Texas STAAR Informational Writing Rubric | Grades 3-5 | Reading Language Arts

Texas Education Agency

• Sep 11, 2024 • 4 min read

✨ Summary: Texas STAAR Writing Rubric for Grades 3-5 Informational Writing. Detailed scoring criteria for development and organization of ideas and writing conventions, crucial for students, teachers, and parents in Texas elementary education.

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Texas STAAR Writing Rubrics for Grades 3–5: Informational Writing

Key Points

This rubric guides informational writing assessment for grades 3-5
It helps teachers evaluate students’ ability to convey information clearly and effectively
It’s crucial for STAAR writing test preparation
It aims to improve elementary students’ informational writing skills

Full Rubric

Criteria	Score 3	Score 2	Score 1	Score 0
Development and Organization of Ideas	Central idea is clear and fully developed Organization is effective Evidence is specific, well chosen, and relevant Expression of ideas is clear and effective	Central idea is present and partially developed Organization is limited Evidence is limited and may include some irrelevant information Expression of ideas is basic	Central idea is present but not developed Organization is minimal and/or weak Evidence is insufficient and/or mostly irrelevant Expression of ideas is ineffective	Central idea may be evident Lacks introduction and conclusion No organizational structure Evidence not provided or irrelevant Expression of ideas unclear/incoherent
Conventions	Consistent command of grade-level conventions: Correct sentence construction Proper punctuation Accurate capitalization Correct grammar Correct spelling Few errors, not impacting clarity	Inconsistent command of grade-level conventions: Some issues with sentence construction Some punctuation errors Some capitalization errors Some grammar mistakes Some spelling errors Several errors, but thoughts understandable	Little to no command of grade-level conventions: Frequent sentence structure issues Frequent punctuation errors Frequent capitalization errors Frequent grammar mistakes Frequent spelling errors Many errors impacting clarity and understanding	(Same as Score 1)

Note: A score of 0 in Development and Organization automatically results in a 0 for Conventions.

Detailed Rubric Breakdown

Development and Organization of Ideas

Score	Criteria
3	Central idea is clear and fully developed Organization is effective Evidence is specific, well chosen, and relevant Expression of ideas is clear and effective
2	Central idea is present and partially developed Organization is limited Evidence is limited and may include some irrelevant information Expression of ideas is basic
1	Central idea is present but not developed Organization is minimal and/or weak Evidence is insufficient and/or mostly irrelevant Expression of ideas is ineffective
0	A central idea may be evident The response lacks an introduction and conclusion. An organizational structure is not evident Evidence is not provided or is irrelevant The expression of ideas is unclear and/or incoherent

Conventions

Score	Criteria
2	Student writing demonstrates consistent command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including correct: sentence construction punctuation capitalization grammar spelling The response has few errors, but those errors do not impact the clarity of the writing.
1	Student writing demonstrates inconsistent command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including limited use of correct: sentence construction punctuation capitalization grammar spelling The response has several errors, but the reader can understand the writer’s thoughts.
0	Student writing demonstrates little to no command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including infrequent use of or no evidence of correct: sentence construction punctuation capitalization grammar spelling The response has many errors, and these errors impact the clarity of the writing and the reader’s understanding of the writing.

Note: If a response receives a score point 0 in the Development and Organization of Ideas trait, the response will also earn 0 points in the Conventions trait.

How to Use This Rubric

For Teachers: Use this rubric to assess your students’ informational writing skills. It can help you identify areas where students excel and where they need improvement. Incorporate these criteria into your writing instruction to help students develop strong informational writing skills.
For Students: Familiarize yourself with this rubric to understand what’s expected in your informational writing. Use it as a checklist when revising your work to ensure you’ve covered all the important aspects of effective informational writing.
For Parents: Review this rubric to understand how your child’s informational writing is evaluated. Use it as a guide to support your child’s writing development at home.

Tips for Success in STAAR Informational Writing

Clear Central Idea: Ensure your writing has a clear, well-developed central idea that remains consistent throughout the essay.
Effective Organization: Use a logical organizational structure with a strong introduction and conclusion. Connect your ideas smoothly.
Relevant Evidence: Include specific, well-chosen evidence from the text to support your central idea. Explain how this evidence relates to your main point.
Clear Expression: Use precise language and well-constructed sentences to clearly convey your ideas.
Conventions: Pay attention to sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling. Proofread your work carefully.

By focusing on these areas, students can improve their informational writing skills and perform better on the STAAR Writing test. Remember, practice makes perfect! Regular writing practice using this rubric as a guide can significantly enhance your performance.

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