What this rubric measures
The STAAR Informational Writing Rubric, Grades 6 to English II is the official scoring guide used to evaluate student writing on Texas STAAR assessments. It is an Analytic rubric that scores responses across 2 distinct criteria, allowing teachers to give precise, targeted feedback on each area of writing.
All 2 scoring criteria
Click any criterion to expand its score level descriptors. The language below is taken verbatim from the official Texas Education Agency STAAR scoring guide.
1 Organization and Development of Ideas
The response demonstrates the following:
- Controlling idea/Thesis is clear and fully developed. The controlling idea/thesis is clearly identifiable. The focus is consistent throughout, creating a response that is unified and easy to follow.
- Organization is effective. A purposeful structure that includes an effective introduction and conclusion is evident. The organizational structure is appropriate and effectively supports the development of the controlling idea/thesis. The sentences, paragraphs, or ideas are logically connected in purposeful and highly effective ways.
- Evidence is specific, well chosen, and relevant. The response includes relevant text-based evidence that is clearly explained and consistently supports and develops the controlling idea/thesis. For pairs in grades 6 through EII, evidence is drawn from both texts. The response reflects a thorough understanding of the writing purpose.
- Expression of ideas is clear and effective. The writer's word choice is specific, purposeful, and enhances the response. Almost all sentences and phrases are effectively crafted to convey the writer's ideas and contribute to the overall quality of the response and the clarity of the message.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Controlling idea/Thesis is present and partially developed. A controlling idea/thesis is presented, but it may not be clearly identifiable because it is not fully developed. The focus may not always be consistent and may not always be easy to follow.
- Organization is limited. A purposeful structure that includes an introduction and conclusion is present. An organizational structure may not be consistent and may not always support the logical development of the controlling idea/thesis. Sentence-to-sentence connections and clarity may be lacking.
- Evidence is limited and may include some irrelevant information. The response may include text-based evidence to support the controlling idea/thesis, but it may be insufficiently explained, and/or some evidence may be irrelevant to the controlling idea/thesis. For pairs, evidence is drawn from at least one of the texts. The response reflects partial understanding of the writing purpose.
- Expression of ideas is basic. The writer's word choice may be general and imprecise and at times may not convey the writer's ideas clearly. Sentences and phrases are at times ineffective and may interfere with the writer's intended meaning and weaken the message.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Controlling idea/Thesis is evident but not developed. A controlling idea/thesis is present but not developed appropriately in response to the writing task.
- Organization is minimal and/or weak. An introduction or conclusion may be present. An organizational structure that supports logical development is not always evident or is not appropriate to the task.
- Evidence is insufficient and/or mostly irrelevant. Little text-based evidence is presented to support the controlling idea/thesis, or the evidence presented is mostly extraneous and/or repetitious. Explanation of any evidence presented is insufficient and may be only vaguely related to the writing task. For pairs in grades 6 through EII, evidence is drawn from only one text. The response reflects a limited understanding of the writing purpose.
- Expression of ideas is ineffective. The writer's word choice is vague or limited and may impede the quality and clarity of the essay. Sentences and phrases are often ineffective, interfere with the writer's intended meaning, and impact the strength and clarity of the message.
The response demonstrates the following:
- A controlling idea/thesis may be evident.
- The response lacks an introduction and conclusion. An organizational structure is not evident.
- Evidence is not provided or is irrelevant. The response reflects a lack of understanding of the writing purpose.
- The expression of ideas is unclear and/or incoherent.
Four sub-criteria are embedded in each score point, clarity of the controlling idea/thesis, effectiveness of organization, specificity of text-based evidence, and effectiveness of expression. For paired-text prompts, evidence is drawn from BOTH texts to earn the highest score.
2 Conventions
Student writing demonstrates consistent command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including correct sentence construction, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling. The response has few errors, but those errors do not impact the clarity of the writing.
Student writing demonstrates inconsistent command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including limited use of correct sentence construction, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling. The response has several errors, but the reader can understand the writer's thoughts.
Student writing demonstrates little to no command of grade-level-appropriate conventions, including infrequent use of or no evidence of correct sentence construction, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling. The response has many errors, and these errors impact the clarity of the writing and the reader's understanding of the writing.
Important STAAR scoring rule, if a response receives a score point 0 in the Development and Organization of Ideas trait, the response will also earn 0 points in the Conventions trait.
How to score with the STAAR Informational Writing Rubric, Grades 6 to English II.
A practical guide for teachers and norming teams. How to apply each descriptor consistently, the pitfalls that hurt inter-rater reliability, and a workflow for calibrating with colleagues.
Two-trait analytic, scored independently
- Score Organization and Development (0 to 3) first, then Conventions (0 to 2). Sum for the rubric total out of 5.
- Conventions has only 3 score points (0, 1, 2) on a tighter scale than Organization/Development.
- Critical TEA rule: a response that earns 0 on Organization/Development AUTOMATICALLY earns 0 on Conventions.
Look for a controlling idea/thesis, not an argument
- Informational writing requires a clear controlling idea/thesis that explains a topic, NOT an argument or opinion.
- Responses that argue a position instead of explaining the topic may score lower because they don't address the writing purpose.
- The strongest responses connect every paragraph back to the controlling idea/thesis and stay focused on explanation.
Both texts in paired-source prompts
- Grades 6 through EII prompts often pair two source texts. To earn a 3 on Organization/Development, evidence must be drawn from BOTH texts.
- A response using only one text in a paired-source prompt typically caps at 2 (or 1 if the evidence is also weak).
- Always check the prompt for how many sources are provided before scoring evidence.
Tips for norming with your team
- Anchor with 3 to 5 sample responses scored by your most experienced grader before the session.
- Score the first 5 silently, then compare. Discuss any trait where graders are more than one point apart.
- Re-norm halfway through a long batch. Drift is real, especially across genres.
Notes for the STAAR Informational Rubric, Grades 6 through English II
The Grades 6 through English II Informational rubric uses the same 2-trait structure as the Argumentative/Opinion rubric (Organization and Development of Ideas 0-3, Conventions 0-2), but the descriptors center on a controlling idea/thesis rather than an argument or opinion. Informational writing explains a topic, it does not argue a position.
Paired-text prompts are common at this grade band. To earn a 3 on Organization and Development, evidence must be drawn from BOTH provided texts. A response using only one text typically caps at 2.
Students may also receive an ECR prompt asking them to respond by writing a letter (correspondence) to a specific audience. The rubric is applied the same way regardless of the response form.
Universal STAAR scoring rule: a response that earns 0 on Organization and Development of Ideas earns 0 on Conventions regardless of mechanical quality.
See this rubric in action.
EnlightenAI scores student writing on this exact rubric, with per-criterion feedback that mirrors how you grade by hand. The sample response below shows how the rubric applies to a real piece of student writing, scored against every criterion.
How urban tree canopies affect city neighborhoods
In cities across the country, planners are starting to treat trees as essential infrastructure rather than decoration. Urban tree canopies affect city neighborhoods in three important ways, they lower local temperatures, they improve air quality, and they shape the economic value of the neighborhoods around them.
Tree canopies lower local temperatures
Article 1, from an urban planning journal, explains that paved surfaces absorb heat during the day and release it at night, creating what scientists call the urban heat island effect. The article reports that streets shaded by mature tree canopies can be 5 to 10 degrees cooler than unshaded streets in the same neighborhood. This cooling reduces the strain on air conditioning and lowers heat-related illness during summer.
Tree canopies improve air quality
Article 2, published by the EPA, describes how tree canopies filter particulate matter and absorb pollutants like nitrogen dioxide. A single mature tree can remove more than 70 pounds of pollution from the air each year. Article 2 notes that neighborhoods with dense tree cover report lower rates of childhood asthma than nearby neighborhoods with sparse canopies, even when other factors are controlled for.
Tree canopies affect neighborhood value
Both articles touch on the economic dimension. Article 1 cites a study showing that homes on tree-lined streets sell for 7 to 15 percent more than similar homes on bare streets. Article 2 adds that the cost of planting and maintaining trees is returned several times over in energy savings and reduced health-care spending. Tree canopies are not just an environmental feature, they are a financial one.
Conclusion
Urban tree canopies cool neighborhoods, clean the air, and raise property values, all at a relatively low long-term cost. The two articles together show that planting and maintaining city trees is one of the most efficient investments a city can make in the health and economy of its neighborhoods.
Thesis fully developed across both source texts
Controlling idea introduces three points and each is developed in its own paragraph. Evidence is drawn from both Article 1 (urban heat, real estate) and Article 2 (EPA pollution data, asthma rates), satisfying the paired-source rule. Word choice is precise.
Consistent command of grade-level conventions
Sentence construction, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling are accurate throughout. Errors are minor and do not impact clarity. Earns full credit on the STAAR 0-2 Conventions sub-scale.
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About the STAAR Informational Writing Rubric, Grades 6 to English II
What is the STAAR Informational Writing Rubric for Grades 6 through English II?
How is the Informational rubric different from the Argumentative/Opinion rubric?
How is paired-source evidence handled at Grades 6 through EII?
Can students respond to STAAR with a letter at Grades 6 through EII?
What is the "0 on Development equals 0 on Conventions" rule?
Is this rubric the official version from TEA?
Where can I find the source document?
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Train EnlightenAI on the STAAR Informational Writing Rubric, Grades 6 through English II and start scoring student writing, with consistent per-trait feedback, in a single class period.