Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment MAP Scores - not moving

Loy58, we have dealt with the same issues and the school really was not willing to help (I was told we could just work with her at home, not to push her, etc.). I have looked at the standardized test scores over the years and really haven't found them helpful in monitoring progress. Right now, my daughter's school uses the STAR test to monitor progress and for placement. It seems to fluctuate randomly sometimes (so there will be a small drop and then a gain) and I have come to think that my daughter may just be more focused some times than others. I have wondered also if maybe missing a single question could have a big effect on the score. Her reading scores are extremely high, so maybe there is a ceiling effect. Her math scores are only seventh grade level. Regardless, though, the scores just don't seem to be a reliable indicator of growth for her. My son gets MAP testing, so I only have a few scores to compare for that. Having just met with the testing specialist this week to go over his scores, it really didn't seem like they gave the small changes in percentiles much weight (I was concerned that maybe he had been making less progress in the spring, but they dismissed my concerns). I think, as has been mentioned before, that all of this testing is focused more in the kids who are behind.

I did have my daughter tested with the WIAT-III two years apart to see the effects of her grade skip and that was very helpful (except that she hit too many ceilings in the reading areas and I've been told the WJIII would have been better for a higher ceiling). Maybe the difference is just that it is an individual test and she was more engaged. Regardless, though, we obviously can't do that every year.

My daughter is now able to work at her own pace at a charter school, so it is easier to monitor her progress by just seeing what work she is doing. I wish it were easier to monitor progress in a regular classroom.

For what it's worth, my daughter has been in multiple schools and her scores never seemed to mean much to anyone except for the gifted coordinator (although they did allow her to keep her grade skip based on them). The gifted coordinator tested her himself, so he had a different perspective. Once she was accepted as a DYS, even though her scores hadn't changed in any way, they seemed to suddenly see her in an entirely new light. For some reason, that meant more to them.