Score Level 1 Anchor Paper

This response shows minimal knowledge of debt relief. A valid, but incomplete, idea (homeless people…in the United States need to be helped) is given as a reason why Congress should not support such a bill.

Score Level 1 Anchor Paper

This response includes some fragmented ideas related to the function of debt relief (will bring money; allows Congress to affect other nations).

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

This response shows knowledge of debt relief for poor countries. A key idea is provided (in order to ensure World Peace the government must be able to help other countries…so that when this country needs help other countries will…without having to debate about it).

Score Level 2 Anchor Paper

This response shows knowledge of debt relief. The student provides a few basic ideas (once they are financially stable again…can help the global economy, through buying, selling, and shipping goods; might lead to a boost in the global economy, which our country will then benefit from).

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

This response shows some understanding of the issues surrounding debt relief. Concepts are accurate and supported (countries could sink down even further; could thoroughly cripple a poor nation). Some evidence of higher order thinking is demonstrated through recognition of possible benefits from debt relief (promote economic stability in the world so that the poor nations do not fall to far from stronger nations…allowing poor countries to stay on their feet).

Score Level 3 Anchor Paper

This response shows some understanding of the issues surrounding debt relief. Some evidence of higher order thinking is demonstrated through delineating the possible benefits of debt relief to the nation in need of assistance (more productive uses of their money), the United States (assist our national security intrests), and the international community as a whole (if a country is more stable…can be a more active contributor to the world market; if smaller nations money problems are reduced than the chances of that nation to be more receptive to international interests…).

Score Level 4 Anchor Paper

This response shows understanding of the issues surrounding debt relief. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking is demonstrated as the student uses accurate, well supported concepts to first focus on two examples (Somalia and Sudan) that look at the consequences of debt (they’ve overgone destructive civil wars; may have needed to borrow money; countries are left with mass destruction), then recognizes the potential for more problems arising if these countries are made to pay their debts (since they had very little money to begin with and have less money now, there is no way they would be able to pay debts back and still support their citizens). Several positive outcomes of supporting the bill are then analyzed (one of the goals of the U.S. government is to provide humanitarian relief; not passing this bill would mean…less money and another uprising; could harm our national security because terrorists cells and rebel conspiracies could form and harm U.S. citizens).

Score Level 4 Anchor Paper

This insightful response shows understanding of the issues surrounding debt relief. Concepts are accurate and well supported. The student demonstrates powerful evidence of higher order thinking through analyzing the connection between “vital US interests” and “the global community” (demonstrate concern for humanity; increase the respect other countries have for the US; wise from a defense standpoint; involved in another Cold War; country would be more likely to align itself with the US).