Each spring, public school students in grades four and seven, who participate in the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, complete a writing task as part of the California English-Language Arts Standards Test (CST in English-language arts). This writing task is called the California Writing Standards Test or the CST in writing.
Questions and Answers About the CST in Writing
Who takes the CST in writing?
All students in grades four and seven who take the multiple-choice part of the CST in English-language arts also respond to a writing task (prompt).
What types of writing are required on this writing task in 2008?
The type of writing that will be required for the CST in writing is not announced in advance; therefore, students must be prepared to respond to all the following possible types of writing for their respective grades:
n Students in grade four may be asked to write a narrative (story), a response to literature, or a summary of a reading passage.
n Students in grade seven may be asked to write a fictional narrative (story), a response to literature, a persuasive letter or essay, or a summary of a reading passage.
Where can parents and guardians see sample writing tasks?
Writing tasks used in previous STAR Program administrations have been released for public viewing. These tasks are available on the STAR Web page. The released writing tasks include samples of student responses for each possible score point. All tasks are based on California writing strategy, application, and convention standards, which are part of the English-language arts content standards.
How much time are students given to respond to the writing task?
The CST in writing is not timed. Students are given approximately 75 minutes to read the information, plan their written response, and complete a first draft. Students who are actively working at the end of the allotted time must be allowed more time to complete their responses. Readers who score the writing take into account that each response is a first draft.
How are the student responses scored?
Experienced readers are trained to use specific guidelines (rubrics) to score the student responses. These rubrics are included in teacher guides found on the STAR Web page.
What are the key traits readers look for to determine the score?
Readers carefully read each response to determine the level of writing skills the student has shown, as indicated by the rubric scoring. For example, readers examine the writing to see if ideas are thoroughly developed and supported with appropriate details. Readers also evaluate the writing for organization, word choice, sentence structure, grammar, and mechanics (i.e., spelling, punctuation, capitalization).
What is the “passing” score for the CST in writing?
There is no “passing” score for the CST in writing. The points assigned to the written response are combined with the number of multiple-choice questions answered correctly to produce the overall score and performance level for the CST in English-language arts. The score on the writing task also is converted to a percent correct, which is reported under the Writing Applications content area on back of the STAR Student Report.
Helping Students Improve Their Writing
Here are some suggested ways you can help students improve their writing skills:
- Talk with teachers and administrators about the school’s writing program and the expectations for students’ writing performance. When you share a common understanding of the writing skills students are being taught at school, you can provide more effective support at home.
- Encourage students to write lists, notes, thank-you cards, requests, journals, recipes, letters, book reports, short stories, e-mails, and other types of writing. As with any skill, writing improves with practice.
- For writing assignments, talk with students about what they are being asked to do and help them list the points to be covered. As students complete the assignments, point out parts that are written well and ask questions about parts that are not clear. Help students focus on developing the ideas in their writing before correcting the mechanics (i.e., spelling, punctuation, capitalization).
- Provide students with the things they need to write. In addition to paper, pencils, and other writing tools, make sure students have a quiet place to write, a dictionary and thesaurus, and a folder or notebook for keeping their ideas, drafts, and other writing pieces.
How to find out more
If you have additional questions about your school’s writing program, please direct them to your student’s teacher, counselor, or school office. Answers to your questions about the CST in writing or any tests in the STAR Program can be found on the STAR Web page.
