Abstract
The writer examines his school district’s implementation of a high-stakes writing curriculum that uses rubric assessment of mandated essays to justify English course completion. The writer uses student surveys and interviews, along with teacher surveys, to investigate the effects of rubric assessment on student perception of formal writing and essay development. The writer concludes that the district evaluates these students using rubrics initially designed for placement, and promotes writing instruction that moves teaching and learning away from relevant theories in composition.