Middle School English Language Arts Instructional Guide

District-Wide Standards-Based Assessments & RISE Testing

Student Writing Trends

Considerations RISE Writing Benchmarks are dependent on availability from USBE and their rollout schedule. Regardless of benchmark availability, it is strongly recommended that sites regularly engage in common formative assessments. Why Have a District-Wide, Standards-Based Assessment? Common Formative Assessments help measure student understanding consistently across classrooms and grade levels. Shared assessments support meaningful teacher collaboration and data-driven instruction tailored to student needs. What Is a District-Wide, Standards-Based Assessment (DWSBA)? DWSBAs assess student progress on targeted standards and provide actionable feedback. In Canyons, grades 6–8 will use the RISE platform for ELA writing DWSBAs, unless otherwise noted. Data can be accessed via the RISE reporting tool and is aligned with the Utah RISE Writing Rubrics . Using the RISE Platform Administration instructions are in the Test Administration Manual (TAM) . For detailed guidance, refer to the “ELA DWSBA How-To.” Administering the Writing DWSBA Plan for 60–90 minutes, adjusting as needed. Scaffolding and modeling should occur during instruction, not the assessment. For guided practice, use an alternative RISE Benchmark. Provide IEP and ML accommodations as required by law and best practice.

Select the linked image below to explore this brief guide to using MagicSchool AI’s Student Writing Trends tool to enhance your writing

common formative assessments (CFAs).

Questions to Guide PLC Data Analysis: 1. ​ What do we want students to know or be able to do? 2. ​ How will we know if students have mastered the standards of focus? 3. ​ How will we respond for students who have not yet learned? 4. ​ How will we respond for students who have already demonstrated mastery, or are ready to do more? 5. ​ How can students use this data to assess their own understanding and set learning goals?

Check out the following short guide on how to use the MagicSchool AI tool, Student Writing Trends, to support writing CFA’s:

Grades 6-8 Suggested Testing Windows for RISE Benchmark/Site-Based CFAs Fall 2025 Winter, 2025 Winter II, 2026

Benchmark: Informative I

Benchmark: Argument II

Benchmark: Informative II or Argument II

Testing Reason: Fall

Testing Reason: Winter

Testing Reason: Winter II

RISE Benchmark or CFA Determined by Site Based PLC

RISE Benchmark or CFA Determined by Site-Based PLC

RISE Benchmark or CFA Determined by Site-Based PLC

9/15/25 - 10/27/25

11/10/25 - 12/19/25

2/9/26 - 3/2/26

Last Updated May 22nd, 2025 Middle School ELA, Page 34