Grade 11 TCAP Writing Assessment Results
Data from February 2013 Writing Assessment:
Table 1: Scores by trait (1-4 scale)
Focus/Organization
Support/Elaboration
11th
grade
Language/Style
Conventions
Average
% scoring
a 3 or 4
Average
% scoring
a 3 or 4
Average
% scoring
a 3 or 4
Average
% scoring
a 3 or 4
2.74
67.9%
2.02
27.6%
2.88
73.5%
2.96
75.5%
Other 11th grade testing information:
 Number of test takers: 66,485
 Number/percentage of students scoring at least a 3 on all traits: 17,451 (26.2% of all 11th grade
students)
 Number of students receiving condition code D: “Too limited to evaluate” (scored as a zero in all
four traits): 213
Prompt and standards alignment:
Students were asked to read two complex informational texts—one a government report on singlegender schools and the second a table compiling data on single-gender education—and write a
persuasive essay either supporting or opposing “the idea that single-gender education produces better
results than coeducational classrooms.” The assessment addressed the following Common Core State
Standards:
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Reading:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining
where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction
in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high
end of the range.
Writing:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Language:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language
functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Necessary skills:
In order to succeed with this prompt, students needed to be able to:
 Read and comprehend complex informational texts
 Compare and contrast information from multiple texts, including numerical information
presented in a table format
 Synthesize ideas from multiple texts into a coherent argument
 State and maintain a clear argument
 Write an organized, focused, clear, and coherent essay
 Incorporate textual evidence (e.g. key ideas, supporting details, quotes, facts) from multiple
texts into their prose
 Explain and elaborate upon textual evidence and draw connections between evidence and their
claim
 Demonstrate command of style, language, and tone to accomplish their task
 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard written English
For a more complete overview of what skills were assessed during scoring, see the 2012-13
opinion/argument rubric (please note that Tennessee has revised the rubrics for the 2013-14 school
year).
Results analysis:
Focus/Organization: Overall, this was the second lowest scoring trait for 11th grade students,
although still significantly higher than the lowest scoring trait, support/elaboration. 67.9% of
students scored a 3 or 4 in focus/organization. Students struggling in focus/organization tend to
have trouble crafting paragraphs or separating their thoughts into coherent sections. They may
also lack focus in their writing, either insufficiently establishing their argument, stating an
argument that is irrelevant to the prompt, or meandering off topic as they write. Success on this
trait is also inextricably linked with “demonstrating sufficient understanding of the stimulus
material.” Students who are able to understand and follow the key ideas, arguments, and
purposes of both texts are in a better position to write an essay with relevant content.
Support/Elaboration: Overall, this was the lowest scoring trait for 11th grade students, by a wide
margin. Only 27.6 % of students scored a 3 or 4 in support/elaboration. Because
support/elaboration measures a student’s ability to provide textual evidence to support his
analysis, students who struggle in this trait either do not provide sufficient textual evidence in
their essays or do not elaborate upon the evidence, linking it to their ideas. Again, students who
struggle with reading comprehension may also struggle with this trait, since the quality of
evidence is linked directly to the writer’s grasp of the text’s argument. The ability to develop
one’s writing with textual evidence is perhaps the single most important skill required for
success on PARCC writing prompts.
Language/Style: This was the second highest scoring trait for 11th graders. 73.5% of students
scored a 3 or 4 in language/style. Students scoring well in this trait are able to demonstrate an
advanced sense of style, writing with a variety of precise, effective words and sentences and an
appropriate tone for formal essays. As a measure of form (how a student writes) as opposed to
content (what a student writes), it is entirely possible (and this trend was observed in many
student papers) for a student to score highly on this trait, as well as on conventions, while not
doing well on support/elaboration and focus/organization.
Conventions: Conventions was the highest scoring trait for 11th graders. 75.5% of students
scored a three or four. As with the other traits, conventions is measured independently.
Whether a student can use evidence, organize his thoughts, or write with advanced syntax or
diction will have no bearing on his conventions score (another aspect of form), which measures
his ability to command grammar, usage, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
Instructional implications:
1) Since 11th grade students generally experienced more success with form, more emphasis could
be placed on improving content (as measured by the Support/Elaboration and
Focus/Organization traits). A writing emphasis can be driven by mini-lessons, focused writing
prompts, and targeted feedback from teachers and peers. However, students still need practice
in all traits.
2) 11th grade students appear to need more practice in the skill of writing to sources, including:
 Selecting relevant and significant details and ideas from a text
 Supporting claims with specific evidence from texts
 Synthesizing textual evidence from multiple sources into a coherent argument
Students can benefit from mini-lessons targeting the above skills, including direct instruction
and teacher modeling of writing strategies through think-alouds, discussion and reflection, and
exemplar essays (from both students and teachers).
3) The presence of two texts, especially the data table, may present a particular challenge to 11th
graders who may be used to responding to one text at a time. Students may need more practice
reading across paired texts or text sets (a series of texts examining a single topic from different
modes and perspectives). Students also need practice across subject areas, including math,
science, and social studies, analyzing and interpreting data in various forms.
A plan for the 11th grade PLC:
Step one:
Step two:
Step
three:
Step four:
Step five:
Print the 11th grade prompt and work through it yourself as a learner. Consider the skills
and capacities necessary for your students to succeed with the prompt.
Secure your teacher/grade level data from the MI portal (may require access information
from your school’s or district’s testing coordinator).
Review and analyze data from your school or students from last year. Look for strengths
and weaknesses across traits. What trends do you notice?
In light of the prompt and the data, identify specific points where your students most
likely experienced difficulty. Things to consider might be:
 What are the texts about, and what are the reading demands?
 What are students being asked to write, and what must they do with each text?
 In what ways were the students required to use textual evidence?
 What would a successful response to the task look like?
Build a series of close reading lessons with complex informational texts and culminating
assessments with writing-to-sources prompts (or use some of the resources listed below).
Collect student work from at least three students who are in different places in their
learning, score it using the revised 2013-14 rubrics, and share with colleagues. Consider
the following questions:
 What evidence can you draw from these student samples about your students’
capabilities?
 What are areas of deficits for your students when it comes to reading complex
texts and responding to them in writing?
 What are some strategies you can use to help bridge those deficits and improve
student writing?
Tennessee resources to support students with PARCC-style writing tasks:
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Practice assessment tasks at
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/sample_assessments/grade11.aspx:
o 11-12 Phase I sample writing task
o 11-12 Writing Research Simulation tasks (to be posted in March 2014)
Common Core units http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/curricular_resources/912/text_unit_9-12.aspx:
o 11-12 informational text unit: abolition of slavery
Informational text close reading tasks with writing-to-sources prompts as culminating
assessments at http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/curricular_resources/6-8/tasks68.aspx:
o 11-12 “A Modest Proposal” task
o 11-12 Declaration of Independence task
o 11-12 Mass Hysteria task
o 11-12 Susan B. Anthony task
o 11-12 Wealth and Society task
Resources to support teachers in understanding the Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts and instructional shifts and in creating their own materials:
o Text-dependent questions
o Text complexity
o 11-12 summer training materials