Writing Information for 8th Grade Parents, Teachers and Students...

On September 26, 2007 the Chicago Board of Education approved amendments to the Elementary Promotion Policy (Board Report # 07-0926-P01) which requires that 8th grade students demonstrate proficiency in Writing as a condition for promotion. The policy states that students must have a "C or better" report card grade in Writing for the academic year or pass a District Wide Writing Assessment (DWWA). Requirements of this policy are not applicable to English Language Learners or students who do not take ISAT.
This portion of the policy will take effect this coming school year (Fall 2008) and includes the following components:
I. District Writing Prompts and Writing Grade
7th and 8th grade students will be expected to complete three Writing prompts representing the types of Writing assessed on ISAT (Narrative, Persuasive and Expository). These prompts will be locally administered and scored by teachers three times a year. Student performance on these three prompts for 8th grade students only will make up half of a student’s final report card Writing grade. The other half of a student’s Writing grade will be determined by student performance on additional Writing components determined at the local school level (i.e., class work, homework, class participation, etc.)
The first prompt (Narrative) will be administered October 20‐23, 2008
o The second prompt (Persuasive) will be administered January 12‐16, 2009
o The third prompt (Expository) will be administered May 11‐15, 2009
III. Spring Writing Assessment: District Wide Writing Assessment (DWWA).
Schools will be administering a spring Writing assessment to students in 8th grade who take ISAT. The assessment will be either a Narrative or Persuasive prompt. This assessment will be externally scored and results will be returned to schools one month after assessment administration.
􀂃 The spring Writing Assessment will be administered March 23-31, 2009
IV. Summer Enrichment Writing Workshops
8th grade students who do not meet the Writing criteria (i.e. obtain at least a C in Writing or pass the spring Writing assessment) will be required to attend enrichment Writing workshops over the summer in order to be promoted to the next grade.
Please contact the Office of Instructional Design and Assessment at (773) 553-5060 if you have any questions about the Writing portion of the student promotion policy. For other questions regarding the amendments to the elementary promotion policy, please contact the Office of Elementary Area and Schools at (773) 553-2150.