Parents are often wondering what a BCR (brief constructed response) is and how their child can do their best on this type of assessment.

Reading BCR - BCRs in reading are measuring if a student has comprehended a piece of grade level text. It is not measuring their ability to write. The answer a student gives must PROVE that they have read and understood the text. The proof come from text support. The student must also explain how the text support answers the question. Click on Reading BCR to see an example of how a 3rd grade student’s response would be scored.

Math BCR - BCRs in Math are measuring if a student has mastered a skill or concept. There are always 2 parts to a math BCR, part A and part B. Part A is worth 1 point and there is only 1 correct answer. In Part B the student needs to show and explain how or why their answer is correct. They can do this with words, numbers, and or symbols. We encourage the students to show their work and label the different parts. If it asks to use a concept in their explanation the student should write or draw about the concept. Click on Math BCR to see what a math BCR looks like.