High MAP math scores

[Anonymous]

Do really high MAP math scores actually matter that much? My child's friend scored over 240 on the Spring test, and my child's 98% score is a lot lower in comparison. They're in second grade, can the MAP test reliably tell the difference between "good" and "exceptional" at that age?

Also, do kids usually prepare for the MAP? I'm genuinely curious how someone achieves such a high score. And looking ahead to third grade, if everything else stays the same, will the new MAP format make the gap between high scores wider or narrower?

[Anonymous]

Yours son’s friend knows a lot more math than your child. That’s all the score shows. Your son knows more than 98% of other students that are his age. The friend knows more. Hard to know of he prepped or not, but he was in someway exposed to harder concepts. Stop comparing and let your young child continue to grow.

[Anonymous]

Scores are probably more variable at younger grades, but by second grade at least for our kids they had settled into predictable bands.

240 is a 99.99 percentile score in second grade, so I think the odds that your friend's kid is exceptional at math are pretty high. Your kid is also probably very good (and might end up exceptional) at math; 98th percentile is a very good score as well. Your friends kid will probably be better at math than your kid.

Whether that "matters" is a more philosophical exercise. Most kids have strengths and weaknesses and some kids have exceptional strengths. Raising your kid with their abilities is what matters (and in your kid's case they ARE good at math).

[Anonymous]

MAP is not a test of aptitude, particularly at the lower grades. It is a test of exposure. If your child has been exposed to higher level concepts, even as simple as "finding the area of a 2d object" or "make a simple fraction," they can juice their score considerably but it doesn't tell you anything about long-term aptitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yours son’s friend knows a lot more math than your child. That’s all the score shows. Your son knows more than 98% of other students that are his age. The friend knows more. Hard to know of he prepped or not, but he was in someway exposed to harder concepts. Stop comparing and let your young child continue to grow.

Thanks. We don't really talk about scores with my kids - I was just asking as a parent to figure out how I can help them better.

[Anonymous]

With high map scores, they can request to skip math grade level, such as taking math 4/5 at grade 3 or math 5/6 at grade 4

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yours son’s friend knows a lot more math than your child. That’s all the score shows. Your son knows more than 98% of other students that are his age. The friend knows more. Hard to know of he prepped or not, but he was in someway exposed to harder concepts. Stop comparing and let your young child continue to grow.

Thanks. We don't really talk about scores with my kids - I was just asking as a parent to figure out how I can help them better.

[Anonymous]

I didn't know the MAP-P% % put dismal. My 2nd grader got 230 for the spring test, and it was 99% (99-99-99). I guess 240 would have a higher %?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't know the MAP-P% % put dismal. My 2nd grader got 230 for the spring test, and it was 99% (99-99-99). I guess 240 would have a higher %?

No, it doesn’t. My 2nd grader got higher than 240 and it shows 99% (99-99-99). We use Khan Academy at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MAP is not a test of aptitude, particularly at the lower grades. It is a test of exposure. If your child has been exposed to higher level concepts, even as simple as "finding the area of a 2d object" or "make a simple fraction," they can juice their score considerably but it doesn't tell you anything about long-term aptitude.

+1 This. It's not a test of giftedness--it's a test of exposure. I remember one of my kids saying his MAP-M stopped when he didn't know what the division sign was (they hadn't covered that in school), and the other's last question was about prime numbers, which they hadn't learned.

[Anonymous]

My 2nd grader scored 219 and was 99th percentile on spring MAPM. At what 2nd grade spring MAPM score, would it be reasonable to request taking compacted math in 3rd?

[Anonymous]

Unsolicited advice from the parent of an older child... You do not need to push your kid way ahead in math even if they have super high MAP-M scores. Do you really want to rush them through math just because they are a little bored? Math, of all things, requires repetition and deep understanding. If they are really that advanced in math they can double up in HS.

[Anonymous]

Also there are kids out there with super high MAP-M because they are being exposed to outside instruction (e.g. Russian math school). others are self taught because they are curious and have access to Khan academy, books, etc.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there can be a significant difference, OP. People don't understand that there is no practical difference in aptitude between a 50th and 51st percentile, but there can be a heck ton of difference in aptitude between a 98th and 99th percentile. If you visualize a bell curve, you'll notice the two extremes stretch on. At the first and last percentile, you can be anywhere in that very stretchy line that hugs the x axis.

My oldest (now in college) was always a 98th percentile sort of kid in math. He has limited math understanding, actually, but is a hard worker who applies everything he learns diligently. My second takes after her mathematician father and was always at the 99th. There is an enormous difference in the caliber of their math comprehension. She has a natural gift for math.

The gift for math cannot be taught, OP. One is born with it. Right now your 98th percentile kid in elementary has no difficulties in math. But there might come a time when he will. So don't be afraid of paying for tutoring at the secondary level to ensure he stays on the advanced track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unsolicited advice from the parent of an older child... You do not need to push your kid way ahead in math even if they have super high MAP-M scores. Do you really want to rush them through math just because they are a little bored? Math, of all things, requires repetition and deep understanding. If they are really that advanced in math they can double up in HS.

Thank you. Appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader scored 219 and was 99th percentile on spring MAPM. At what 2nd grade spring MAPM score, would it be reasonable to request taking compacted math in 3rd?

Nope.

Compacted in 4th, then algebra in 6th. Khan or IXL or AOPS to stay ahead during ES.