each bullet into an inference and expand upon the inference with details and discussion
• Write a brief concluding paragraph summarizing the main points of the ER

Strengthening ER Performance

Meeting the standard requires repeated attempts early in a school year to write, edit, write edit, etc. each attempt with students’ application of the rubric and steady improvement to identify and correct challenges. There should be at least three (3) ER sessions during the school year to foster grit through continuous practice and interaction. Above all, the need to internalize structure through paragraphing is essential to achieve sequencing and relevance. With students attempting this task on a computer, the challenge of being able to it well are multiplied.