Information

Legacy students in 1st-10th grade take The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments, once in the Fall and again in the Spring.

We are very excited to have MAP assessments as a tool to keep improving our students’ academic performance. MAP assessments are very valid and reliable and will be used as formative assessments. They will provide us with detailed diagnostic information that can be used to predict and measure student growth and drive instruction to meet the needs of all learners. Formative assessments have been shown (e.g. Hattie, 2009) to have the largest impact of any teaching strategy on student achievement so we recognize the value this test can provide to our school.

With these assessments, you will be able to see a student’s academic growth during a school year, and from year to year. These assessments will also help our teachers know near the beginning of the school year where a student’s strengths lie and if help is needed in any specific area. Millions of students nationwide, including many students at Christian schools in our conference and in our local public school districts take MAP assessments each year.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What does MAP stand for?

MAP is an acronym for Measures of Academic Progress.

Who is NWEA?

The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping all children learn. NWEA provides research-based assessments, professional training, and consulting services to improve teaching and learning. The NWEA creates the MAP assessments.

What grade levels will be involved in this assessment?

1st-10th grade students will be involved in taking MAP assessments this year?

How many tests will each student take?

The 1st-4th grade students will take assessments in Reading and Math. The 5th-10th grade students will take Reading, Math, and Science assessments. The assessments will be administered in two or three separate sessions. There is an immense bank of questions for each of the subject areas and from that bank the students receive the following (approximately):

  • Reading – 42 questions
  • Math – 52 questions
  • Science – 64 questions

How long will each assessment take?

Technically, there is no time limit, but most students complete the assessment in about 50 minutes. We have allotted an hour and twenty-five minutes for each testing session, but have also provided for extra time sessions. Students are permitted to stop their test and continue it at a later time or on a different day.

What happens if a student is absent?

Anyone who misses a testing session will be asked to complete the test at another time. We have several extra time sessions built into the schedule.

What happens if a student just guesses and hurries through the test?

If a student progresses through all the questions too quickly, the test program will consider the result invalid, and another testing period will be scheduled. The proctors can also require a retest if the time is short and the score is low.

What do the scores on the MAP look like?

MAP assessment scores are reported as RIT scores. RIT stands for Rausch Interval Unit, and it is a regular measuring scale for best results. A RIT score shows a student’s instructional level of a subject (Reading, Math, and Science).

Why is a RIT score useful?

The RIT score tells teachers exactly where the student should be working and what the next areas of instruction should be. Teachers are able to use the information to make flexible groups within the classroom, putting students with similar needs together.

How does the RIT score tell me how my child is doing in school?

There are two main ways the RIT score helps you understand how your child is doing: Your child’s score is compared to over 500,000 other scores for children at the same grade level (this is the normative group). A mean (average) score is calculated for each grade level, along with above and below average benchmarks. By comparing your child’s scores to these indicators, you can see how your child compares to the students in the normative group. These scores are given as percentiles.
In the individual report that you will receive, you will see a chart that shows the progress your child is making from one test administration to the next. There are comparisons that help calculate the appropriate rate of growth in the RIT.

Where can I get additional information?

For more information, please go to NWEA.