STAAR Short Constructed Response (SCR) — Reading Domain, Generic Item-Specific Scoring Framework
The TX STAAR Short Constructed Response (SCR) — Reading Domain, Generic Item-Specific Scoring Framework scored out of 2 points across 1 criterion, for short answer, reading comprehension writing at 3 through English II (all STAAR RLA grades). Published by Texas Education Agency.
2 pages, US Letter, black and white. Free, no account, no email. Includes every performance level and a blank scoring sheet.
How it is scored
- Reading Short Constructed Response (item-specific)2 pts · 3 levels
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The full rubric
Reading Short Constructed Response (item-specific) · 2 points
2 points
A complete response provides one of the accepted explanations/answers to the specific reading question and includes at least one piece of supporting evidence from the text (cited or paraphrased). Evidence is accurately used to support the response, and the response and its evidence are based on the text.
1 point
A partial response may include one of the answers expected in a complete response, but the evidence included does not support the answer stated, or no evidence is provided. Alternatively, a partial response may cite or paraphrase relevant text evidence but not include an accurate answer to the question.
0 points
The response is incorrect, is not based on the text, or no response is provided.
This rubric applied to a real essay
Below is a sample essay scored against the rubric above, shown the way it looks inside the grader. The marks, the scores and every comment are the grader’s own output, not written by hand for this page. It scored 1 out of 2.
The essay is written for this page, at roughly a B grade so both the strengths and the weaknesses are worth seeing. It is not a real student’s work.
The prompt
Read the passage, then answer the question in complete sentences. PASSAGE: Mara had waited two years for this tryout. She got to the gym early, the way she always did, and it smelled like floor polish and old rubber, the way it always had. She was stretching by the wall when Dani came in, dropped her bag, and sat down hard. "I didn't make it," Dani said, and did not look up. Mara thought about the list on the coach's door, and about how badly she had wanted her own name at the top of it. Then she sat down next to Dani and stayed there until the whistle blew, even though it meant she went into the tryout cold. QUESTION: Why does Mara sit down next to Dani instead of continuing to warm up? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
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How it scored, criterion by criterion
The student provides a reasonable answer — Mara prioritizes her friend over her own performance — but does not include any cited or paraphrased evidence directly from the passage. Phrases like 'feels bad for her friend' and 'cares more about being a good friend' are the student's own inferences, not evidence drawn from the text. To earn full credit, the student needed to point to a specific textual detail, such as Mara thinking about how badly she wanted her name at the top of the list and still sitting down anyway, or the fact that she 'went into the tryout cold.'
What the student was told to fix
- Quote or paraphrase at least one specific detail from the passage to support the answer
- Show the cost of Mara's choice using the text's own words (e.g., she 'went into the tryout cold')
- Connect the text evidence back to the answer so the reasoning is explicit
Graded on 2026-08-08. A teacher can change any score before it goes back to the student.
Source
Texas Education Agency. Official document. Rubrics are revised periodically, so check the source before using this for a graded assessment.
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