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During the first four to six weeks of the school year, your child will take tests called Measures of Academic Progress™ (MAP). We give students MAP tests to determine your child’s instructional level; to measure academic growth throughout the school year; and to measure growth from year to year in the areas of reading and mathematics. Results from MAP are available immediately and so will support our teachers in knowing what students have learned and the progress they are making. Teachers will use this information as they consider how to adjust instruction to help each student succeed.
The tests will be taken using a computer, and your child will spend a total of about two hours completing these tests. MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to be appropriate for your child’s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing. And with MAP tests, we can administer shorter tests and use less class time while still receiving detailed, accurate information about your child’s growth.
Each school year, students in grades Kindergarten – Ninth Grade take the tests in September/October, January and April/May. This year, teachers will share information about MAP results during parent-teacher conferences in November.
We are truly excited to have a new tool available to our teachers and students that will help us focus on every child’s individual growth and achievement. Consistently tracking student progress and using that data to help improve student achievement is a key strategy of Seattle Public Schools’ strategic plan, Excellence for All.
Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to ensure an excellent education for your child. For more information about MAP, including resources for parents and guardians, you may download the Parent Toolkit at www.nwea.org >> Students & Parents. Please also feel free to ask Principal Fox, or your child’s teacher, about MAP.
Background: Why SPS is Implementing New Benchmark Assessments
- In June 2008 Seattle Public Schools adopted a strategic plan, Excellence for All. The plan was developed with extensive input from more than 3000 staff, principals, family members and community members.
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One of the key themes expressed by stakeholders is the need for accountability across the system as well as data on student achievement that supports academic growth.
- In a survey of ways that central office could better support principals, 86% of principals said that useful student achievement data that will shape instructional practices is one of the top five needs.
- Instructional staff also requested “useful student achievement data to inform instructional practices.”
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Excellence for All set bold but attainable goals to improve academic achievement and reduce the education gap for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
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In response to stakeholder needs and peer review analysis, one of the strategies we are implementing as part of Excellence for All is to develop assessment tools.
- Assessments will be used to consistently track student progress and use data to drive improvements.
It is critical for all of us – principals, teachers, and central office staff – to know on a frequent basis whether students are making gains and are on-track to meet district and state standards. The curriculum audit identified the need for a comprehensive assessment system to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum. Providing you and your staff with the best tools possible to close the education gap is the number-one goal in implementing MAP. -
A Project Team led this work by:
- Looking at which of our current assessments are working and not working
- Reaching out to principals and teachers to find what they need from assessments
- Piloting MAP in 9 schools in 2008-09
- Recommending a set of benchmark assessments to implement in schools in reading and math.
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The Project Team found that schools use many different student assessments right now.
- However, since every school uses different assessments, it is difficult for the district to support schools well and for us to know how well we are doing as a district throughout the year.
The Project Team recommended a set of benchmark assessments called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to be administered three times per year in reading and math in grades K-9, beginning for most schools next fall (2009).
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