PARCC General Steps
for
Mathematics State Educator Reviewers
March 4-8, 2013
Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes
only. They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
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Step 1

2
Read and work each task independently.
Review Tasks Independently Before
Discussing Them as a Group
Reviewers should:
• review each task independently
• record your comments in the comments section
• preliminary decision on how to proceed with the task (accept, accept with
edits, reject)
– A task should be edited if it has a flaw that can be fixed or needs clarification.
A task should only be rejected if it has a flaw that can not be addressed.
– Each task will be discussed as a group after individual reviews. Preliminary
decisions may be changed at that time.
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Step 2

4
Verify that the task aligns to the intended
evidence statement.
Alignment to Evidence Statements and
the CCSS
Each task should:
• assess the designated evidence statement
• conform to the content clarifications, limits, and emphasis associated with
the evidence statement
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Alignment to Evidence Statements and
the CCSS
Reviewers should:
• note alignment issues in the comments section
• accept the task with edits if the task can easily be edited to make the task
align to the evidence statement
• reject the task if the task can not easily be edited to make the task fit the
evidence statement
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Sample: Step 2a Task Type: I Points: 1
Evidence Statement: 3.OA.4
Johnny has 8 crayons. He wants to give an equal
number of crayons to each of his 4 friends. He
wrote the equation 4  ?  8 to find the number
of crayons he should give to each friend. How
many crayons should Johnny give to each friend?
Type your answer in the box.
? 
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Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes only.
They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
Evidence Statement Text, Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases and Other Information for 3.OA.4
Point Values
Each task must be worth 1 point.
Evidence Statement Text Determine the unknown whole number in a
multiplication or division equation relating three whole
numbers. For example, determine the unknown number
that makes the equation true in each of the equations
8  ?  48, 5 
Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases, and Other
Information
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 3, 6  6  ?.
i) Tasks do not have a context.
ii) Only the answer is required (methods,
representations, etc. are not assessed here).
iii) All products and related quotients are from the
harder three quadrants of the times table (a × b where a
> 5 and/or b > 5).
Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes only. They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
Sample: Step 2b Task Type: I Points: 1
Evidence Statement: 8.G.7-1
A right rectangular prism is 16 inches wide, 12 inches
long, and 12 inches tall.
d
16 inches
12 inches
12 inches
To the nearest inch, what is the length of the diagonal,
d, of the rectangular prism?
Type you answer in the box.
d 
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Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes only. They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
Evidence Statement Text, Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases and Other Information for 8.G.7-1
Point Values
Each task must be worth 1 point.
Evidence Statement Text Apply the Pythagorean Theorem in a simple planar case.
Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases, and Other
Information
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i) Tasks have “thin context” or no context.
ii) Tasks require students to find one side of a right
triangle in the plane, given the other two sides.
iii) In 50% of tasks, the answer is a whole number and is
to be given as a whole number.
iv) In 50% of tasks, the answer is irrational and is to be
given approximately to three decimal places.
v) The testing interface can provide students with a
calculation aid of the specified kind for these tasks.
Evidence Statement Text, Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases and Other Information for 8.G.7-2
Point Values
Each task must be worth 1 point.
Evidence Statement Text Apply the Pythagorean Theorem in a simple threedimensional case.
Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases, and Other
Information
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i) Tasks have “thin context” or no context.
ii) Tasks require students to find one side of a right
triangle in three dimensions, given information on a
diagram that straightforwardly determines the other
two sides.
iii) In 50% of tasks, the answer is a whole number and is
to be given as a whole number.
iv) In 50% of tasks, the answer is irrational and is to be
given approximately to three decimal places.
v) The testing interface can provide students with a
calculation aid of the specified kind for these tasks.
Step 3

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Determine if there are any mathematical
flaws in the task (i.e. anything that makes
the task unusable as written).
Flaws
Each task should:
• contain content (text, stimuli, terminology, notation, art, etc.) that is
mathematically correct, precise, and generally accepted by math educators
• be free from flaws
• not contain unintended mathematical errors, misconceptions,
contradictions, or ambiguities
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Sample: Step 3 Task Type: I Points: 1
Evidence Statement: 6.G.1
10 in.
5 in.
4 in.
14 in.
What is the area of the isosceles trapezoid?
square inches
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Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes only. They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
Evidence Statement Text, Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases and Other Information for 6.G.1
Point Values
Each task must be worth 2 points.
Evidence
Statement Text
Find the area of right triangles, other triangles, special
quadrilaterals, and polygons by composing into rectangles or
decomposing into triangles and other shapes; apply these
techniques in the context of solving real-world and
mathematical problems.
Clarifications,
Limits, Emphases,
and Other
Information
i)
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The testing interface can provide students with a
calculation aid of the specified kind for these tasks
Step 4

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Review answer keys and rubrics for accuracy.
Answer Keys and Scoring Rubrics
Type I one-point tasks should:
• have the correct key
Scoring Rubrics should:
• be clear enough so that the person scoring the response will
know how to assign points based on different parts of the
response
• assign at least 50% of the total points to the
reasoning/modeling provided in the response and less than
50% of the points to a computations provided in the response
for Type II and Type III tasks
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Sample: Step 4 Task Type: II Points: 4
Evidence Statement: 5.C.6/5.MD.5c
Rosa needs to calculate the volume of a right prism. This diagram shows the
dimensions of the prism. All angles in the base of the prism are right angles.
5 in.
4 in.
7 in.
7 in.
6 in.
12 in.
11 in.
Show how Rosa can calculate the volume of the right prism. Be sure to explain why
you chose the operations you use in your calculation, and include the volume of the
prism.
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Note: all items included in this presentation are for illustrative training purposes only. They are not representative of PARCC assessment items.
Evidence Statement Text, Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases and Other Information for 5.C.6 and
5.MD.5c
Point Values
Each task must be worth 3 or 4 points.
Evidence Statement
Text
Base explanations/reasoning on concrete referents such as diagrams
(whether provided in the prompt or constructed by the student in
her response).
Content Scope: Knowledge and skills articulated in 5.MD.C
5.C.6
Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases, and
Other Information
Evidence Statement
Text
Relate the operations of multiplication and addition and solve real
world and mathematical problems involving volume.
c. Recognize volume as additive. Find volumes of solid figures
composed of two non-overlapping right rectangular prisms by
adding the volumes of the non-overlapping parts, applying this
technique to solve real world problems.
5.MD.5c
Clarifications, Limits,
Emphases, and
Other Information
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–
i) Tasks require students to solve a contextual problem by applying
the indicated concepts and skills.
Scoring Rubric for Sample Step 4
Scoring Rubric
The task is worth 4 points; 1 point for computation and 3 points for reasoning.
Computation component: 582 cubic inches
Reasoning component:
1 point is awarded for a correct process in which the student shows or explains how to divide
the prism into two (or more) right rectangular prisms
1 point is awarded for showing or explaining the correct calculations for determining the
volume of each rectangular prism
1 point is awarded for showing or explaining that the volumes need to be added together to
determine the volume of the entire prism.
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Step 5

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Advise to accept or reject the task.
Advise to Accept or Reject
Reviewers as a group
• discuss any major comments
• determine how to proceed with the task (accept, accept with edits, reject)
– A task should be edited if it has a flaw that can be fixed or needs clarification.
A task should only be rejected if it has a flaw that can not be addressed.
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Questions?