Understanding Florida’s B.E.S.T. Writing Rubrics in Writable
Florida’s B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment measures students’ ability to read, analyze, and write about text-based sources. It assesses writing in two genres:
Expository writing in grades 4–6
Argumentative writing in grades 7–10
Students read one or more short passages and write an essay that integrates and cites evidence from those texts, demonstrating comprehension, analysis, and control of language. The assessment does not include narrative writing, but instead focuses on informative and evidence-based genres that reflect college- and career-ready expectations.
To support this, Writable offers rubrics that mirror the structure, language, and scoring domains of the official Florida Department of Education (FDOE) B.E.S.T. Writing Rubrics.
The Florida B.E.S.T. Holistic Rubric, which mirrors the official scoring used on the statewide B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment
The Florida B.E.S.T. Detailed Practice Rubric, which expands each domain into skill-specific indicators for instruction and formative feedback
These rubrics help educators teach and assess the same key skills measured by the state test—Purpose/Structure, Development, and Language—while giving students consistent, standards-aligned practice opportunities.
Writable’s Florida rubrics emphasize:
Maintaining a clear, focused central idea and purposeful organization
Developing ideas with relevant, cited evidence from multiple sources
Using precise vocabulary, appropriate tone, and correct grammar and conventions
Whether you’re preparing students for the B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment or building foundational writing skills throughout the year, these rubrics ensure every assignment in Writable reflects Florida’s expectations for strong, evidence-based writing.
Types of Rubrics
Writable supports educators with two aligned rubric options that reflect the structure and domains of the Florida B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment, providing flexibility for both summative and formative writing practice.
Florida B.E.S.T. Holistic Rubric
Definition:This rubric mirrors the official scoring model used on the Florida B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment, administered by the Florida Department of Education. It evaluates student writing across three key domains, each scored on a 1–4 scale, for a total possible score of 12 points.
Domains:
Purpose/Structure – How well the essay maintains a central idea, organizes ideas logically, and uses transitions, introductions, and conclusions effectively.
Development – How thoroughly ideas are elaborated using relevant evidence from multiple sources and correct citation.
Language – How effectively the student uses academic vocabulary, sentence variety, grammar, punctuation, and tone appropriate to the task.
Benefits:
Aligned directly with Florida’s official scoring expectations
Provides a standardized way to measure B.E.S.T. Writing readiness
Encourages purposeful, evidence-based writing across grade levels
Supports district benchmarking and statewide alignment
When to Use:
During district benchmark assessments
At the end of a writing unit or for summative evaluation
When asking: “If students took the B.E.S.T. Writing test today, how would they perform?”
Florida B.E.S.T. Detailed Practice Rubric
Definition: The Detailed Practice Rubric expands each domain of the state rubric into clear, skill-specific subcategories that help students and teachers focus on growth. It maintains the same three domains—Purpose/Structure, Development, and Language—but adds detailed descriptors for traits such as elaboration, evidence use, organization, and transitions.
Benefits:
Provides actionable, trait-level feedback aligned to B.E.S.T. expectations
Builds student understanding of the key elements of effective writing
Encourages peer review, conferencing, and revision
Supports differentiated instruction and targeted practice
When to Use:
Early in the year for baseline assessments
During writing workshops or skill-focused lessons
When emphasizing specific traits such as elaboration or sentence fluency
When the goal is formative feedback and skill development
Choosing the Right Rubric in Writable
Use this quick guide to choose the rubric that fits your instructional purpose:
Goal | Best Rubric |
Preparing students for the B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment | Holistic Rubric |
Providing standardized, test-aligned scoring | Holistic Rubric |
Focusing on specific skills or formative feedback | Detailed Practice Rubric |
Supporting peer review or revision | Detailed Practice Rubric |
Sample Instructional Sequence
Here’s one way to use both rubrics across the school year to build confidence and readiness:
Fall → Start with the Detailed Practice Rubric to introduce and practice key writing skills
Winter → Transition to the Holistic Rubric to familiarize students with the state scoring model
Spring → Use the Holistic Rubric regularly for writing fluency and test readiness
This gradual approach helps students move from supported practice to independent performance aligned to the official assessment.
Next Steps and Support
If you have questions about choosing or customizing rubrics, contact us at support@writable.com.