Rubric Development Process

In June of 2002, the Language Arts department at the Hartford Magnet Middle School set about the task of creating 6-point analytic literacy rubrics. After much discussion, planning, hard work, caffeine, chocolate, and bagels, the rubrics were completed in August…of 2004. Here, I describe the process that we used to build our rubrics.

Step One: Start with curricular documents. These documents may include a vertical, standards-based curriculum map, a scope and sequence, a course outline, or a unit plan. These documents include standards, areas of focus, materials, essential questions, and rubric vehicles (added after the creation of the rubrics); these are live documents that are adjusted when necessary.

Click here for an excerpt from our curriculum map.

Step Two: Identify key assessment areas from the curricular documents. For instance, in the response to literature area, key assessment areas include initial understanding, developing an interpretation, making connections, and developing a critical stance (note that these are the same strands that the state values). Build the shell of the rubrics.

Click here for a sample of a shell Reading and Responding rubric.

Step Three: There are several ways to fill in the shell of the rubric. We began the process by thinking about what “competent” responses look like. We examined student work, read and re-read the state standards and holistic rubrics, and began to assemble language. Once we could identify attributes of competence, we moved on to describe the rest of the levels on each strip. Eleven Language Arts teachers crafting language for rubrics turned into one of the greatest challenges of this process. We worked in the summer, and we were all articulate, precise, and intelligent; but also loquacious, effusive, rambling, and long-winded.

Click to view our first stab at the Reading and Responding rubric.

We used the original rubrics for a year, noted success and challenges, collected student work samples, and identified troublesome areas. One of the most positive factors during this year was that students knew ahead of time what the expectations were for an assessment. Also, teachers were clearer in their design of assessments because they could be guided by the rubrics.

We met again in the spring of 2004 to work on revisions. Once the discussion began, however, we realized that the same group of people should not lead the revision work so we branched out to other departments in the building. Over the summer, one social studies teacher, one science teacher, one world language teacher, and two language arts teachers met to work on revisions. We realized that the rubric language needed to be more student and teacher friendly, and that there was quite a bit of redundancy in the rubric strips themselves. Some language was merely tweaked, but other pieces needed major overhauls.

Click to view the revised Reading and Responding rubric.

Step Four: Second round of trials. Beginning in September 2004, the language arts, science, social studies, and world language departments are using the revised rubrics. A major focus is on teaching literacy skills in all content areas, so the rubrics serve as a common assessment tool for all of these subject areas. Students are being taught the rubrics so that they can self-evaluate their reading and writing.

Next Steps: Now that we have a handle on product rubrics, and they are being used across the curriculum, our focus will shift to process rubrics. We will work on the evaluation of students’ use of reading strategies. Our rubrics are works in progress that are used for setting high expectations, assessing student performance, data collection, and teacher reflection.

If you would like more information on rubric development for your school, check out Rubric Development and Refinement with Jay McTighe, co-author of Understanding by Design or contact Dina Crowl at the Institute of Teaching and Learning.