Our students in grades 2-8 are given the NWEA's MAP Growth Testing three times per academic year. MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) is a standardized test that measures what students know and informs what they’re ready to learn next.
MAP dynamically adjusts to each student’s responses - which means every student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As a student answers correctly, questions get harder. If a student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier.
MAP Growth tests are given in the Fall, Winter and Spring in the subjects of math, reading, language usage and science . These tests yield a national percentile score as well as a growth scale score (RIT).
Our students regularly perform above both the archdiocesan average and the national norm in every subject and at every grade level.
For more information about MAP testing, please refer to the NWEA Family Toolkit.
Winter MAP Testing begins on Tuesday, January 19 and goes until Tuesday, February 9. Makeups will take place throughout this testing period, as well as during the week of February 8. Remote and in-person students in 2nd-8th grades will take these tests. Data from MAP Tests is important for monitoring student progress, assessing growth, and providing instruction that continues to meet individual student needs.
Prior to your child’s tests, please inform us as early as possible about remote/in-person status changes, as we will need to make changes to our testing session information.
Winter MAP Schedule
Please check your teacher's weekly Sway to view testing dates at each grade level. While MAP Tests are not timed and makeups are available, we ask that you avoid scheduling events that require your child to be away from school during your child's testing blocks as much as possible.
BYOD 4th-8th Grade Students: Device Readiness
All 4th-8th grade students participating in the BYOD Program will test on their own device. Students should download the Desktop NWEA MAP Lockdown Browser following the directions here (written directions) or here (video directions). Once the download file is open- The top item is for Mac, the bottom item is for Windows.
· You may also need to adjust the Display settings on your computer. These adjustments can be made in Settings-> Display Settings
· Scaling= 100%
· Resolution= 1024x768
6th-8th Grade Remote Students: Device Readiness
You will test using the same setup that you did for Fall MAP Testing. Make sure to have the Desktop NWEA MAP Lockdown Browser downloaded to your testing device as well as a second device for joining the Teams meeting and use of the camera. Follow directions under the BYOD section above to download the lockdown browser if needed.
Other Device and Set Up Tips:
Run any device updates the night before testing.
Fully charge your device overnight.
Bring all device chargers to school for testing, or have them handy if testing at home.
Remote testers, make sure you have paper & a pencil to work out any problems.
Remote testers, make sure that you have a quiet and distraction-free space to test!
After each test administration, parents will receive a Student Progress Report. MAP results are reported using two scales: RIT and Percentiles. In addition, students are given a Lexile score for reading.
RIT are used to show current achievement on a scale that is independent of grade level. These scores show growth over time. RIT scores show what students are ready to learn rather than what they have already mastered.
Percentiles are used to compare a student to a large group of students of similar age or grade level. These scores are useful to compare students around the country. For example, a student at the 80th percentile ranks the same as or higher than 80 students in a group of 100.
Lexile Framework for Reading scores provides another way to measure a student’s reading level and growth. The framework helps teachers and parents select reading material that appropriately challenge students.
We use MAP results to help make informed decisions to promote academic growth. Results help us guide classroom instruction by identifying areas of academic strength in addition to areas that may need attention. MAP is one assessment tool we use to track students' progress, identifying where more teaching assistance is required, and ensuring that each individual student receives the academic attention they need to succeed.
Your child’s teacher will explain the test and instructions to the students prior to test day. On test day, make sure your child is well rested and eats a well-balanced breakfast. Please see that your child comes to school on time and refrain from making appointments during the day during our testing window. Please contact your child's teacher if you have questions about missed testing days.
