For Texas RLA teachers, grades 3–8 and English I and II
How the STAAR short constructed response is scored
A reading short answer earns 0, 1 or 2 points: one for an accurate answer, one for evidence from the text that backs it up. Here is what earns each point, the mistakes that cost points, and a free scorer for your students’ answers.
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The rubric, explained
The STAAR SCR rubric: 0 to 2 points
Every reading SCR has its own rubric, written for that question, listing the answers and the evidence that count. The shape is the same every time: an accurate answer, plus evidence from the text that supports it.
Answer and text evidence (0–2)
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are not scored. What counts is whether the answer is right and whether the text backs it up.
- 2 points
Complete
The answer is accurate: it says what the question asks, based on the reading. It is backed by at least one piece of evidence from the text, quoted or paraphrased, and that evidence actually supports the answer. A sentence or two can do all of this.
- 1 points
Partial
Half the job. Either the answer is accurate but has no evidence, or evidence that does not support it; or the student cites relevant text but never gives an accurate answer to the question.
- 0 points
Not credited
The answer is wrong, is not based on the reading, only restates the question, or is blank.
SCR and ECR
How the SCR differs from the ECR essay
Both appear on every STAAR reading language arts test from grade 3 through English II, and both are written about a reading selection. They are scored very differently.
| Reading SCR | ECR (the essay) | |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 0 to 2 | 0 to 5 from one reader (Ideas 0–3, Conventions 0–2); two readers’ scores are added for 0 to 10 |
| Rubric | Written for each question | The same two-trait rubric for every prompt, by grade band and by informational or argumentative writing |
| Full credit | An accurate answer and evidence that supports it | A clear claim developed with explained evidence, in an organized essay, with consistent command of conventions |
| Conventions | Not scored | Scored, 0 to 2 |
| Length | A sentence or two can earn full credit | A full essay |
Common mistakes
What costs points on a STAAR SCR
Most lost points come from leaving out one of the two parts. These are the patterns to look for in your students’ answers.
An answer with no evidence
The student answers correctly and stops. Without a detail from the text, the answer can earn 1 at most.
A quotation with no answer
A sentence is copied from the passage, but the student never says what it shows or how it answers the question.
Restating the question
Turning the question into a statement is not an answer. It earns nothing on its own.
Evidence that does not fit
The detail is from the text, but from the wrong part: it does not support the answer the student gave.
Answering from experience
An answer built on the student’s own life or opinions, with nothing from the reading behind it, is not text-based.
Answering a different question
A question that asks how or why the author does something is not answered by a summary of what happens.
Writing SCRs
What about writing short answers?
Some STAAR short constructed responses are in the writing part of the test. They ask a student to revise, for example to combine two sentences into one. Those are scored 0 or 1: a complete sentence that does the task clearly earns the point.
The free scorer on this page is for reading SCRs, the 0 to 2 questions about a passage.
FAQ
STAAR SCR questions teachers ask
How many points is a STAAR short constructed response worth?
A reading short constructed response is worth 0 to 2 points: an accurate answer and evidence from the text that supports it. A writing short constructed response, such as combining two sentences, is worth 0 or 1.
Does spelling count on the STAAR SCR?
No. The SCR rubric scores the answer and the evidence, not conventions. Spelling and grammar only matter if they make the answer impossible to follow. Conventions are scored on the essay, the ECR.
How much evidence does a 2 need?
At least one piece of evidence from the text that supports the answer. More evidence does not raise the score above 2, so one well-chosen detail is enough.
Do students have to quote, or can they paraphrase?
Either. A quotation or a paraphrase counts, as long as it accurately reflects the text and supports the answer.
How is the SCR different from the ECR?
The SCR is a short answer scored 0 to 2 against a rubric for that question. The ECR is an essay scored on two traits, Ideas and Conventions, for 0 to 5 per reader and 0 to 10 in total.
How does the free scorer score an SCR?
It scores the answer against the question you paste, the way the 0 to 2 rubric works, and explains what is missing for the next point. Paste the reading selection too and it checks the evidence against the text. Unlike our essay scoring, SCR scoring has not yet been tested on TEA’s released papers, so treat its score as a second opinion.
Keep reading
More on STAAR writing
For school admins
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