In response to the need for distance learning resource materials, we have quickly created this video on Building a Flexible Assessment for reference.
This lesson reviews how to create a Flexible Assessment. It is flexible because it can be used for traditional scanning administration or for online testing by attaching your own teacher-created materials for students to see online.
Where to Start

- Select Assessments.
- Select Create Assessment to see all of your assessment creation options

- Click to select Flexible Assessment.
Flexible Assessment Overview
- Select Add a Description to add more information about this assessment you are building.
- To add keywords or criteria to help filter and find this assessment later, select Add Tags to apply them.
- Filter Standards is where you can add standards to the assessment. Later, you can align the standards to the questions.
- To attach a digital copy of any materials, select Upload Materials. This is an important step to making the assessment available for online testing.
- To begin adding questions and building your answer key, select Add.
- To quickly create multiples of different item types, select Lightning Add.
- Review and manage your flex assessment tools and options by selecting Settings.
- When at least one answer is created, you will have the ability to Preview the student portal view of your assessment.
- When finished with building the answer key, select Done.
Lightning Add opens automatically when creating a new assessment.
Add Item(s)/Question(s)
You have two options when building your answer key. You can build one item at a time in conjunction with your material(s) or build a single item type in mass.
When building your answer key, you will select from a variety of Question or Item Types that match your expected assessment results. Below is a quick summary of each kind of type you can select when building your answer key.
To get a more detailed view of each type before you build, visit Flexible Assessment Question Types Guide.
Item Type | Score Method | Details |
Multiple Choice | Auto-Scored, Computer Graded |
Default: 5 answers, A-E; 1 point score; Only 1 answer can be correct, all others are incorrect. Best For: Single Answer Questions |
Multiple Choice (Partial Answer) | Auto-Scored, Computer Graded |
Default: 5 answers, A-E; 1 point score; Only 1 answer can be correct, all others are incorrect. Option for incorrect scores to deduct points. Best For: Providing points on the correct answer and answers that are close or “almost” correct |
Multiple Choice (Advanced) | Auto-Scored, Computer Graded |
Default: 5 answers, A-E; 1 point score; Ability to add alternative correct answers with allocated total points when selected. Best For: Questions that require a weighting of answer choices such as AE=2 but A=5. |
Constructed Response | Teacher-Scored, Teacher Graded |
Default: 2 answers, 0-1; 1 rubric score with weight of 1 point as max rubric score; Paper Answer Sheet options to include background options such as line, blank, or grid space from 1 line to multiple pages. Best For: Fill in the blank, short answer, matching; Questions where the answer may be subjective |
Constructed Response (Advanced) |
Teacher-Scored, Teacher Graded |
Default: 4 answers, 1-4; 4 rubric score with weight of 4 points as max rubric score (ie. 3=12, 2=8, 1=4); Ability to alter other rubric scores and their point values (i.e. 3 = 15 instead of default 12). Paper Answer Sheet options to include background options such as line, blank, or grid space from 1 line to multiple pages. Best For: Short Answer (Paragraph); Essay; Charts, Graphs; Performance measured on multiple criteria in a rubric |
Explicit Constructed Response | Auto-Scored, Computer Graded |
Default: 1 answers as entered; 1 point weight; Ability to add alternative correct answers and weight Best For: Fill in the Blank, Short Answer, Math, Vocabulary, Matching; Questions that the answered can be determined automatically, not subjectively |
Number Grid |
Auto-Scored, Computer Graded |
Default: 4 columns, 0-9 numbers and 4 characters. 1 point score. Ability to have 1-8 columns. Only available for paper/pencil administration. Best For: Math response questions |
- Select Add to begin adding an item or questions.
By default, the item type will be Multiple Choice or MC, with 5 answer choices A-E and a weight of 1 point for the correct answer.
- You can modify or change the Label of the question.
- There are a variety of Question Types to choose from.
- Answer Choices are available in preset menu, defaulted to 5 with A-E.
- The weight or points possible for the item default to 1, but can be changed.
- (Optional) Align Standards to the item, if chosen before.
- (Optional) Align Question Group will tag and bundle the item into a group or area.
- If applicable, mark this item Extra Credit which will only count for not against a student if answered correctly.
- Select Add to add another question.
Continue this process until your whole answer key is set.
- To add multiple items at one time, select Quick Add.

- Enter the number questions of a particular question type to add.
- Select the Question Type.
- Click the X to remove a Question Type from the selection.
- Click Add Another to add additional questions of a different question type.
- Click Scan Answer Key to fill in the answer key via a bubble sheet.
- Select Cancel if you wish to not save your work and go back.
- To move forward with adding the number of items quickly onto your answer key, select Add.
Scan Answer Key is designed for Multiple Choice and Number Grid question types only.

A confirmation will appear at the bottom left of the screen. Select Click to Undo to remove the items just added.
Continue Editing or Done

Continue editing or select Done to get ready for administration.
Next Steps
Want to learn more about the Question Types? Visit Flexible Assessment Question Types Guide to explore!
Ready to see what's next? Visit Flexible Assessment Overview Page to get started.
Comments
4 comments
It would be great if you could add the format types that are accepted as Upload Materials. Ex. I created a test using an image (tried .png and .jpeg) and it will create test but not show the image so it makes it seem like it's creating properly but it's not. I know I could snip and put into Word or make it a .pdf, but it would be helpful if the file types were added to avoid this issue.
Thanks
Too bad there are no answers to these questions posted.
How does one upload a pre-filled in bubble answer key with these "new" assessments? The legacy version was much easier to navigate. Is it no longer possible to upload an answer key? Do we have to just click the correct bubbles one at a time??
Are we able to attach or upload a rubric to a corrected response item/written response for the purpose of teacher grading?
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