Connecticut Mastery Test - Direct Assessment of Writing

Direct Assessment of Writing

In this test, students have 45 minutes to write a paper on a designated topic. In third and fourth grade, the essay is a fictional narrative; in fifth and sixth it is an expository piece; in seventh and eighth grade it is a persuasive essay. It is scored by two trained professionals. Each reader scores it from one to six. The two scores are combined to make one holistic score. The state goal is 8.0 out of 12.

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