Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment MAP tests

Okay, so I'm a little perplexed. My DD is taking the MAP tests from home (through ACCES). She's a 4th grader.

What I want to know is whether there is only one MAP test (for each subject) that covers material all the way up through high school? Or, is there a different (easier) version for, say, elementary students, and a harder version for high schoolers?

Although I didn't get to read many of the Language Usage questions (DD did not want me hovering), I have a hard time believing that the test actually covered high-school level material.

Anyone out there a MAP expert?

It's my understanding that as long as you're using MAP not P-MAP (for K-2nd) that you have the ability to get up to high school level. Because the test is "computer assisted" it adjusts the level of questions depending on the number of correct answers. So after a certain number right, it ups the level of difficulty.

Inky is our MAP expert, hopefully she'll stop by with more specifics. This is our first year dealing with MAP tests but my son has taken both MAP and P-MAP this year.

Definitely using regular MAP (and not the K-2 version).

Maybe it's analogous to the math on the SAT situation (only testing math up through Algebra 1 and basic geometry). Clearly we expect even bright high school seniors to know math beyond that. Likewise, I would expect bright kids to know grammar beyond the very basic.

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/1151
I'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/532
Under MAP for primary grades they mention using it for pre-K and at higher grades but again, no specifics.
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.pdf
I'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

Found some more specifics reading old posts:
https://illinoisnwea.wikispaces.com/FAQ+MAP
What is the difference between the 2-5 version and the 6+ version of the tests?
- Math 2-5: has no items including computation with decimals, fractions, percents, etc.
- Math 6+: includes those computation items listed above, also ratio and proportion and other more difficult skills
- Reading 2-5: passage length cannot exceed 100 words
- Reading 6 +: passage length can go up to 600 words
NOTE: This does not effect how high the student can score on the test. A student who takes a 2-5 test can score just as high as a student on a 6+ test, but the content is limited.

Thanks, Inky. That's helpful.

For any of you considering MAP testing at home, I did notice a few things that it would have been useful to know before registering (through ACCES):

1) ACCES registered DD for the "Survey" tests, without goals. It appears from their form, however, that it might be an option to register for the tests with goals. On the chart to determine which test to use (see Inky's link to Teachers' Manual) it says that the shorter "Survey" tests are not suitable for tracking achievement. That was probably my main reason for having DD take the test.

2) I did not realize that there are actually two versions of the test (for grades 2-5 and for grades 6+). Had I known this, I would have signed DD up for the 6+ test so that there would be no ceiling issues. As an interesting side note, the Language Survey does not appear to have separate versions (at least not from what's listed on the ACCES registration from). Anyone know if that's true or not?


What still puzzles me is how they can have norms through 11th grade, if the grade 2-5 test doesn't have material that covers high school. The RIT charts with percentiles don't seem to distinguish between the versions of the test.

Maybe I should just stick with EXPLORE! Seems less complicated.

.

WHAT????????????? That was my MAIN reason for taking this test!!!!!

I wondered about that when I got the packet in w/ the survey vs goals.

It was my understanding it was K-1, and 2-12........ This wasn't an issue for my 1st grader but may be an issue for my 4th grader testing next week.

My reason for going with this one is that it's untimed and DS has timer issues. He took the Explore this year as well.

My DS1st grade just took the 2-5 test through A.C.C.E.S. Inc. It started with addition with decimals. It has had fractions. One fraction question was didn't involve computation and one did involve addition of fractions. Another involved fractions/decimals/percents.

Can someone please look at this pdf and tell me if you get more scoring information that what is shown here? http://www.acces-inc.com/testing/files/Sample%20Test%20Results.pdf


Inky reported this in the other MAP thread:
(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)

I don't see any info like that in the above pdf which says it's page 1 of 1.
Thanks!

https://reports.nwea.org/help/Essentials.pdf
Here's one page of the goal strand report (see page 6). I had to ask for this specifically from the school. The pdf you posted is the student progress report. It will have the growth information over time. http://www.webster.kyschools.us/Portals/0/Containers/News/Annotated_Reports.pdf