2025 MCAS Sample Student Work and Scoring Guide - Question 12 Essay - Scoring Guide

Sep 22, 2026

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2025 MCAS Grade 5 English Language Arts Question 12 is a writing task that asks students to explain how individuals address challenges presented in two passages, using evidence from both texts. The document details relevant reporting categories and standards for grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and applying language knowledge in context. It provides an essay prompt plus scoring guides for Idea Development and Standard English Conventions, including score descriptions and sample-response criteria.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Essay Prompt

Scoring Guide for Idea Development

Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions

# 2025 MCAS Sample Student Work and Scoring Guide Grade 5 English Language ArtsQuestion 12: Essay Reporting Categories: Language and Writing Standard:L.PK-12.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard Englishgrammar and usage when writing or speaking. Standard: L.PK-12.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard Englishcapitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Standard: L.PK-12.3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functionsin different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehendmore fully when reading or listening. Standard: W.PK-12.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and conveycomplex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,organization, and analysis of content. Standard: W.PK-12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Item Description: Write an essay that explains how individuals addressed challengespresented in two passages; use information from both passages as evidence . This item can be found in the released item sets on the MCAS Resource Center . ## Essay Prompt For this question, you will write an essay based on the passage(s). Your writing should: • Present and develop a central idea. • Provide evidence and/or details from the passage(s) . • Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Based on Bridges and Tunnels and Beneath the Streets of Boston, write an essay thatexplains how engineers and workers address the many challenges of tunnelbuilding. Be sure to use information from both passages to develop your essay. Continue to the following page to see the scoring guides for this question. Sample studentresponses begin on page 3. The annotations that appear above each sample responsedescribe elements of the response that contributed to its score for Idea Development andStandard English Conventions. ## Scoring Guide for Idea Development ### Select a score point in the table below to view the sample student response. | Score* | Description | | --- | --- | | 4A | • Central idea is clear and fully developed
• Effective selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
• Effective organization
• Clear expression of ideas
• Full awareness of the purpose for writing | | 4B | | | 3 | • Central idea is general and moderately developed
• Appropriate selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
• Moderate organization
• Adequate expression of ideas
• Sufficient awareness of the purpose for writing | | 2 | • Central idea may be present and is somewhat developed
• Limited selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
• Limited organization
• Basic expression of ideas
• Partial awareness of the purpose for writing | | 1 | • Central idea is not present and/or not developed
• Insufficient evidence and/or details
• Minimal or no organization
• Poor expression of ideas
• Minimal awareness of the purpose for writing | | 0 | The response shows evidence the student has read the text, but does not address thequestion or incorrectly responds to the question . | ## Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions ### Select a score point in the table below to view the sample student response. | Score* | Description | | --- | --- | | 3A | • Consistent control of a variety of sentence structures relative to length of essay
• Consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/orlength of essay | | 3B | | | 3C | | | 2 | • Mostly consistent control of sentence structures relative to length of essay
• Mostly consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexityand/or length of essay | | 1 | • Little control and/or no variety in sentence structure and/or
• Little contro

FAQs

What does Question 12 require students to do in their essay?

Students write an essay explaining how engineers and workers address challenges of tunnel building, using information from both provided passages as evidence.

Which reporting categories and standards are assessed for this writing task?

The task assesses Language and Writing standards, including conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and how language functions in different contexts.

How does the document evaluate Idea Development and Standard English Conventions?

It provides two scoring guides: one for Idea Development (central idea, evidence selection, organization, and awareness of purpose) and one for Standard English Conventions (sentence variety plus control of grammar, usage, and mechanics).

Sep 22, 2026

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