SMARTER Balanced Assessment 11th Grade ELA - SBAC Item Types, Claims & Sample Item

Oct 3, 2026

Overview of SMARTER Balanced Assessment for 11th grade ELA, explaining the transition timeline and the structure of summative assessment items. Describes four item types—Selected-Response, Constructed-Response, Technology-Enhanced, and Performance Tasks—and how technology supports ELA evidence collection. Summarizes four major ELA claims (reading analytically, writing effectively, speaking and listening purposefully, and conducting research) and the scoring approach using overall and enhanced composite scores. Includes a grade 11 sample item example with claim, targets, standards, and key response information.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages64

Reading Time2 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

SMARTER Balanced Summative Assessment Development Timeline

Item Types (Selected-Response, Constructed-Response, Technology-Enhanced, Performance Tasks)

ELA Assessment Claims and Scoring

Glossary Terms

Grade 11 ELA Sample Item (TEI Template and Metadata)

SMARTER Balanced Assessment 11th Grade ELA As 2015 approaches and we transition to the Smarter Balanced Assessments, many teachers and administrators have been asking for information. What is the implementation timeline? What kinds of items will be on the test? What do assessment items look like? How are the tests scored? How will technology be utilized? While not every detail is known, information is available. First, an implementation time line: SMARTER Balanced Summative Assessment Development Timeline | | June 2010 | | --- | --- | Common Core State Standards (CAS) Released From [http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/ItemSpecifications/GeneralItemSpecifications. pdf](http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/ItemSpecifications/GeneralItemSpecifications. pdf) Item Types SBAC assessments are made up of four item types: Selected-Response, Constructed-Response, Technology-Enhanced, and Performance Task. A description of those items follows. Selected-Response Items (SR) Traditionally known as Multiple Choice, selected-response items include a stimulus and stem followed by three to five options from which a student is directed to choose only one. Constructed-Response Items (CR) The main purpose of a constructed-response item is to address targets and claims that are of greater complexity. They ask students to develop answers without suggested answer choices. Technology-enhanced Items/Tasks (TE) Technology-enhanced items can provide evidence for ELA practices that could not be as reliably obtained from traditional SRs and CRs. Technology-enhanced items may stand alone or may bea tool used as part of the Performance Task and/or Constructed-Response items. Several TE template specifications have been designed for use in the ELA domain, including reordering text, selecting and changing text, selecting text, and selecting from drop-down menus. Performance Tasks ( PT) The ELA Performance Tasks focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening, and research claims. They measure capacities such as depth of understanding, interpretive and analytical ability, basic recall, synthesis, and research. They may take place over time. Claims The Smarter Balanced summative assessments in ELA are designed to measure the full range of student abilities in the Common Core State Standards or Core Academic Standards (CAS) for language arts and literacy. Evidence will be gathered in support of four major claims: whether students can (1) Read Analytically, (2) Write Effectively, (3) Speak and Listen Purposefully, and (4) Conduct Research. Students will receive an overall ELA composite score. For the enhanced assessment, students will receive a score for each of the four major claim areas. (Speaking isnot part of the summative assessment, but may be part of the interim assessment. ) Claim 1 – Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literary and informational texts. Claim 2 – Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences. Claim 3 – Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences. Claim 4 – Students can engage in research/inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information. Glossary Distracter: the incorrect response options to an SR item. Distracter Analysis: the item writer‘s analysis of the options or rationale for inclusion of specific options. Item: the entire item, including the stimulus, question/ prompt, answer/options, scoring criteria, and metadata. Key: the correct response(s) to an item. Options: the responses to a selected-response (SR) item from which the student selects one or more answers. Scoring Rubric: the descriptions for each score point for an item/task that scores more than one point for a correct

FAQs

What is the purpose of the SMARTER Balanced summative assessment in 11th grade ELA?

It is designed to measure the full range of student abilities in the Common Core State Standards/CAS for language arts and literacy. Evidence supports four major ELA claims and results include an overall ELA composite score, with enhanced assessment scores for each claim area.

What four item types are included in SBAC ELA assessments?

SBAC includes Selected-Response, Constructed-Response, Technology-Enhanced items/tasks, and Performance Tasks. Each type supports different ways to gather evidence for ELA targets and claims.

How do technology-enhanced items support ELA assessment?

Technology-enhanced items can provide evidence for ELA practices that are difficult to obtain from traditional Selected-Response and Constructed-Response formats. They may stand alone or be used within Performance Tasks and/or Constructed-Response items, using TE template interactions such as reordered text and dropdown selections.

Oct 3, 2026

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