Reply to 5th graders taking 6th grade map m

Forum Index » Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

Reply to "5th graders taking 6th grade map m"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m guessing there will be a separate lottery for the CM students and the regular, each being in the top 15 percentile in each group? Otherwise it’s apples and oranges and wouldn’t make sense. This is pure speculation—I have no idea how this will affect the lottery.[/quote]

Not really; NWEA RIT scores have percentages based on grade level. I haven't seen data for 5th graders taking the 6th grade test but it likely exists and can be applied. [/quote]

NWEA doesn't differentiate percentile based on which version of the test is given, relying on the adaptive nature of the test to produce a continuum of RIT scores.  That may work when considering averages across large populations or, to some degree, when looking at a longitudinal series of tests for an individual.  However, there appears to be high [i]individual[/i] variation seen at single test points when adding higher-level questions to the mix (such as at the grade 6+ version of the test).  This showcases the infidelity to underlying ability/achievement of these kinds of tests when utilizing a single-point-in-time score (beyond any concern related to utilization of single data points as litmus tests for such decisions) -- the adaptive algorithm might present something it considers, say, 7th-grade level, which the student might not know, and then will "shift down" even if the student knows other sub-subject content at that or a higher level, which then doesn't get tested in the first place.

Yes, I know that adaptive tests may throw more than one question in at a particular level to counter this tendency, but, given the relatively few questions asked/short time allocated for these "untimed" tests and the 4 sub-subject areas covered, MAP doesn't really achieve adequate statistical certainty for an individual.  This is among the reasons that, when not for a testing period used for selection criteria, families shouldn't worry too much about a one-off lower MAP score than expected.  At the same time, families that can coach their children on test-taking skills (that tend to optimize expression of mastered content) create a distinct advantage towards selection.

It's not as if MAP is a terrible tool.  It can be quite good as a guide for teaching if not relied upon in the absence of good classroom observation, and broad results (county-wide or school-wide averages, where that variation can be viewed though a proper stochastic lens) can help evaluate, say, curricular effectiveness.  It's just a poor choice to be used in placement decisions (especially absent other system-independent measures) as MCPS does for their magnets.

By the way, those kids taking Math 5/6?  MCPS also does not take their more rigorous course of study into account when reviewing the grade litmus used for inclusion in the criteria-based Math/Science/Computer Science magnet middle school lottery pool (and local-school AIM placement).  This is only another of the several things that contribute to their approach failing to distinguish apples from oranges (and nectarines, and pears, and...).

Presuming no change from last year (they won't have OSA review until this coming spring), a student needs to get an A this quarter whether taking Math 5 or Math 5/6.  That's along with an A in Science, an ON/ABV report card reading level, and hitting the required FARMS-rate-based, locally-normed MAP %ile, the currently used tables for which can be found, here:

resources.njgifted.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2020-NWEA-Math-Norms.pdf

There are adjustments MCPS makes on an individual basis for IEP, 504, EML and FARMS (collectively, "students receiving services"), but they do not reveal what these adjustments entail.[/quote]

Exactly[b] the chart has grade level and gives a percent[/b]. So, for 5th graders who got score X, they are at percent Y. This would be different for 5th graders who took the 6th-grade test than for 5th graders who took the more straightforward test. [b]The percentage would fairly reflect their knowledge,[/b] so it seems perfectly fair.[/quote]

True, I am not sure why this is hard to comprehend for some.

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics