School Improvement in Maryland
Public Release Item Scoring Information Return

Goal 1 Political Systems

Expectation 1.2 The student will evaluate how the United States government has maintained a balance between protecting rights and maintaining order.

Indicator 1.2.3 The student will evaluate the impact of governmental decisions and actions that have affected the rights of individuals and groups in American society and/or have affected maintaining order and/or safety.

Assessment Limits:

  • Presidential use of power and executive orders affecting rights, order, and/or safety.
  • National government agencies’ actions affecting rights, order, and/or safety.
  • State actions affecting rights, order, and/or safety.

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2007

Read the information below and use it to answer the BRIEF CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE that follows.

The governor of Maryland is empowered to maintain order during state emergencies such as natural disasters or public rioting.

  • Describe actions the governor might take in these situations.
  • Do you think the governor should have these powers in emergencies? Explain why or why not.
  • Include details and examples to support your answer.

Write your answer on the lines in your Answer Book.

The following 4 Sample Student Responses represent a range of score points.

Sample Student Response #1

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #1: Rubric Score 2

Annotation: This response shows knowledge of the governor's emergency powers. Some basic ideas are provided (keep everyone calm; keep everyone informed; figure out what needs to be done to get that community back to the way it was before). (Compare to this Level 2 anchor paper.)


Sample Student Response #2

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #2: Rubric Score 1

Annotation: This response is related to the question but shows only minimal knowledge. The student provides fragments of ideas (telling everyone to evacuate or something; he is responsible for the state and needs to make sure everything possible is being done) that are relevant but incomplete.


Sample Student Response #3

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #3: Rubric Score 4

Annotation: This response shows understanding of when and why the governor should use emergency powers. Powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills is demonstrated throughout the response. A thorough and insightful examination of situations when a governor must act and why she/he must act is provided (once the tornadoes are gone to help clean up and save people; terrorist threat that would usually cause panic; to help secure an area where the terrorists may strike; someone has to call all of the shots without being contested in the interest to save time and lives; who better to give these powers to than the man who is in charge of the state). (Compare to this Level 4 anchor paper.)


Sample Student Response #4

image of student response

Score for Sample Student Response #4: Rubric Score 3

Annotation: Some understanding of why the governor needs to have emergency powers is demonstrated in this response. The student gives accurate concepts that are supported (make sure that the people are safe; send the national guard to the area most affected; governor is commander-in-chief of the state National Guard). Some evidence of higher order thinking is provided through analyzing why emergency situations should be left to the states to deal with, as opposed to the federal government (governor should have these powers because he knows the state better than the President; national government might not be able to control the situation, such as in the case of Hurricane Katrina; governor has less responsibility, and therefore would be able to handle the situation quickly). (Compare to this Level 3 anchor paper.)


Additional Resources

Anchor Papers used in scoring

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Rubric
Print: Scoring Rubric (pdf)
Score 4

This response shows understanding of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is insightful, integrates knowledge, and demonstrates powerful application.

  • The application shows powerful evidence of higher order thinking skills.
  • Concepts are accurate and well supported.
  • There are no misconceptions.
  • The response is comprehensive.
Score 3

This response shows some understanding of the content, question, and/or problem. The response includes appropriate application that demonstrates evidence of higher order thinking skills.

  • The application shows some evidence of higher order thinking skills.
  • Concepts are accurate and supported.
  • There are no interfering misconceptions.
  • The response may not develop all parts equally.
Score 2

This response shows knowledge of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is acceptable with some key ideas. The response shows little or no evidence of application.

  • The response includes some basic ideas.
  • The response provides little or no support.
  • There are minimal misconceptions.
Score 1

This response shows minimal knowledge of the content, question, and/or problem. The response is related to the question, but it is inadequate.

  • The response includes incomplete or fragmented ideas or knowledge.
  • There may be significant misconceptions.
Score 0

The response is completely incorrect or irrelevant. There may be no response.

Knowledge and Understanding indicate the degree to which the response reflects a grasp of the content, question, and/or problem presented in the stimulus. The response indicates mastery that progresses from knowledge to understanding.

Last Revised June 2001
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