After School: WHAT CHANGED?
Before you run with it
Use a new situation to see what you can explain, support and revise.
Caseload 1 — Before you run with it
Essential question: How do you know enough to share, judge, or decide?
The scholarship is not the bill
New transfer scenario. Read the source set before answering. Do not assume that a familiar word such as “policy,” “law,” “ban,” “scholarship,” or “petition” tells you who has authority or what happened.
Source set
SOURCE A — Scholarship notice
NPW practice document. “Congratulations. You have been selected for a $12,000 annual university scholarship, renewable for up to four years if renewal conditions are met.”
What it establishes: Shows the scholarship amount and that renewal has conditions.
What it cannot establish: Does not show the full cost of attendance or other aid.
SOURCE B — Renewal terms
NPW practice document. “Renewal requires full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress under the scholarship policy. Housing status does not change the scholarship amount.”
What it establishes: Shows the scholarship’s stated renewal conditions.
What it cannot establish: Does not establish the student’s future eligibility before future grades/enrollment exist.
SOURCE C — Student account estimate
NPW practice document. Tuition/fees $34,800; housing/meal plan $15,200; grants/scholarships -$27,000; estimated amount due $23,000 before optional charges and pending outside aid.
What it establishes: Shows an estimated institutional bill after listed aid.
What it cannot establish: Does not include every indirect cost or guarantee pending aid.
Part A — Check
1. What does the $12,000 figure describe?
A. The entire cost of college
B. One annual scholarship
C. The final bill
D. A loan balance
2. Which document answers “What might I owe the university right now?” most directly?
A. Source A
B. Source B
C. Source C
D. A social post
3. Which statement is too certain?
A. The scholarship has renewal conditions.
B. The estimate lists $23,000 due before some pending items.
C. The student is guaranteed four years of the award no matter what.
D. Housing does not change this scholarship amount.
4. What is missing before comparing two colleges?
A. Comparable net-price/aid information from the other college
B. A campus meme
C. The mascot
D. A ranking screenshot alone
5. “Financial aid offer” and “cash in my bank account” are…
A. the same thing
B. not the same thing
C. always loans
D. always refunds
Part B — Explain
Using all three sources, explain why “I got a $12,000 scholarship” does not answer “What will college cost me?” Name one figure you would compare across institutions.
Part C — Use it
Build a one-page comparison box with four rows: direct charges, grants/scholarships, loans/work options, and estimated amount due. Add a note identifying anything pending or conditional.
Educator answer and scoring guidance
1. Correct answer: B. Source A identifies it as one scholarship.
2. Correct answer: C. The student-account estimate combines institutional charges and listed aid.
3. Correct answer: C. Source A says renewable if conditions are met; it is not unconditional.
4. Correct answer: A. A meaningful comparison requires comparable cost and aid data.
5. Correct answer: B. Aid may be applied to institutional charges before any refund exists.
Strong constructed/performance response: Strong responses separate award amount, renewal conditions, and student-account balance. They do not treat loans as discounts or assume a scholarship equals the full cost.
Score Part B and Part C with the master analytic rubric. Do not award or remove points for a learner’s political, institutional, or personal preference. Score the quality of source use, reasoning, authority/process understanding, scope, and communication.