Sample Grading Rubric for Students with Complex Access Needs

This grading rubric can be used as a tool to assist educators in obtaining more specific and objective activity grades for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Educators may find this tool most useful for students who are accessing the curriculum (TEKS) at prerequisite levels and routinely participate in alternate or non-traditional methods of assessment. These students may be in the process of developing a functional and consistent mode of communication (e.g., currently non-verbal, uses very limited non-symbolic communication) and require individualized supports (e.g., modifications, task analysis, direct instruction, assistive technologies, first/then charts, tactile schedules, social narratives) and ongoing adult assistance (e.g., prompting, cueing, physical assist) to participate in on-topic academic exchanges.

Additionally, this tool can be helpful for students who are able to complete part of a task independently but require scaffolded supports for certain steps within the task.

Note: When using this tool, educators have the flexibility to identify any preplanned supports for each step within the task that do not need to be noted in the prompt code and score section. Only additional, unplanned supports the student requires while completing the task will be reflected in the prompt code and score section.

This document aligns with the Rubric of Effective Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Quality Indicator II: Effective Teams.