MAP Testing for Grades 9-11: March 2nd & 9th
February 01, 2016
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing has been scheduled for Johnson County Central High School, grades 9-11, for March 2 and 9, 2016. (Testing dates are subject to change due to student activity scheduling.)
MAP tests measure academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year in the areas of a) Reading, b) Language Usage, c) Mathematics, and d) General Science.
MAP tests are unique in that they are adaptive tests. The test becomes more difficult the more questions a student answers correctly. When a student incorrectly answers a question, the test becomes easier. Therefore, each student takes a test specifically created for his or her learning level. High school students will take the MAP tests using their iPads.
MAP results are reported in RIT scores. This is a different type of score than a typical test that provides a percentage correct. It is also different from many tests that provide results based on a student’s score compared to others in his or her grade. Instead, the RIT score is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches, that is independent of grade level. As a result, student academic growth can be measured from beginning to the end of the school year and from one grade level to the next. This type of score increases the value of the tests as a tool to improve student learning because it enables teachers to focus attention on weakness or strengths in a student’s learning and enables students to set goals for their own learning. MAP testing is a powerful tool for monitoring student growth over time.
MAP tests are one sample of the skills students have learned during the school year and do provide valuable information about how well students are doing. Tests alone do not and cannot directly evaluate the development of all educational skills. Other information that teachers and parents should use to measure a student’s educational progress is participation in classroom activities, classroom tests, homework assignments, and special projects.
Please contact the school counselor, principal, or classroom teachers for any questions about MAP testing.