On page 2 of the teacher's handbook, they mention important differences between tests for grade level 2-5 and 6+. Unfortunately, no specifics.
http://www.nwea.org/support/article/1151I'm assuming the section below is the ceiling for the 6+ but I can't find any information about ceilings for 2-5 and K-2.
http://www.nwea.org/support/article/532A 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.
Under MAP for primary grades they mention using it for pre-K and at higher grades but again, no specifics.
What grades should be tested with these assessments?
Kindergarten, first and second grades are appropriate places to utilize these assessments. They may also be used for some pre-kindergarten students and at higher grades for evaluating specific needs for intervention.
I'd love to have better answers but NWEA won't discuss assessment data directly with parents. I've tried.
(See page 2)
http://www.nwea.org/sites/www.nwea.org/files/resources/Parent%20Toolkit.pdfI've had a difficult time just getting basic information about MAP from my district (like when they gave me incorrect normative data). Maybe you'll have better luck as a homeschooler getting answers from NWEA directly or via ACCES!
http://legacysupport.nwea.org/forms/contact.asp
