Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Question about IAS

Does anyone with an IAS Manual know if they allow MAP test results to be used on either of their test categories? I think this was discussed at the end of last year but I don't recall the answer or if there was a consensus.

Thanks!

My understanding is that MAP doesn't give GE's. It gives a RIT score which is an equal-interval scale (like inches on a yardstick) that's independent of grade level. If you took MAP for Primary Grades (K-2) and had a RIT score of 167, the K percentile would be 94%, 1st grade percentile would be 50%, and 2nd grade percentile would be 16%. I haven't seen any data showing a 2nd grader would get the same RIT score whether he took either the MAP for Primary Grades (K-2) or the Measures for Academic Progress Test (2-11). Since it's an equal-interval scale, that should be the case.

It seems like a case could be made for using MAP for an assessment of aptitude for the IAS. The nature of the test allows the questions to get harder and harder, i.e. the ceiling is not limited by grade. The IAS authors acknowledge the achievement tests listed are not exhaustive. Maybe that's true of the aptitude tests too. It might be worth contacting the Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talented Development directly to find out about MAP and the IAS: 1(800) 336-6463. If you do, let us know!

I did contact the Blank International Center and told them I had a question about using a particular test on the IAS. They told me that Susan Assouline was the go-to person for that and that she was out of the office AND THEN she proceeded to give me her email address. She told me that I should hear back from her tomorrow or so!
So.......I emailed Susan Assouline, the author of the IAS!

Nothing like getting the info straight from the horse's mouth!

Since the IAS has points based on percentiles, I could take DD's Fall 1st grade Reading RIT of 195 (99% for a first grader) and using the RIT Scale Norms for Early Primary Grades, get a 2nd grade percentile of 87%. I could take her Fall 1st grade Math RIT of 187 (97% for a first grader) and using the RIT Scale Norms for Early Primary Grades get a 2nd grade percentile of 76%.

Using the IAS, Section V, Part A, could I give her 2 points for Reading and 2 points for Math for being at or above the 75% on an "above level test?" Hmmmm? I guess it would come down to whether the folks at Belin-Blank consider MAP an above-level test or not.

Thanks for checking az1. Looking forward to hearing her response.

That would make a big difference. In that case she'd only get 1 point for reading and 0 for math. Thanks for catching it.

I just received an email from Susan Assouline, the primary author of the IAS and the Associate Director of the Belin-Blank Center.

and I quote....

"As far as which test scores to use: It is perfectly fine to use the NWEA MAP tests for the achievement section."

She also wants to know how my situation goes. She says she is always interested.

Score 1 for the girl!!! Woot!

Wow! Straight to the top, eh? Nice!

Wow! I thought you could use it if normed that way -- I told ds6's K teacher and principal that you could and they didn't believe me! He had quite high RIT scores for a Ker especially in math; it would have been really helpful.

Thanks -- I appreciate your doing that legwork. Good to know!

Also ... where are you getting the percentile scales? I can't find them anywhere!

Here is the link for downloading RIT Scale Norms for Early Primary Grades.

http://www.nwea.org/support/details.aspx?content=1261

Did she say whether or not NWEA MAP could be used for the aptitude section? That's where the above level testing comes into play. Thanks for passing on the confirmation that it could be used for the achievement section.

P.S. I had to upgrade my version of Adobe Acrobat in order to view the data.

I only asked her about using the MAP in the achievement section. I have the SCAT to use in the aptitude section.

I was pleasantly surprised that she responded to my email.