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What is MAP?

You may be familiar with paper and pencil tests where all students are asked the same questions and spend a fixed amount of time taking the test.   Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®), created by Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), is different. MAP is a computer adaptive test, which means every student receives a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions become more challenging. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier.

What does MAP measure?

MAP results are provided as a numerical RIT score. This score is used to measure a student’s achievement level at different times of the school year and compute growth. Think of this like marking height on a growth chart. You can tell how tall your child is at various points in time and how much they have grown between one time and another.   MAP scores are one of several data points that District 36 teachers use to determine how a student is performing.

Who takes MAP?

All students in grades three through eight will be taking both the Mathematics and Reading tests.

How many tests will my child take?

Students will take a total of two tests, one for Mathematics and one for Reading.

When will MAP be administered?

There will be three MAP testing windows occurring in September, January and May.  Your child’s school will inform you of his or her specific testing dates.

How is MAP administered?

The Winnetka Public Schools students take the tests in school computer labs, resource centers, and  classrooms. Access to these areas for their intended purposes will be limited during the testing window.

How do schools and teachers use MAP scores?

The MAP test is one of several assessments used to measure student growth and achievement connected to common core state standards. Along with daily student performance in the classroom, and data from other assessments, teachers will use MAP data to inform their instructional decisions and provide feedback to students.

How does the District prepare students for the MAP test?

District curriculum delivers the skills and content students need to be successful. Students receive meaningful, experiential instruction in all curricular areas throughout the school year.  Creating a comfortable testing environment is a priority at all schools. Teachers will incorporate time to provide instructions, demonstrate how to navigate the technology associated with the test, and answer student questions.

How long is a MAP test?

Tests are not timed, and students may take as much time as needed to complete the test. Most students take less than an hour to finish a MAP test, but if a child needs more time the test can be suspended (with all previous answers stored) and completed on a different day.

Is MAP a standardized test?  How is it different from PARCC?

PARCC is a summative test which measures what students already know, based on what is expected at their grade level, and is typically given at the end of the school year as a way to measure grade-level proficiency.

MAP tests are interim tests. This means they may be given periodically during the year. MAP is based on the same standards as the summative tests so they measure similar content. These multiple checkpoints, along with the computer-adaptive nature of MAP, can be used to help personalize lessons at the appropriate level for the students.

What type of questions are on MAP tests? Are there sample tests?

The MAP tests include multiple choice, drag and drop, and other types of questions. You can access some short sample tests to get an idea of what MAP questions look like.

How can I help my child in advance of the test?

As always, please sure be that your child is well rested and eats breakfast and lunch on testing days. We believe that the preparation provided by the District will be sufficient to help students navigate this new test and that no additional preparation is necessary.

If my child has an IEP or 504 Plan, will he or she receive accommodations?

Yes. Children who have IEPs and 504 Plans will receive the accommodations that are currently specified in their plans.  As a reminder, this is an untimed test for all students.

What if my child becomes frustrated while taking the MAP?

The emotional well-being of our students is always the primary concern of District teachers. You will be contacted if something unusual occurs during test administration.  The test can easily be suspended (with all previous answers stored) and completed on a different day.

When will I receive information from the district regarding my child’s performance?

District 36 will be providing parents with their child’s Student Progress Report after the Fall and Spring testing windows.   This report contains information and scores from their child’s most recent and past MAP tests.  A simplified sample report with definitions and explanations is included in this document to help you better understand the report.  A copy of the sample report can also be found on this LINK.

Growth on the MAP is measured with a RIT score.  What is a RIT score?

The RIT (Rasch Unit) scale is a stable, equal-interval scale, like feet and inches.  Equal-interval means that a change of 10 RIT points indicates the same things regardless of whether a student is at the top, bottom or middle of the scale, and a RIT score has the same meaning regardless of grade level or age of the student.  Scores over time can be compared to tell how much growth a student has made, similar to measuring height with a ruler.   

What if my child didn’t make significant growth between tests?

The best indication of growth comes over time.  Subsequent scores from the same time of year (fall to fall or winter to winter) should move in an upward trend line.  District 36 will use MAP twice a year to check  student performance.  With these multiple checks a pattern of performance will emerge.   In our inaugural year, this long-term growth is not yet available.  It is possible that a student could have a lower RIT score in the winter than the fall.  It is important to remember that any test score is a slice in time and may not reflect everyday performance. Conversations with your child’s teacher will be valuable in understanding any discrepancy.  In some cases, a decline my still be in the RIT range of the previous score and may not truly be a decline.  It is also important to note, that in general, high performing students tend to show somewhat less growth in scores.

Is the District’s curriculum aligned with the MAP test?  

MAP is aligned with CCSS (State Standards) as is our curriculum. However, the adaptive nature of the assessment means that children may see items beyond their grade level curriculum based on their performance.

How is the national data collected?

In 2015, NWEA updated norms that aligned with Common Core State Standards.  The study involved 10.2 million students attending more than 23,500 public schools spread across 6,000 districts in 49 states. Rigorous procedures were used to ensure that the norms were representative of the U.S. school-age population.

What does NWEA do with my child’s information? Is it secure?

NWEA uses technological and operational measures to ensure security and privacy. A few of these include: regular security audits and monitoring, technological controls, physical access controls, and privacy training for employees.

NWEA does not use your child’s personally identifiable information (PII) for any purpose other than to provide services to your child’s school. Combined information that has been stripped of PII, and therefore is not traceable to any student, is used for research and development so we can continuously improve our products and accelerate learning for all students.

Where can I find additional information regarding NWEA MAP?

Family Toolkit - https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/family-toolkit/