Speaking of MAP scores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader brough home his score from MAP R test he took in the fall. The score was on a form letter from the principal. The thing I found odd is that they listed the proficient and advanced benchmarks for the spring of 3rd grade, but the scores were for the test taken in the fall of 3rd grade. I'm not sure if this was a mistake in the letter from our particular school, or if this was done intentionally by MCPS.

This is normal. Kids take the MAP-r and MAP-M in the fall and spring every year. The MAP-R benchmarks, which kids are not expected to meet until the spring, are pretty much the same from year to year because I think the MAP data only gets re-normed every so often (maybe every 4 or 6 years -- info on this should be on the NWEA website). The benchmarks are included and used by MCPS because fall MAP-R correlates to MSA performance and the school system uses this to identify those kids who need extra help to meet proficiency on the MSA. ( IMO, this is the only reason MCPS still gives the MAP-R -- the system needs to perform on the MSA to meet benchmarks under NCLB legislation. It will be interesting to see when PARCC replaces the MSA, whether the MAP correlates to PARCC performance, and if not, whether MCPS keeps using it. I hope so, whether or not it correlates to the PARCC, because as a parent I find it a VERY useful test, as it is the only nationally normed, standardized exam that provides the ability to compare performance year over year. )

So, for example, performing "proficient" but not advanced would tend to predict that that child will perform "proficient" on the MSA. Similarly not meeting the MAP proficiency standard in the fall would tend to predict that that child will score Basic on the MSA in the spring. Schools will focus extra energy to get a kid from basic to proficient. Some schools with very low numbers of students at risk of scoring basic, may also focus some extra resources on those kids at the cusp of the proficient/advanced cusp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader brough home his score from MAP R test he took in the fall. The score was on a form letter from the principal. The thing I found odd is that they listed the proficient and advanced benchmarks for the spring of 3rd grade, but the scores were for the test taken in the fall of 3rd grade. I'm not sure if this was a mistake in the letter from our particular school, or if this was done intentionally by MCPS.

I think it's intentional--same way on our form. In any case, they tell how many points they expect a child to rise in a year, so you can work back and see if he/she is on track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They definitaly took MAP for both Reading and Math by now. It is supposed to be given by the 3rd week of September as a Fall MAP, which the county requires.

Does anyone know if the Fall MAP for Kindergarten (I think it's called Mclass) is required? I thought my kid's teacher said that they do the standardized tests in the spring and in May but in the meantime, they've been doing just the informal tests to evaluate reading levels so far.

[Anonymous]

Mclass is not the same as map.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not OP here, but 99% of which third graders? Is this test given statewide? nationwide?

It is geared towards apple-to-apples comparison...so I am guessing all 3rd graders in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP here, but 99% of which third graders? Is this test given statewide? nationwide?

It is geared towards apple-to-apples comparison...so I am guessing all 3rd graders in MCPS?

The percentiles for rthe MAP scores given are against national norms. I'd imagine that a 99% score might be less than 99% in MoCo because the county has many high performing kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP here, but 99% of which third graders? Is this test given statewide? nationwide?

It is geared towards apple-to-apples comparison...so I am guessing all 3rd graders in MCPS?

The percentiles for rthe MAP scores given are against national norms. I'd imagine that a 99% score might be less than 99% in MoCo because the county has many high performing kids.

I've seen a MCPS report which provides the median MAP-R scores through 8th grade.
I find this test very useful as a parent - it is easy to understand and it seems to measure something meaningful. I just wish the schools used it more consistently - especially for the high scoring kids. I suspect that if they score well enough to predict a good performance on the MSA they don't really do much with it.
We always get the MAP-R score as well as the lexile score that goes with the MAP-R score. Another thing I find interesting is that EVERY year, my child's Spring score is lower than his Fall score! he does make year upon year progress but most of the progress seems to occur after the summer vacation - too funny!!