Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment MAP testing?

Since I joined this group I've read a lot of posts talking about MAP testing. It seems like it is very frequently recommended as an advocacy tool.

I looked into it initially and found out the my school system did not use it. Yesterday I was talking to a mom whose DS is at another school, in the same system, and she asked me about MAP testing. It turns out that her school did MAP testing this year. I mentioned that I don't believe that our school does it, they don't do a lot of things it seems, and she said that she thought the Superintendent wanted everyone to take it.

There happened to be a PTA meeting last night so I asked the Principal if we were using the MAP or were going to start implementing it. He stated that it is starting to be phased in but will probably be done over a 3-5 year process and that he asked that our school be last in line. He wants all the quirks and bugs worked out of the program before his school uses it.

Do you know of any quirks that this type of testing has? Have your children had problems with it? I'm really trying to figure out where this principal is coming from. My cynical thought it that he just doesn't want another test that they will use to compare our school to other schools because it seems that we always fall in the bottom half if not in the bottom fourth or even lower.

The only quirks or bugs I could imagine is if the school doesn't have the infrastructure to support the school taking computer-based tests. So, if there is a lack of space or computers, or the kids can't be bused to a nearby school that already computers set up for this. If I were you, I'd investigate more, perhaps mentioning that you have friends with kids in other schools in the district who are already taking this.

ETA: I imagine the teachers/IT folks also need to go through some sort of training, but I wouldn't call that a quirk or a bug.