What makes a good performance task for differentiation?

• A. Rubrics provide clear criteria and fairness; good performance tasks align with standards, allow multiple representations, and include varied entry points.
• B. The task is easy for most students to complete with no guidance.
• C. The task uses a single representation and one entry point.
• D. The task is disconnected from standards.

Answer: (A)

Differentiation in performance tasks works best when students have multiple ways to show what they know, the task aligns with standards, and a clear rubric guides fair judging.

A well-designed task ties directly to the standards, so what students demonstrate truly reflects the intended learning. It also invites multiple representations—students can show understanding through models, written explanations, drawings, presentations, or other formats—so learners can leverage their strengths. Varied entry points let students begin at different levels of readiness, with supports or extensions as needed, ensuring access and challenge appropriate to each learner.

A rubric supplies explicit criteria for success, making expectations transparent and grading consistent across diverse learners. This combination—standards alignment, multiple representations, varied entry points, and a clear rubric—supports meaningful differentiation.

Why other approaches don’t fit as well: tasks that are easy for most with no guidance don’t push students to apply knowledge; a single representation and one entry point limit how students can engage or demonstrate understanding; a task disconnected from standards can measure something other than the intended learning and fail to support differentiation.