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Types of Test Items

  • ELA and mathematics tests contain test questions with varying degrees of difficulty.
  • The ELA test consists of selected-response, technology-enhanced, and evidence-based selected-response items. The ELA test also includes a Text-Dependent Writing (TDW) item. The TDW items requires that students read a passage(s) and respond to a prompt or task while drawing upon the text(s) for their written responses.
  • The mathematics test contains multiple-choice, technology-enhanced, and multi-select items. Technology-enhanced items include items such as drag and drop, hot spot, drop down list, keypad input, and constructed-response (type in a number).
Subjects/Sessions Grades Item Type Item Type Description
ELA & Math 3-8 Selected- Response (SR) Students select one response from four possible answer options.
ELA 

Math		 4-8

6-8		 Technology- Enhanced (TE) For online testers only, students interact with the item (in DRC INSIGHT) to provide their response—e.g., drag and drop, hot spot*, graphing, etc. Comparable SR items will replace TE items on the print form.
Math 5-8 Multi-Select (MS) Students will be prompted to select all of the correct answer choices. The multi-select items may have 5 or 6 answer choices. The number of correct answers will be more than one choice, but fewer than all choices. In order to receive credit for a correct response, students must select all of the correct answer choices and only the correct answer choices.
ELA 5-8 Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR) These are two-part items. Students read a piece of text or passage and choose the best answer from the answer choices. Students will then be asked to support their response with evidence from the text—e.g. select multiple evidence statements, place multiple steps in correct sequence, place multiple punctuation marks correctly, etc. In order to receive credit for a correct response, students must answer both parts of the item correctly.
ELA Writing session only 3-8 Text-Dependent Writing (TDW) Students will read a passage(s) and respond to a prompt (Grades 3-4) or task (Grades 5-8) while drawing upon the text(s) for their written responses.
Math 6-8 Short Answer (SA) or Gridded Response (GR) For online testers, students will key a numeric response (short answer) in DRC INSIGHT. For paper/pencil testers, students will grid a numeric response (gridded response) on their answer document. A link for the gridded response instructions appears below
Math 6-8 Keypad Input For online testers, some items will have a keypad input. Students may use either the online keypad or the physical keyboard to enter their response. The keyboard will be limited by the buttons available in the online keypad. Depending on the grade level of the item, the online keypad will contain buttons for the digits 0-9, a fraction button, a negative button, and/or a decimal point button. For paper/pencil testers, students will grid their response to this item type in the answer document.

*Hot Spot: Students may be asked to click on one or more responses which may be presented as text, images, expressions, functions, graphs, etc.

Mathematics Grades 6-8 Gridded Response Instructions (138 Kb PDF)

Science

The science tests consist of multiple-choice items and technology-enhanced or TE item types, such as drag and drop, hot spot (click to select), drop down list, and constructed-response (type a numeric response).