Study Guide

Field 203: Educating All Students—II (EAS–II) roman numeral 2 open parentheses E A S to roman numeral 2 close parentheses 

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Sample Constructed-Response Item

Competency 0005 
Educator Literacy Skills

Read the two exhibits; then complete the assignment.

Does service learning throughout the prekindergarten to grade 12 (P–12 P to 12 ) curricula support the achievement and growth of all students?

Using your own words, write a well-organized essay of approximately 300– to 500 words. Present a fully developed argument that introduces and supports a claim in response to the question above and includes a conclusion. Your essay must:

• include a claim that demonstrates understanding of the topic;
• use reasoning that draws on and extends the arguments in the exhibits provided;
• support your claim with relevant and sufficient evidence from the exhibits provided and your own ideas and examples;
• address one counterclaim; and
• include a conclusion that supports your claim and argument.

Your essay should be written for an audience of New York State educators and follow the conventions of standard written English. Maintain a formal style and use clear and precise language. With the exception of appropriately identified quotations and paraphrases from the exhibits provided, your writing must be your own.

Exhibit 1

Service Learning Produces Better-Prepared Students

1

In today's world, a prekindergarten through grade 12 (P–12 P to 12 ) education which relies on a traditional, in-the-classroom approach to instructing students may prove insufficient in preparing those students for college and careers. Adding service learning to the curriculum may offer a solution.

2

Service learning is a pedagogy incorporating civic engagement and service that allows students to apply academic knowledge and skills to meet community needs. For example, a fifth-grade class might organize a canned-goods collection to help stock a local food pantry. High school students might apply what they learn in science class to study contamination in stream water in their hometown and then work with local officials to identify the sources of that contamination.

3

In 1992, Maryland became the first state to implement service learning as a high school graduation requirement. Analysis of the program shows measurable benefits for students. A 2013 survey of research on service learning programs in Maryland and across the United States, published by the Scholars Strategy Network, identified "statistically significant positive effects on academic, personal, and citizenship outcomes later in students' lives." The survey also found that service learning holds promise as a tool for narrowing the achievement gaps that plague many school districts. Districts and states that follow Maryland's lead could reap similar benefits for their students.

4

In addition to improving students' academic achievement, service learning can be beneficial in gaining admission to college. As the number of college applicants increases, some colleges may become more selective. For example, the Michigan Daily reported that acceptance rates at the University of Michigan dropped from nearly 50%50 percent in 2009– to 2010 to 29%29 percent in 2015– to  2016. In a more competitive admissions environment, the addition of a service learning component to a college application could help a student demonstrate skills and abilities beyond what is reflected on a transcript.

5

Districts and states that integrate service learning into P–12 P to 12  curricula can give every student comparable opportunities to grow and succeed while also contributing to their communities. For these reasons, school districts should consider making service learning an essential part of students' education.

Exhibit 2

Mandating Service Learning Distracts from Curricula

1

The prekindergarten through grade 12 (P–12 P to 12 ) school years are an essential time when students should receive the strongest possible educational foundation. Should mandated service learning be part of that education?

2

Some opponents to mandating service learning in P–12 P to 12  curricula have voiced concerns that when service learning is forced on students at any grade level, the value is lost. Such programs, they believe, should be voluntary. Requiring participation in an inherently voluntary activity detracts from its worth because the spirit of community service is undermined. Many students engage in service learning because teachers require students to participate by tying coursework grades to the service. A 2008 research paper, "'A Double-Edged Sword': College Student Perceptions of Required High School Service Learning," published in the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, found that in these situations "students focused primarily on completing their hours for the requirement."

3

How service is structured can determine whether it contributes to students' educational growth. A study of college undergraduates published by the University of California at Los Angeles' (UCLA U C L A ) Higher Education Research Institute in 2000 found that only 42.7%42.7 percent of service learning participants saw a strong connection between their service and the academic subjects that the experiences were meant to enhance. If students commit their time to service, educators must ensure that the service contributes directly to learning.

4

Ensuring this can present a considerable challenge for P–12 P to 12  teachers. According to "Does Service Learning Really Help?," a 2008 New York Times Education Life article, "A positive experience usually requires a considerable investment of time and planning on the part of academic institutions and faculty." To provide service learning that enriches students' academic learning, teachers at all grade levels have to make the connection between service and curricula explicit and incorporate structured reflection into their courses. Otherwise, as the New York Times reports, "it can be hard to distinguish from plain . . . community service."

5

Under ideal circumstances, service learning can provide opportunities for young people to explore their potential. Because circumstances are rarely ideal, could there be a cost to students' educational foundation?

Sample Strong Response to the Constructed-Response Assignment Coming Soon

Performance Characteristics for Constructed-Response Item

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the constructed-response assignment.

CONTENT	The extent to which the essay meets the requirements of the assignment, is written in the candidate's own words, and addresses the task and audience
COMMAND OF EVIDENCE	The extent to which the essay uses relevant evidence from the provided exhibits and from the candidate's own ideas and examples to support analysis
COHERENCE AND ORGANIZATION	The extent to which the essay coherently organizes and presents ideas, concepts, and information and includes a conclusion that supports the claim and argument
STYLE AND CONTROL OF CONVENTIONS	The extent to which the essay uses formal style and language that demonstrates command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling

Score Scale for Constructed-Response Item

Scores will be assigned to the response to the constructed-response items according to the following score scale.

Score Point	Score Point Description
4	The "4" response reflects a thorough command of the relevant knowledge and skills: The response thoroughly addresses all parts of the assignment. The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with thorough accuracy and effectiveness. The response is well supported by relevant examples and details and thoroughly demonstrates sound reasoning.
3	The "3" response reflects a general command of the relevant knowledge and skills: The response generally addresses all parts of the assignment. The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with general accuracy and effectiveness. The response is generally supported by some examples and/or details and generally demonstrates sound reasoning.
2	The "2" response reflects a partial command of the relevant knowledge and skills: The response addresses all parts of the assignment, but most only partially; or some parts are not addressed at all. The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with partial accuracy and effectiveness. The response is partially supported by some examples and/or details or demonstrates flawed reasoning.
1	The "1" response reflects little or no command of the relevant knowledge and skills: The response minimally addresses the assignment. The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with minimum accuracy and effectiveness. The response is minimally supported or demonstrates significantly flawed reasoning.
U	The response is unscorable because it is unrelated to the assigned topic or off task, unreadable, written in a language other than English or contains an insufficient amount of original work to score.
B	No response.

Acknowledgments

Excerpt from "A Double-Edged Sword" College Student Perceptions of Required High School Service-Learning by Jones, Susan R.; Segar, Thomas C.; Gasiorski, Anna L.. *Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning (MJCSL*). Volume 15, Issue 1, Fall 2008. p. 5. Reprinted by permission of the authors.

Strom, Stephanie, "Does Service Learning Really Help" From The New York Times, 2010 © 2017 The New York Times. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content without express written permission is prohibited.

Scholars Strategy Network. The Future of Service-Learning in Maryland Schools (2013) by Richard Blissett is licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 US license .

---

All Test Materials and Related Content, including but not limited to preparation materials, study guides, and full-length practice tests: Copyright © 2017 New York State Education Department. NYSTCE, New York State Teacher Certification Examinations, and the NYSTCE logo are trademarks of the New York State Education Department. Pearson and its logo are trademarks, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s).

Videos and Tutorials, Software and Systems, and Format of Website: Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004. Used with permission by the New York State Education Department.