Print  |  Close

General Information

All students can participate in EL Civics instruction and assessment. However, only ESL students in WIOA II EL Civics education programs can earn payment points for passing COAAP assessments. ABE, ASE, and CTE students can earn CAEP Immigrant Integration Indicator (I3) outcome for CAEP but not payment points for WIOA II. Please see Successful Implementation of COAAPs for CAEP Agencies for a crosswalk for ABE/ASE/CTE student placement into ESL COAAP instructional levels.
Civic Objective#: 40 Program Year: 2025-2026
Civic Objective: Respond to questions about the history and government of the United States in order to be successful in the naturalization process.
TOPSpro Form #: 404C AAP #: 40.4
Assessment Type: Oral, Written

Level Range

From: Beginning Low To: Advanced

Language and Literacy Objectives

Language and literacy objectives with an asterisk (*) are suitable for beginning low level students.
1 *Discuss basic historical events or patriotic symbols.
2 *Describe the colors and design of the American flag and discuss the meaning of the stars and stripes.
3 *Identify the three branches of American government.
5 *Write vocabulary words and dictated sentences from U.S. history and civics topics.
6 *Name the current leading government officials in the 3 branches of the federal government and those of your local and state government.
7 Read, discuss, and/or write about issues relating to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Additional Assessment Plan Tasks

Task: 1

Description: Respond to Questions about the History and Government of the United States (12 items, 12 points possible)
Student will participate in a simulated oral USCIS interview. Assessor will take the part of the USCIS Agent. Student will respond to up to 12 questions (BL=6, BH=8, IL=10, IH-A=12) about the history and government of the United States. These questions may be taken from the USCIS list of government and history questions for naturalization such as the following:
• What is the supreme law of the land?
• What are the three branches of government?
• Who was the first president?
• Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Points Possible:12Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content
Utterance is correct and comprehensible. 1
Utterance is incorrect or incomprehensible 0

Task: 2

Description: Practice Dictation
Student will write up to 3 level-appropriate sentences (BL-BH=2, IL-A=3) containing vocabulary words from civics and history topics dictated by the assessor.

Points Possible:6Level:Beginning Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content
Sentence is appropriate, clear, complete and has correct content. There may be errors but they do not interfere with meaning. 2
Sentence is appropriate and has correct content. It may be partially complete. There may be errors which interfere with meaning but the sentence can be understood with inference. 1
Sentence is inappropriate, incomprehensible or incorrect or there is no sentence. 0

Task: 3

Description: Write a Letter or an Article related to the Bill of Rights
Student will complete an authentic writing task related to the Constitution or Bill of Rights. For example, student will write an article for a student newsletter or an email or letter to the editor. In the writing task, the student will (1) describe one civil liberty provided by the Bill of Rights (2) tell why the civil liberty is important, and (3) give examples to illustrate how the civil liberty applies to a specific situation or show the reasons why the civil liberty is important.

Optimally, the writing task will be created on a computer and sent to the assessor electronically.

Points Possible:20Level:Intermediate Low - Advanced
Scoring Rubric Points
Content
Addresses all parts of the task effectively. Ideas are well stated, clearly expressed and supported with concrete, relevant detail. No inference is required. Written in well-organized paragraph(s). 14
Addresses all parts of the task adequately. Some ideas may not be well stated. Contains some relevant detail. May require minimal inference. Written in adequately-organized paragraph(s). 12
Addresses the task in a general way but may have gaps. Many ideas may not be well stated. May lack appropriate or sufficient detail or clear focus. May require some inference. May be written in loosely-organized paragraph(s). 10
Addresses the task minimally but relation to the task is evident. May be unfocused or unclear. Little or no supporting detail. May require a substantial degree of inference. May not be written in a paragraph(s). 8
Nothing written or content is incomprehensible or inappropriate. 0
Grammar, Structure and Mechanics
Almost no errors in grammar, structure, spelling capitalization or punctuation. 4
Some errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization or punctuation that do not distract the reader. 3
Many errors in grammar, structure, spelling, capitalization or punctuation that may require the reader to infer meaning. 2
Errors make the writing difficult to understand even with inference. 0
Format, Neatness and Legibility
Letter Uses standard letter format including a date, salutation, a closing and the writer’s signature. May also include sender and recipients addresses. Writing is neat and legible. —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 4 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, closing, writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. —OR— Article: Has a title, and uses appropriate indentations etc. Writing is neat and legible. 2
Letter Uses letter format including a date, salutation and the writer’s signature. Writing is legible but may not be neat. —OR— Email: —Uses standard email format including 3 items: an appropriate subject, salutation, and writer's contact information such as name, address, email address and phone number. —OR— Article: Uses appropriate indentations. May be legible but not neat. 1
Letter:Not letter format or writing is neither legible nor neat. —OR— Email: Not in standard email format. —OR— Article: Does not have a title, does not use appropriate indentations etc. and/or writing is neither legible nor neat. 0

Rating Scale/Passing Scores

Total Points Possible: 38
Advanced: 34
Intermediate High: 30
Intermediate Low: 24
Beginning High: 10
Beginning Low: 6
View Civic Obj & AAP List