Home Form Sets & Rubrics Setting Up Rubrics and Rating Scales

Setting Up Rubrics and Rating Scales

Last updated on Apr 04, 2026

Setting Up Rubrics and Rating Scales

Performance-based evaluation instruments use rubrics and rating scales to provide standardized scoring across observers. This guide covers setting up rubric markers, rating scales, and linking them to evaluation questions.

Understanding Rubrics vs Traditional Forms

Traditional forms present questions in a linear list format. Rubric forms organize questions in a matrix where:

  • Rows represent individual indicators or questions
  • Columns represent performance levels (e.g., Ineffective, Developing, Effective, Highly Effective)
  • Cells contain specific descriptors for each performance level

Rubrics provide clearer performance expectations and more consistent scoring between observers.

Setting Up Rubric Sections

Converting Sections to Rubric Format

  1. Navigate to System Admin → Observe → Sections
  2. Select the section you want to configure as a rubric
  3. Click Display Format
  4. Select Rubric from the display format options
  5. Choose rubric orientation:
    • Horizontal: Performance levels appear as columns
    • Vertical: Performance levels appear as rows
  6. Click Update Display Format

The system will convert your section layout while preserving existing questions and answers.

Creating New Rubric Sections

  1. Navigate to System Admin → Observe → Sections
  2. Click Add Section
  3. Enter section details:
    • Name: Section heading (e.g., "Classroom Environment")
    • Description: Optional explanatory text
    • Is Rubric: Check this box
    • Rubric Orientation: Select Horizontal or Vertical
    • Scorable: Enable if this section contributes to overall scores
  4. Click Save

Creating Rubric Markers

Rubric markers define the performance levels that appear as columns (or rows) in your rubric matrix.

Adding Performance Levels

Required role: system_administrator or evaluator with form management permissions

  1. Navigate to your rubric section
  2. Click Add Rubric Marker
  3. Configure the performance level:
    • Name: Performance level name (e.g., "Highly Effective")
    • Description: Optional detailed description
    • Value: Numeric score for this level
    • Display Order: Position in the rubric (left to right for horizontal)
  4. Click Save

Repeat this process for each performance level. Common rubric structures include:

  • 4-Point Scale: Ineffective (1), Developing (2), Effective (3), Highly Effective (4)
  • 3-Point Scale: Beginning (1), Proficient (2), Advanced (3)
  • 5-Point Scale: Poor (1), Fair (2), Good (3), Very Good (4), Excellent (5)

Managing Rubric Marker Order

Use the Display Order field to control the sequence of performance levels:

  • Lower numbers appear first (leftmost for horizontal rubrics)
  • Higher numbers appear last (rightmost for horizontal rubrics)
  • Leave gaps (e.g., 10, 20, 30) to allow easy insertion of new levels

Linking Questions to Rubric Markers

Once you've created rubric markers, you need to link specific answer choices to performance levels.

Connecting Answer Choices to Performance Levels

  1. Navigate to your rubric section
  2. Find the question you want to configure
  3. Click on the question to view its answer choices
  4. For each answer choice, select the corresponding Rubric Marker
  5. The system will automatically position the choice under the correct performance level

Required Question Settings

When you link answer choices to rubric markers, the system automatically:

  • Sets the question as Required (observers must select a performance level)
  • Updates the answer choice values to match rubric marker values
  • Positions choices in the rubric matrix

Setting Up Rating Scales

Rating scales convert numeric scores into meaningful descriptive ratings (e.g., "Meets Expectations").

Creating Rating Scales

Required role: system_administrator

Rating scales can be applied at two levels:

Form Set Level Rating Scales

  1. Navigate to System Admin → Observe → Form Sets
  2. Select your form set
  3. Click Add Rating Scale
  4. Configure the rating scale:
    • Name: Scale name (e.g., "Overall Performance Scale")
    • Active: Enable for use
  5. Add point ranges for each rating level

Section Level Rating Scales

  1. Navigate to your section
  2. Click Add Rating Scale
  3. Configure scale properties
  4. Define point ranges

Configuring Point Ranges

For each rating level in your scale:

  1. Click Add Point Range
  2. Set the scoring parameters:
    • Name: Rating label (e.g., "Meets Expectations")
    • Minimum Score: Lowest score for this rating
    • Maximum Score: Highest score for this rating
    • Description: Optional explanatory text
  3. Save the point range

Example 4-Point Rating Scale:

  • Does Not Meet (1.0 - 1.9)
  • Approaching (2.0 - 2.9)
  • Meets Expectations (3.0 - 3.4)
  • Exceeds Expectations (3.5 - 4.0)

Primary Rating Scale Selection

Form sets can have multiple rating scales, but only one serves as the primary scale for overall evaluation scoring:

  1. Navigate to form set rating scales
  2. Select the rating scale you want as primary
  3. Check Primary Rating Scale
  4. Save changes

The primary rating scale determines how overall form set scores are converted to performance ratings in reports.

Rubric Display Options

Orientation Settings

Horizontal Rubrics (most common):

  • Performance levels appear as column headers
  • Questions appear as row labels
  • Observers select performance level for each indicator

Vertical Rubrics:

  • Performance levels appear as row headers
  • Questions appear as column labels
  • Less common layout option

Matrix vs Detail Views

During observations, evaluators can toggle between:

  • Matrix View: Full rubric matrix showing all performance levels
  • Detail View: Expanded view showing full descriptors for each level

Both views maintain the same scoring and data collection.

Best Practices

Performance Level Design

  • Use clear, actionable language in rubric markers
  • Ensure distinct performance levels - avoid overlapping descriptions
  • Align to your evaluation standards and district expectations
  • Test with observers before full implementation

Scoring Configuration

  • Set appropriate point values that reflect performance differences
  • Use consistent scales across related form sets
  • Consider weighting different sections based on importance
  • Validate rating scale ranges match your performance expectations

Question Organization

  • Group related indicators within sections
  • Use parallel structure in question phrasing
  • Ensure observable behaviors rather than subjective judgments
  • Provide clear performance descriptors for each rubric level

Rubrics provide structured, consistent evaluation while rating scales translate scores into meaningful performance feedback for professional growth.