For All Rubrics:

• Rubrics were placed in question format to improve usability by the scorers.
• Wording was revised to ensure that the emphasis was placed on the evaluation of the writing sample rather than the writer.
• An overarching statement was added to the beginning of each score point in order to succinctly summarize the essence of that score point.
• The name of the Language-in-Use Rubric was changed to the Language Conventions Rubric to more clearly represent the nature of that rubric and to align with the Academic Standards.
• Bulleted statements were made more consistent across the score points.
• Descriptive adjectives were refined to clarify the distinction among score points.

Language Conventions:

• The Language Conventions Rubric for Grade 3-5 now includes spelling as indicated in the Indiana Academic Standards.
• A clarification was added to address the issue of how to score inordinately brief student responses. Responses that brief make it difficult to fully assess a student's true command of English language conventions. A very brief paper, consisting of two or three sentences, may receive no more that 2 points.