Constructed Response
The standard drives the question. The
content knowledge drives the
response. The assessment drives
instruction.
Shari Alexander 2011 
Senate Bill 1 Definition of
Constructed Response
Constructed response is a general term that
describes any type of item where students must
develop or build a response to a question or
prompt.
• Fill in the blank
• Short answer
• Extended Answer
• Open Response Format
• On Demand Format
• *Diagrams
Test Items
Grades 4-8 will have MC, short answer and
open/extended response. Grade 3 will
have only MC and short answer.
End of Course will likely have MC and
constructed response.
On Demand format will use prompts and
Editing and Mechanics portion may have
MC and short answers.
According to KRS 158.6453 the CRT components will be composed of
CR/MC items and NRT components shall be MC items.
State Required Assessments for
2012
3rd
CRT/NRT Reading and Math -new standards
MC, SA format
4th
CRT/NRT Reading and Math -new standards MC, CR format
Writing: Editing and Mechanics (MC,SA)
Science (CC 4.1) MC, OR*
5th
CRT/NRT Reading and Math-new standards MC, CR format
On Demand Writing (Prompt only)
SS (CC 4.1) MC, OR*
6th
CRT/NRT Reading and Math- new standards MC, CR format
Writing: Editing/Mechanics (MC,SA) AND On Demand Writing
Points Assigned Scoring Guides
Short Answer 0-2 points (6.5 in.X3 in.
response box in sample from KDE)
Open Response 0-4 points (full page
response box as in past)
2 Types of CR
Closed:
Student has to write answer, but there is only one correct response.
Ex. How many lines of symmetry does the shape below have?
Open Ended:
Student has to write answer but response will measure both content
knowledge and application.
Ex. The 4th grade students at Jackson School are going on a field trip.
• There are 6 fourth-grade classes.
• Each class has 24 students.
a. What is the total number of fourth-grade students at the school?
Show or explain how you got your answer.
b. The students will be riding on 3 buses. The same number of
students will be riding on each bus. How many students will be riding
on each bus. Show or explain how you got your answer.
Writing a Constructed Response
(Same as OR, just more variety in type)
•
•
•
•
Begin with the standard you want to assess? Your question needs to match
the standard.
Determine the level of thinking your students need to attain look at the
power verb (think Bloom’s) based on the standard. That will define the type
of CR you draft.
Draft your question and be sure you can answer it in text!
Practice writing a response yourself, or better yet ask a colleague to read
the passage and answer the question. Is it a quality question? Write a 2point response if question was SA or 4 point if it was an open response.
The STANDARD will help define the type.
Short answer should take LESS than 5 minutes to answer using the small
space provided. Open Response should take bout 15 minutes using
whole page if needed.
REMEMBER THIS YEAR’S ASSESSMENT WILL HAVE A TIME LIMIT.
Short Answer or Open Response?
How do I know which one to assess?
Question Type
Short-answer
Open-response
Bloom’s Level
Remembering
Understanding
Applying*
Applying*
Analyzing
Evaluation
Creating
Short Answer or Open Response
Standard or Target 4th Grade Sample
Determine a theme of a story.
Describe in depth a character, setting
or event in a story…drawing on
specific details in the text.
Compare and contrast the point of
view from which different stories are
narrated, including the difference
between first and third person
narrations.
Describe the overall structure of events,
ideas, concepts or information in a
text…(chronology, cause/effect,
problem/solution)…
Make a line plot to display a data set
of measurements in fractions of a
unit.
Apply the area and perimeter
formulas for rectangles in real world
and mathematical problems.
Short-Answer or Open Response
“When students write in their content area
they perform better on any type of test.”
Doug Reeves
Constructed Response
The standard drives the question.
Content knowledge drives the
response. Assessment drives
instruction.
Shari Alexander 2011 
To get to the finish
line…FOCUS ON CONTENT
Use the assessment to drive
instruction.