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About Us

Members of our scoring team have been evaluating student writing since 1984 when the six trait analytical scoring model first debuted in Beaverton, Oregon.

In that time we have learned a lot about what makes a successful writing assessment. We have listened to teachers, principals, and many thousands of students over the years, and have evolved our process to meet new challenges.

The current pressure on teachers to use computerized scoring for student essays and narratives seems to us, a sad commentary on our times. It is a mismatch to ask a computer to make judgments about creativity, credibility, and the very nuances of language itself.

We at Raters of the Lost Art believe that every student deserves personalized scoring by real people, who have the training and experience to evaluate student writing consistently and accurately.

Writing Assessment Support