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Define or Update a Rubric for an Assignment

Use these procedures to define, update, or select a rubric for an assignment for which you want to score multiple objectives. A rubric can only be defined or changed for an assignment that does not have any scores entered. Rubrics can be defined from either the Gradebook Entry or Gradebook Setup pages.

Before you can create or make changes to a Rubric, you must open the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window using one of the first two procedures below.

Open the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window from Gradebook Setup

  1. From Gradebook, click Setup to display the Gradebook Setup page.
  2. If you need to update the class or marking period, click Change, and make your selections.
  3. Click the Assignments tab.
  4. Either click
     in the Actions column for the assignment's row, or click
    to add a new assignment.
  5. Click the rubric indicator in the R&C column of the assignment's row to display the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window. 
    The rubric indicator icon can display in one of four ways:

No rubric or competency is associated with this assignment.

A rubric (but no competencies) is associated with this assignment.

One or more competencies (but no rubric) is associated with this assignment.

A rubric with competencies is associated with this assignment.


Open the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window from Gradebook Entry

  1. From Gradebook, click Entry to display the Gradebook Entry page.
  2. If you need to update the class or marking period, click Change, and make your selections.
  3. Either click 
     to create a new assignment, or click the header of an existing assignment to open the Assignment Details drawer.
  4. Click the rubric indicator next to Rubrics/Competencies in the Assignment Details drawer to display the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window.
    The rubric indicator icon can display in one of four ways:

No rubric or competency is associated with this assignment.

A rubric (but no competencies) is associated with this assignment.

One or more competencies (but no rubric) is associated with this assignment.

A rubric with competencies is associated with this assignment.

Define a Simple Rubric

A Simple Rubric allows you to score an assignment based on one or more competency scores.

  1. Open Competencies and Rubrics using one of the procedures above.
  2. In the Use field, select Simple Rubric.
    The Use field cannot be changed if any scores have been entered for this assignment.
  3. Click to 
     select competencies.
  4. From Competency Selection, select the competencies to score the assignment. To select multiple competencies, you can use SHIFT + click or CTRL + click.
    You can sort and search competencies in the Competency Selection window.
    To sort by a column header: Click on a column header (Group, Description, or State Standard) to select and sort by the header's column. Subsequent clicks of the selected column header reverses the sort direction.
    To search by a column: Under each column header (Group, Description, or State Standard) a blank field lets you enter text to search for matching entries in that column. As you enter text, a drop down displays with matches from the column to let you select an expanded search string. You can either select Enter to search based on the text you've entered, or click on one of the drop-down suggestions and then select Enter to search based on the suggested matching text from the drop-down. Any content matching the search text is displayed. You can search multiple columns to further narrow your search.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Choose Average or Sum for the Assignment Points option. Select:
    Average - Select to assign the same possible point value to each competency. The student's assignment score will be the average of all selected competency scores. Enter a value in the Assignment Points field at the bottom of the grid; this becomes the maximum point value for the assignment and the Points value for each competency.
    Sum - Select to assign a unique point value for each competency in the Points column. The student's assignment score will be the sum of all selected competency scores. The Assignment Points field at the bottom of the grid displays the sum of the values you entered for each competency in the Points column.
  7. When you have finished defining the simple rubric, click Save.

Define a new Full Rubric

  1. Open the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up Window using one of the two procedures at the beginning of this topic.
  2. Select Full Rubric in the Use field. The Use field cannot be changed if any scores are entered for this assignment. You can select a saved rubric or create a new one. If you are editing an existing rubric, refer to update an existing Full Rubric below for more information.
  3. Make your Rubric Type Selection:
    Saved For This Assignment Only - Rubric applies only to the current assignment.
    Available For All My Assignments - Rubric will be available to any of your assignments.
    Public ForAll Teachers - Rubric will be available for all teachers in your district who work in buildings that grant access to public rubrics. Your building's TAC configuration determines whether you can create a public rubric.
  4. Choose Average or Sum for the Assignment Points option. Select:
    Average - To average the scores for each criterion to determine the assignment's Points value. The student's assignment score will be the average of the rubric criteria scores. When Average is selected, you enter the assignment's desired Points value in the Assignment Points field at the bottom of the grid. The Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window then populates the grid; each criterions's highest performance level will be equal to the value entered in the Assignment Points field. The highest performance level of each criterion cannot be changed, but you can adjust the levels in the lower performance levels.
    Sum - To enter distinct values for each criterion's Performance Levels Score cell and have the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window compute the Assignments Points field at the bottom of the grid. The assignment's Points value is the sum of each criterion's maximum performance level Score. The student's assignment score will be the sum of the rubric's criterion scores.
  5. Enter a value in Rubric Code (the rubric's name - up to 20 characters).
  6. If desired, enter text to describe the rubric in the Description field (up to 255 characters).
  7. Enter values for the Number of Performance Levels and Number of Criteria fields.
  8. Populate the titles for the Criteria rows and Performance Levels columns.
  9. Enter the Score values:
    • If Average is the Assignment Points selection, enter the desired score value for the assignment in the Assignment Points field at the bottom of the grid.
    • If Sum is the Assignment Points selection, enter the desired score values for each cell.
  10. To associate a competency with a criterion, click 
     in the criterion's row to display the Competency Selection pop-up window.
    You can sort and search competencies in the Competency Selection pop-up window.
    To sort by a column header: Click on a column header (Group, Description, or State Standard) to select and sort by the header's column. Subsequent clicks of the selected column header reverses the sort direction.
    To search by a column: Under each column header (Group, Description, or State Standard) a blank field lets you enter text to search for matching entries in that column. As you enter text, a drop down displays with matches from the column to let you select an expanded search string. You can either select Enter to search based on the text you've entered so far, or click on one of the drop-down suggestions and then select Enter to search based on the suggested matching text from the drop-down. Any content matching the search text is displayed. You can search multiple columns to further narrow your search.
  11. If you are associating a competency with a criterion, click the row of the
    competency in the Competency Selection pop-up window to select it.
    To select multiple competencies, you can use SHIFT + click or CTRL + click.
  12. If you are associating a competency with a criterion, click OK.
  13. When you have finished defining the rubric, click Save.
    • The rubric is saved to your repository of available rubrics or is made available as a public rubric at this point, depending on your Rubric Type selection.
    • The rubric is also linked to the assignment at this point.
    • To save changes, click
       in the Actions column of the Gradebook Setup page or Save in the Gradebook Assignment Details drawer.

Copy information from a saved Full Rubric

  1. Open the Competencies and Rubrics Window using one of the two procedures at the beginning of this topic.
  2. Click the Select Saved Rubric link above the Rubric Code label.
  3. In the Rubrics Search window, use the Create a Copy box to determine how you want to use the rubric you are selecting.
    • If you want to be able to edit the rubric, check this box to create a new rubric based on the saved rubric you select.
    • If you want to use the saved rubric without making changes, uncheck this box.
      Important: If you need to associate competencies with the rubric criteria, make sure you check the Create a Copy box. Competencies do not copy from saved rubrics, so you need to add them after you select the rubric.
  4. Click on a row to select a saved rubric.
    • By default, the Rubric Search pop-up window shows all of your saved rubrics and, if your building allows access, all rubrics saved as Public by teachers in your district.
    • Use the search fields under each column header to retrieve records containing the character strings you enter. For instance, suppose you are looking for an Algebra rubric defined by your colleague Harold Hastings. In this case, you would enter algebra in the Description field and select Enter. Next enter Hastings in the Author field and select Enter.
  5. Click OK to close the Rubric Search pop-up window and chose the selected rubric. It now populates the Competencies and Rubrics pop-up window.
    • If you created a copy of a saved rubric, remember to link competencies as needed to the rubric criteria.
    • If you created a copy of a saved rubric, make sure to change the Rubric Code so it is unique from codes you already used.
    • When you save the rubric, the system compares the rubric point total to the assignment point total. If the values do not match, the system asks whether you want to change the assignment point total.

Update an existing Full Rubric:

If the rubric is linked only to one assignment and no scores have been entered, you can change any part of the rubric. Otherwise, the following restrictions apply:

    • If a rubric is attached to more than one assignment, you cannot make changes to it.
    • If a rubric is linked to a single assignment and scores have been entered, you may only change the descriptive text associated with a particular rubric criterion and performance level.
    • You can change the Rubric Type to Public For All Teachers selection even if scores exist for assignments linked to the rubric. However, you cannot change the Rubric Type for a public rubric once it is linked to assignments for other teachers in your district.
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