MAP Testing FAQ

You have probably heard a lot about MAP testing these past few weeks from your child.  Fifth graders have spent three weeks taking a series of tests during their computer lab and media time.   This post is dedicated to answering some common questions you may have about MAP.  As always, if you have any further questions please contact me. 

Thanks.
Mrs. L

What is MAP?

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is a computerized adaptive test. The difficulty of the test is adjusted to the student’s performance based on how well the student has answered questions.  MAP measures a student’s progress and growth.  It shows how your child has grown from one year to the next in mathematics, reading, language usage, and science skills. Teachers gain information on students’ strengths and specific areas of weakness.

 

Why are we taking MAP tests?

MAP tests are used to measure your student’s progress or growth in school.  You may have a chart in your home on which you mark your child’s height at certain times, such as on his or her birthday.  This is a growth chart.  It shows how much he or she has grown from one year to the next.  The MAP assessment does the same sort of thing, except it measures your student’s growth in mathematics, reading, and language usage.

 

How will my child’s teacher use these test scores?

MAP tests are important to teachers because they keep track of progress and growth in basic skills.  Teachers use this information to help them guide instruction in the classroom.  Teachers use this information to differentiate instruction so as to meet the individual needs of their students.

 

Do all students in the same grade take the same test?

No, the MAP test is designed to target a student’s academic performance in mathematics, reading, language usage, and science.  These tests are tailored to the individual’s current achievement level.  This gives each student a fair opportunity to show what he or she knows and can do.  The computer adjusts the difficulty of the questions so that each student takes a unique test.

 

What is a RIT score?

MAP tests use a scale called RIT to measure student achievement and growth.  RIT stands for Rasch UnIT, which is a measurement scale developed to simplify the interpretation of test scores.  The RIT score relates directly to the curriculum scale in each subject area.  It is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches.  RIT scores range from 140-300.  RIT scores make it possible to follow a student’s educational growth from year to year. 

 

.