Work sample (permanent product)
Last updated
A work sample is a lasting product of a student's work, such as a writing piece or completed worksheet, that can be scored after the task is done.
Topic: Measurement and data collection
In plain terms
Because work samples last, they can be scored later, rescored by a second person, and shared with families. Writing, math work, spelling tests, completed checklists and photos of finished tasks all count. They are sometimes called permanent products. They show the result of the work but not how much help or time it took, so those should be noted on the sample.
How it shows up in an IEP
Work samples are strong evidence in present levels and progress reports, especially when scored with a rubric or a count such as correct word sequences. Dating each sample and noting the conditions keeps the record useful.
Example
Each month, a teacher saves a timed writing sample from the same type of prompt, scores it for correct word sequences, and attaches the best and weakest samples to the progress report.
Related terms
- RubricA rubric is a scoring guide that describes several levels of quality for each part of a task, so work can be scored consistently.
- Correct word sequencesCorrect word sequences is a writing measure that counts each pair of adjacent words that is correctly spelled and grammatically acceptable in context.
- Percent accuracyPercent accuracy is the number of correct responses divided by the total number of responses or items, multiplied by 100.
- PLAAFP (present levels of academic achievement and functional performance)The PLAAFP is the IEP section that describes how a student is currently doing in school and how the disability affects progress in the general curriculum.
- Progress report (IEP)An IEP progress report tells parents, on a schedule stated in the IEP, how much progress the student is making toward each annual goal.
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