TDA

Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Toolkit – Center for Assessment

The TDA Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to support educators in helping students develop deep analytical thinking and evidence-based writing skills. Created in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the toolkit focuses on building students’ ability to closely read complex texts and construct meaningful written responses grounded in textual evidence.

Key Features:

• Close Reading Lessons (Grades K–8): Scaffolded lessons that model how to analyze literary and informational texts.
  
  

• Model Responses & Annotations: Student work samples with commentary to illustrate expectations for TDA writing.
  
  

• Instructional Videos: Professional learning modules covering prompt design, writing instruction, and curriculum shifts.
  
  

• TDA Learning Progressions: Tools to help educators understand and guide student growth in analytical writing.
  
  

This toolkit is especially valuable for teachers aligning instruction with college- and career-ready standards, and for improving students’ readiness for state assessments and academic success.