Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy MAP testing and RIT scores

On a chart showing gifted norms, a 257 on Math falls in the middle of gifted 7th and 8th grade norms. The norms for gifted 7th graders is 255 and for gifted 8th graders is 260. Grade level medians for 7th and 8th grade are 229 and 234, respectively.

The 95th percentile is a nationally accepted norm for identify students for placement in accelerated programs. NWEA strongly encourages districts to set TAG guidelines that meet the needs of their district. Districts can use percentile charts in the NWEA RIT Scale Norms publication to set any desired TAG guideline.

Why do RIT scales vary from subject to subject (e.g. the mathematics RIT scale goes higher than other subject areas)? A ceiling effect exists when an assessment does not have sufficient range to accurately measure students at the highest performance levels. It has nothing to do with the actual numbers attached to the scale and everything to do with the position of students on it. For example, in reading, the RIT scale measures with relative accuracy up to about 245. This represents the 93rd percentile at grade 10, and the 95th percentile at grade 8. If a student scores above we know that student performed high but may not be able to accurately assess how high they performed. Relative to other tests, therefore, there is very little true ceiling effect in this assessment. Even most high performing 10th graders receive a technically accurate measure of their skill.

Scaled scores help communicate student performance:
� supports the reporting of performance standards across years;
� facilitates equivalency of test forms across the years;
� standardizes the meaning of performance across testing sessions;

*Additional tests not listed on the Qualifying Tests and Score Guidelines, such as the Stanford-Binet Form L-M, PSAT, SCAT, and state mandated grade level tests, may be submitted in addition to, but not in place of, the tests listed above.*