This document provides an overview of performance assessments and rubrics. It defines a performance assessment as the observation and evaluation of a skill or product. The document outlines the key steps to creating a performance assessment, including identifying the performance to be evaluated, establishing criteria in a rubric, and developing assessment tasks. It also examines the traits of high-quality rubrics, such as having clear content and criteria that are logically categorized into distinct levels of performance. Common rubric errors like emphasizing quantity over quality or including non-essential elements are also discussed.

1. Rubric Refresher:
Consultation Support
Facilitated by Marie Gillespie
October 14, 2014

2. Objectives
OI can explain the essential
elements of a performance
assessment.
OI can identify and explain the traits
of a high quality rubric.

3. What is a Performance Assessment?
Observation and judgment of an activity that
requires students to “demonstrate performance
of certain skills or to create products that meet
certain standards of quality”(Stiggins, 2008, p. 155).
To evaluate true form, the assessor goes to
where the activity is being done live
In some cases, to be safe or practical we must
approximate the true performance

4. A Performance Assessment is…
A strong method for evaluating:
• Performance Skill
• Required behavior, observed in action
• Ex: “Communicate using different forms of oral presentation”
• Product
• Creation reflecting proficiency
• Ex: Writing- “Use language that is precise, engaging, and well
suited to the topic and audience.”
• Skill & Product
• Skill needed to form a product & the quality of the product
(Stiggins,2008, p. 159)

5. Steps to Creating a
Performance Assessment
1) Identify & define the performance that you will
evaluate
• Are you evaluating skill, product, or both?
2) Establish the performance criteria of an excellent
(Stiggins, 2008, p. 163)
performance (by creating a rubric)
• What does an excellent performance look like?
• Map each stage of performance that
escalates to excellent
• Convey the discipline-based meaning of
proficiency
• Use student-friendly language
• Prepare to score holistically, analytically, or a
combination

6. Steps to Creating a
Performance Assessment
3) Create tasks to develop this type of student
(Stiggins, 2008, p. 163)
performance
• Specify the Task
• Define the learning targets
• Explain the conditions that the task will be
completed within (materials, time frame, location,
context)
• Communicate the evaluation criteria again
• Select the Sample Size
• Determine the # of tasks needed to evaluate the
learning target/essential outcome
• Consider: Purpose of the assessment, depth of
the learning target, time, student’s
performance consistency, rating of the
performance

7. Examining Rubrics
“Good rubrics for evaluating student
proficiency in a performance
assessment context specify the
important content (what counts) with
sharp clarity (everyone understands
the criteria).”
(Stiggins, An Introduction to student-involved assessment for learning, p. 173).”

8. Rubrics- Content
Good rubrics…
O Understand what a good performance is.
O Align content with essential outcomes
(learning targets), state/national standards
O Align content with what you are really
assessing.

9. Rubrics: Content and Clarity
Good Rubrics…
OCategorize and divide the criteria
logically.
OHave enough levels to show progress.
OShow a clear distinction between
levels.
(Stiggins, An Introduction to student-involved
assessment
for learning, p. 173-175)

10. Rubrics- Clarity
O Rubrics are clear when everyone knows
and understands what is wanted and
needed.
O Levels defined with descriptors
O Written in student friendly language
O Inter-rater reliability
O Levels of the rubric are parallel in content
(Stiggins, An Introduction to student-involved assessment for learning,
p. 173-175)

11. Ex. of a Rubric Needing Further Clarity
In order to be a high-quality rubric:
• Enough concrete indicators, adjectives, and
descriptive phrases must exist to justify a
match to a specific quality level

12. Ex. of a Rubric Needing Further Clarity
In order to be a high-quality rubric:
• All levels of the rubric should be parallel in content
(discuss all expected elements in all levels) (Stiggins,
2008, p. 173-175)

13. Common Rubric Errors
1, Emphasis on quantity
instead of quality
2. Important criteria are
neglected
3. Non-essential elements
are included
Use counts when they are
part of quality
If forgotten:
O It suggests it is
unimportant
O The student is not
given feedback
O There is a lack of info.
for instructional
planning
Connect criteria with
essential outcomes

14. More Errors
4. Rubrics are used as a
scoring guide
5. Rubric is skimpy
6. Including effort in a
rubric
Fails to define quality,
which is the goal
Levels of quality are not
thoroughly defined
Standards & expectations
should not be adjusted as
a result of effort

15. Metarubric Summary
O Content- What counts? What users see is what you’ll get.
O Does it cover everything of importance- doesn’t leave important
things out?
O Does it leave out unimportant things?
O Clarity- Does everyone understand what is meant?
O Are terms defined?
O Are various levels of quality defined?
O Are there samples of work to illustrate the levels of quality?
O Practicality- Is it easy to use?
O Will students understand what is meant? Is there a student-friendly
version?
O Can students use it to self-assess & set specific goals?
O Is the information provided useful for planning instruction?
O Is the rubric manageable?
O Technical Quality/Fairness- Is it reliable & valid?
O Is it reliable? Will different raters give the same score?
O Is it valid? Do the ratings actually represent what students can do?
O Is it fair? Does the language adequately describe quality for all
students? Are there racial, cultural, or gender biases?

16. References
O Arter, Judith and Jan Chappuis (2006). Creating &
recognizing quality rubrics. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson.
O Chappuis, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., and Arter, J. (2012).
Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right-
Using it well. Boston: Pearson.
O Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis,J. and J. Chappuis, S. (2006).
Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right-
Using it well, Boston: Pearson.
O Stiggins, R. (2008). An Introduction to student-involved
assessment for learning, 5th ed. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson.