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History, Government and Social Studies Assessment

HGSS Classroom Based Assessment Rubrics and Information

The HGSS Classroom Based Assessment is designed to be used by learners and teachers for promoting Inquiry Based Learning
 TitleDescription
HGSS Elementary School Scoring RubricRevised September 2023
HGSS Middle School Scoring RubricRevised September 2023
HGSS High School Scoring RubricRevised Oct. 12, 2023
History, Government and Social Studies Alternate Rubric and Information 
HGSS CBA ToolkitUpdated Nov. 13, 2023 - updates to pages 10 and 13. Links revised Oct. 12, 2023.
HGSS-CBA Fact Sheet2023-24 Classroom Based Assessment fact sheet to answer basic question concerning the CBA.

HGSS Classroom Based Assessment Task

The Kansas History, Government and Social Studies (HGSS) Standards document identifies five standards and four associated benchmarks that support the discipline-specific application of content in authentic situations rather than focusing simply on discipline-specific content. The document includes details on effective HGSS classroom instructional best practices and highlights the historical thinking skills that develop when classroom educators successfully integrate these practices into their students’ learning. 

The Kansas Social Studies Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) is designed to measure student understanding of these standards, benchmarks and skills while allowing Kansas school districts, classroom teachers and students the opportunity to develop their own assessment that best supports local decisions concerning content, sources, and products. The CBA is based on the fourth benchmark outlined in the state standards document and specifically asks students to create a product that demonstrates their competency in advancing a claim or thesis and supporting that claim or thesis using evidence and argument. To prepare learners for the state-level CBA, classroom teachers should provide students learning opportunities to become proficient in the skills described in the benchmarks under each of the five standards. These expectations are outlined in Benchmarks One, Two and Three.

Benchmark 1: Recognize and Evaluate
The student is able to recognize and then evaluate one or more of the big ideas from the five Standards (i.e., choices, consequences, rights, responsibilities, identities, beliefs, ideas, actions, continuity, change or dynamic relationships). 

Benchmark 2: Analyze Context and Draw Conclusions
The student is able to analyze the circumstances surrounding one or more of the big ideas from the five standards (i.e., choices, consequences, rights, responsibilities, identities, beliefs, ideas, actions, continuity, change or dynamic relationships) and then draw conclusions or make judgments about what they have analyzed. “HGSS Standards Documents.” (2022) Kansas State Department of Education

Benchmark 3: Investigate and Make Connections
The student is able to investigate one or more of the big ideas from the five standards (i.e., choices, consequences, rights, responsibilities, identities, beliefs, ideas, actions, continuity, change or dynamic relationships) and then make connections to contemporary or real-world issues.

The evaluation of a student’s ability to develop a product that answers a locally developed compelling question using evidence and argument satisfies the requirements of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) state assessment mandate. This required state assessment is based on Benchmark Four.

Benchmark 4: Make a Claim or Advance a Thesis Using Evidence and Argument

Kansas History Government and Social Studies Standards:

  1. Choices have Consequences
  2.  Individuals have Rights and Responsibilities
  3. Societies are shaped by Identities, Beliefs, and Practices of Individuals and Groups
  4. Societies Experience Continuity and Change Over Time
  5. Relationships among People, Places, Ideas, and Environments are Dynamic

Program Manager - Humanities
Nate McAlister
(785) 296-3892
nmcalister@ksde.org

Program Manager - Humanities
Joann McRell
(785) 296-2144
jmcrell@ksde.org

Deputy Commissioner
Division of Learning Services

Dr. Ben Proctor
(785) 296-2303
bproctor@ksde.org

Director
Career, Standards and Assessment

Beth Fultz
(785) 296-3142
bfultz@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Career and Technical Education

Natalie D. Clark
(785) 296-4351
​ndclark@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Curricular Standards

Dr. David Fernkopf
(785) 296-8447
dfernkopf@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Assessment

Julie Ewing
(785) 296-2325
jewing@ksde.org

Assistant Director
Kansas Volunteer Commission

Dr. Jessica Dorsey
(785) 296-3163
jdorsey@ksde.org

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