Frequently Asked Questions about Hand-Scoring for ELA and Mathematics Assessments
Who conducts the hand-scoring for the Smarter Balanced ELA and Math summative assessments?
Hand-scoring for the Smarter Balanced ELA and Math summative assessments is conducted by Measurement Inc.
Who conducts the hand-scoring for the Smarter Balanced ELA and Math interim assessments?
Hand-scoring for the Smarter Balanced interim assessments that require this process is conducted at the local level; therefore, individual school staff needs to be trained to hand-score the various components of the interim assessment using the Reporting System. Currently all Smarter Balanced ELA interim assessments are machine scored and do not require hand-scoring. Most Smarter Balanced Assessment Math Performance Tasks do require hand-scoring via the Reporting System.
Is hand-scoring necessary for the Smarter Balanced Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs)?
Hand-scoring is not necessary for the ELA ICA; both parts of the ELA ICA are machine scored. For Math, hand-scoring is not necessary for the Fixed Form Test part of the ICA, but it is necessary for the Performance Task part. Because both parts are necessary for a student to receive a score, hand-scoring is necessary for Math ICAs because of the Performance Task.
How are teachers trained to conduct the hand-scoring for the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments?
The Montana Assessment Portal has resources and training material for teachers such as the Reporting System User Guide and Training Module. All training material has been updated for the 2023-2024 school year.
Is the turn-around time for Math Interim Comprehensive Assessment scores dependent on completing and submitting the hand-scored items?
Yes. The turn-around time to see Math Interim Comprehensive Assessment Scores in the Reporting System will depend on when the school or test administrator completes the hand-scoring process. While the fixed form portion of the tests are fully machine scored, the Performance Tasks still require teacher hand-scoring within the Reporting System before an overall Math ICA score is available.
Is hand-scoring necessary for the Science Interim Assessments?
No, the Science interim assessments are fully machine scored.