

How PPAT® Tasks Are Scored

The PPAT® assessment contains four tasks. Task 1, a formative task is not scored by ETS. Your educator preparation program provides formative feedback to you on the response that you submit for this task. Tasks 2, 3 and 4 are centrally scored by ETS-trained raters using rubrics that contain quantitative and qualitative elements of evidence.

There are three types of scores for the PPAT assessment:

  • step scores
  • task scores
  • overall cumulative assessment score

When scoring your task, raters review the written commentary that you enter in the textboxes, the artifacts that you link to from the textboxes and the video that you upload.

Calculating Step Scores

There are 11 steps. Step scores are determined using a four-point rubric. Score levels for each rubric are defined as follows:

ScoreQuantitative and Qualitative Elements of Evidence
Score of 4 Consistent and thorough
Score of 3 Effective and appropriate
Score of 2 Partial and inconsistent
Score of 1 Minimal and ineffective
0 Blank, insufficient evidence, no required artifacts linked to written commentary

The rubric documents contain the four task-specific rubrics used during scoring to evaluate the elements of the evidence you provided for each step.

Steps that are determined to be nonscorable receive a score of zero. See Understanding Your Scores.

Calculating Task Scores

Step scores are summed to determine the task score for each of the three tasks. The score for Task 4 is multiplied by two to reflect the double weighting of the task. Tasks that are not submitted receive a score of zero.

At least three raters contribute to scoring the assessment.

Calculating the Overall Assessment Score

The three task scores are summed to determine the overall assessment score. As noted above, the score for Task 4 is doubled.

Fair, Unbiased and Accurate Scoring

All raters:

  • are required to participate in a rigorous training program that includes demonstration of understanding of the standards, task directions, rubrics and more
  • must demonstrate mastery of the scoring process through multiple practice sessions conducted by experts who are trained in qualifying raters
  • must take and pass a certification test verifying their mastery of accurate scoring processes every time they score

All identifying information provided by you at registration is removed from responses to prevent raters from knowing your identity. When scoring resubmitted tasks, raters do not have access to any prior scores.

Scoring follows a conditional double scoring model in that each task will be single scored, but if a total task score is within a defined proximity of reaching the overall passing requirement, one additional rater will independently score the task.

Scoring leaders are assigned to supervise all scoring activity. As part of this work, scoring leaders also conduct random back readings of tasks that were scored. If an error in scoring is detected, the error will be corrected.