Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Has anyone tested w/ MAP at home? ? about score

My 1st grader just finished the MAP test for grades 2-5. This was his first time testing and I only did it b/c his older brother is doing it. I'm not required to test him this year, only to write a portfolio. At the end of the math test, it gave a score of 210. The final score report won't be sent out until June when the testing window is closed. Is that score the RIT score? What does it mean? good? bad? This is our first year HSing and went to PS for K.

thanks,
Dazey

Here's the link for the RIT and percentiles. The 210 is the RIT score. That's >99% for end of 1st grade (page 145) and at the 96% for 2nd grade. Great score!
http://pickens.it.schoolfusion.us/m...ssionid=14d1e9266e4482d198ebc39c6e6bc9c3

Thanks! That helps!

I watched him take the test. I must say, I'm not sure about that test. The questions were certainly interesting. Some he got right by reasoning them. What does a score like this mean for math placement if he were in school? I read that the MAP scores are instructional levels rather than mastery level. So can I assume from this score that he has mastered 2nd grade level material and his instructional level is 3rd grade?

Dazey

Dazey,

I have a related question, as we're doing the MAP test at home this spring too.

I noticed the "2-5" designation on the form, and you mentioned it as well. I'm hoping that this does NOT mean that the test only covers material through 5th grade. That would seem to me to defeat the purpose of the test, especially for those kids at the upper end of the grade range. Did you get any sense of how far above 5th grade (if at all) the test goes?

Is there some other version that covers a higher range of grade levels?

I don't know the answer to your question. My understanding was that it went up to highschool. I know I've seen on this board elementary aged kids scoring high school level. My 4th grader will be taking it next week. I put grade 2-5 to distinguish the test he took from the K-1 test since he's a 1st grader. But the center I tested through, didn't offer the K-1 test since you have to read to the student. My son is a fluent reader so I felt he'd be fine w/ the grade 2-5 test. I was surprised as to how verbal the math portion is! I'm still not sure what to make of this test. There were a couple of words he didn't know and you can't define them. But as for as OUR public school, I'd place him in 3rd grade for math and from the score, he did better than 97% of 3rd graders but I think this test is a grade level above what kids do here. There is absolutely NO comparison between this test and our state test. there was a term or two on there that I don't think my 4th grader will know but I wasn't able to give any definitions, only to pronounce the word.

Dazey

Dottie,
We are testing through a company/Academy in Florida. They open up their testing to anyone in the country who want to sign up. I verified with NWEA that it was a legitimate organization and he confirmed that it was and they've had them as a testing partner for several years. We had to sign up by Feb 2010 for the April 21-May 21 testing window. We have from 7am-7pm eastern Monday-Friday to complete the test. The Academy gave us a username, password, and we had to download some bit of software ...a player of some sort and it all worked smoothly.

Dazey
Here's a link to the Academy. http://www.acces-inc.com/testing/index.html

In June, when their test window is closed, they will send out official score reports. But as someone posted here from a child in public school, the score is flashed on the screen at the end of the test. It says that score is unofficial until the official report comes.

MAP testing is supposed to be used to guide instruction. I had a report that was broken down into sub-sections (goals). It's reported as 3 different 10 point ranges (below, at, and above the RIT score):

1. Skills and Concepts to Enhance (73% probability students would correctly answer items measuring these concepts and skills)
2. Skills and Concepts to Develop (50% probability)
3. Skills and Concepts to Introduce (27% probability)

Basically, I take it to mean your son hasn't necessarily mastered those concepts at his RIT level but those are things he's ready to work on developing.

Here's some info about the MAP test ceiling:
http://www.nwea.org/support/article/532
Thanks for your feedback on the test Dazey! It's nice to hear a parent's perspective since the teachers at DD's school seem to have some reservations about it.

YEs, I read at the NWEA site that the RIT score is INSTRUCTIONAL level rather than mastery level. But what level do I use? He score >99th% of 1st graders, 95th% for 2nd graders and at 74th% for 3rd graders and at 47th% for 4th graders. WE're HSing so it really doesn't matter, we'll keep doing what we're doing but just curious how a school would look at this score. Would they say he's perfectly placed for going into 2nd grade?

As an example, if you go to the NWEA website and go through the powerpoint presentation as recommended, for the grade 2-5 test, a sample math question is

I 2x+4 I = 20

those lines are absolute value lines. The answers were 8 or -8, 8 or -12, and then 2 more choices I don't recall. WEll my 1st grader was trying to figure that out and getting flustered b/c he didn't understand absolute value signs. It didn't make the test go well. It didn't start w/ what I would call typical 2nd grade material. there were no clocks, money, time for instance. I guess I thought a 2nd grade test would start with some 1st grade concepts lol.

Unfortunately, at many schools, they probably would. Glad you can keep doing what you're doing.
That example problem does seem pretty high level and I would have expected the same as you. Guess that would fall under the "Algebraic Thinking" Goal Strand.
P.S. Found the powerpoint link you mentioned:
http://www.nwea.org/sites/www.nwea.org/files/resources/MAP%20Student%20PowerPoint%20Presentation.ppt