Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The following FAQs will help guide local education agencies (LEAs) and approved private schools for students with disabilities (APSSDs) in creating the evidence needed for the student appeal process.

1. What are constructed response tasks?

Constructed response tasks are open-ended questions that are designed, administered, and scored locally. These tasks must be designed to demonstrate that the student holds core mathematical competencies as stated in the 2023 NJSLS-M. The content of each task must be aligned to one of the three mathematical practices identified above and an Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II standard for four of the five conceptual categories found in the 2023 High School Mathematics Course Frameworks and Content Emphases.

2. Where can I find the specific content standards and mathematical practices that mathematics constructed response tasks must align with? What constitutes an appropriate and complete set of constructed response tasks?

Each constructed response task needs to be aligned to both a 2023 NJSLS-M content standard and one of three state selected mathematical practices.

1. The 2023 NJSLS-M can be found on the 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics (NJSLS-M) webpage. You may select any standards from Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II as delineated in the High School Mathematics Course Frameworks and Content Emphases.
2. The mathematical practices can be found on the 2023 Standards for Mathematical Practice webpage. You may select one of the following three mathematical practices:
   • 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
   • 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
   • 4. Model with mathematics.

An appropriate and complete Portfolio Appeals submission must include four constructed response tasks. The four tasks must be aligned to unique 2023 NJSLS-M standards, must represent each of the three selected mathematical practices at least once, and must represent four unique conceptual categories (the first letter in the content standard represents the conceptual category: N, A, F, G, and S).

As an example, you may decide to develop a task aligned to:

1. 2023 NJSLS-M: N.RN.A.3
2. Mathematical Practice: 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
3. Conceptual Category: Number and Quantity (N)

See FAQ #3 below for a complete sample set of four tasks representing a correctly designed set of tasks.

3. What might a sample set of task alignment selections look like for a particular student?

Below is a sample selection of four unique 2023 NJSLS-M standards that includes an appropriate set of mathematical practices with content from four of the five unique conceptual categories.

1. Geometry:
   • 2023 NJSLS-M: G.GMD.A.1
   • Mathematical Practice: 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
   • Conceptual Category: Geometry (G)
2. Algebra II:
   • 2023 NJSLS-M: S.ID.B.5
   • Mathematical Practice: 4. Model with mathematics.
   • Conceptual Category: Statistics and Probability (S)
3. Algebra I:
   • 2023 NJSLS-M: A.CED.A.3
   • Mathematical Practice: 4. Model with mathematics.
   • Conceptual Category: Algebra (A)
4. Algebra I:
   • 2023 NJSLS-M: F.IF.C.9
   • Mathematical Practice: 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
   • Conceptual Category: Functions (F)

Criteria met: Four unique 2023 NJSLS-M, each of Mathematical Practices 2, 3, and 4 is used at least once, and four unique Conceptual Categories are represented (G, S, A, and F).

4. What should each task consist of?

Each task must have the following:

1. A cover sheet that lists the following (a blank cover sheet can be found on the Graduation Assessment Requirement webpage under the section Graduation Portfolio Appeal):
   • The student’s name.
   • The 2023 NJSLS-M to which the task aligns (use the coding found in the NJSLS-M content standard).
   • The 2023 NJSLS-M mathematical practice evidenced (2, 3, or 4).
2. The constructed response task.
3. The constructed response rubric.
4. The student’s response and score.

5. Can I assess multilingual learners in their native language?

In accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1(f), multilingual learners may demonstrate proficiency through passage of the portfolio appeals process in their native language, when available, and passage of a Department-approved English language proficiency (ELP) assessment.

To determine if a multilingual learner is eligible for this option, review the criteria for Exiting a Student from Multilingual Learner Status to ensure the student has achieved the Department established cut score on WIDA ACCESS, WIDA MODEL or WIDA Alternate ACCESS.

LEAs and APSSDs will need to do the following if assessing eligible multilingual learners in their native language:

1. Write the task in English.
2. Have the task translated into the student's native language, using a locally selected process for translation services.
3. After the student has responded in his/her native language, the student response must be translated into English. Both the original student response and the English translation must be retained with all other documentation.

6. What would a sample task look like?

Below is a sample task:

2023 NJSLS-M Code: A.REI.D.10

2023 NJSLS-M Mathematical Practice: 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Conceptual Category Assessed: Algebra (A)

Constructed Response Task:

Let $\lvert x + y \rvert = c$ where $c$ is a real number.

Determine the number of points that would be on the graph of the equation for each given case:

Case 1: $c<0$

Case 2: $c=0$

Case 3: $c>0$

Justify your answers.

Student Response

Please note: The student’s response may be on separate pages from the task. Please make sure the student’s name is on each page of their response.

Sample Scoring Rubric

Score	Description
3	Student response includes each of the following three elements: One mathematical practice point: Correct justification of the number of points on the graph for $c<0$ One mathematical practice point: Correct justification of the number of points on the graph for $c=0$ One mathematical practice point: Correct justification of the number of points on the graph for $c>0$ Sample student response: $\lvert x\rvert$ and $\lvert y \rvert$ are are each nonnegative for all real numbers x and y. So, the sum must be nonnegative for all real numbers. Therefore, the sum cannot equal a negative number. There are no solutions and no points on the graph when $c<0$. If $c=0$, there is only one solution, (0, 0). The graph consists of only one point. If $c>0$, there are infinitely many solutions, which means that there are infinitely many points on the graph.
2	Student response includes two of the three elements.
1	Student response includes one of the three elements.
0	Student response is incorrect or irrelevant.

Please note, the sample rubric shows points earned for mathematical practice but not computation points. Rubrics may allow for points to be earned for both mathematical practice and computation. See FAQ #8 for additional information about how many points may be earned for computation.

7. What else to consider when developing a constructed response task?

LEAs and APSSDs should consider updating, refreshing, and developing new tasks based on feedback gathered locally from educators who are working with currently active tasks.

If your tasks align to the requirements of the current portfolio appeals process and are aligned to the 2023 NJSLS-M, they are acceptable for continued use; however, the coding of the task must be updated to be consistent with the 2023 NJSLS-M content standards and mathematical practices as described in FAQ #2.

Tasks should reflect high school-level content and mathematical practices. For example, a task that merely requires a student to add up a food bill would not allow a student to demonstrate proficiency in high school level Modeling and content.

8. How do I score a constructed response task? What is the minimum requirement for a qualifying task?

• Tasks should be worth a total of three, four, or six points. The total point value for a task is a local decision. Different tasks may be worth a different number of total points.
• At least half of the available points in each task must be for mathematical practice. Any remaining points can be for computation.
• Score points may not be awarded in half-points.
• Only student scores of 50% or more of the available points should be submitted to NJDOE.
  • If you are using a task with a total of three available points, only student portfolio appeals with scores of two or three demonstrate student proficiency of the NJSLS-M.
  • If you are using a task with a total of four available points, only student portfolio appeals with scores of two, three, or four demonstrate student proficiency of the NJSLS-M.
  • If you are using a task with a total of six available points, only student portfolio appeals with scores of three, four, five or six demonstrate student proficiency of the NJSLS-M.
• The score awarded to a student-completed task must be consistent with the uniform scoring rubric that is being used locally. Tasks not scored in this manner will not be accepted.

9. Can I send my constructed response tasks for review by the NJDOE before I administer them to my students?

LEAs and APSSDs may reach out to the Office of Assessments to request review of tasks. While not required, it is recommended to help eliminate issues before tasks are finalized. It is far easier to correct issues with the tasks before they are administered to students than it is to address issues after a student’s appeal has been submitted for approval.

10. If I sent in constructed response tasks for review last year, should I send them in again?

LEAs and APSSDs may choose to have tasks reviewed again by the Office of Assessment. However, this is recommended only if the task has been updated or refreshed in some way.

11. Are there common mistakes that can be avoided when developing constructed response tasks?

It is recommended that LEAs and APSSDs check for common mistakes such as:

• The cover sheet is missing or is not correctly filled out for each task.
• There is more than one mathematical practice listed.
• There is more than one content standard listed.
• The content of the task does not align to the mathematical practice and content standard.
• The content of the task is below the content level and rigor of the content standard.
• The task is not graded and does not show where the student made an error.
• The rubric does not show the points delineated for mathematical practice and computation.
• The rubric is missing a sample student response.

It is very important to review your tasks, cover sheets and rubrics for accuracy when compiling your documentation.

12. What do we need to keep locally for each Math appeal?

LEAs and APSSDs should maintain copies of the following locally for each student:

• A completed Education Proficiency Plan (EPP) that includes:
• The most current student transcript.
• Documentation of performance on the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment-Adaptive (NJGPA-A) and/or substitute competency assessments.
• Record of any ASVAB AFQT scores, or IVC or WBL documentation used to qualify the student for the streamlined portfolio appeals option.
• Record of any Department-approved ELP assessment results used to determine a multilingual learner’s eligibility to be assessed in their native language.
• An intervention plan implemented to ensure the student met the graduation assessment requirement.
• Tasks in mathematics in which the student is attempting to meet the graduation assessment requirement.
• Four graded responses to tasks for mathematics (at least one for each of the three required mathematical practices) or, if submitting a streamlined portfolio appeal, two graded responses to tasks for mathematics that meet the streamlined portfolio appeal requirements.
• A completed Mathematics Portfolio Appeal Cover Sheet for each graded student response. The Mathematics Portfolio Appeal Cover Sheet is available for download on the website.

Note: All documents can be found on the Graduation Assessment Requirement webpage under the section Graduation Portfolio Appeal.

13. What do I do if I have further questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the NJDOE’s Office of Assessments at assessment@doe.nj.gov or (609) 376-3960.