Iowa-Missouri students in grades K-9 recently completed their first testing session using the new MAP Growth materials.
For many decades prior, students would take the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (later known as Iowa Assessments), a hard-copy test for grades 3-10, once a year in the fall. The results provided teachers with information on each student’s achievement level and gave parents information on what their child’s percentile rank was among all students tested and at what grade equivalent level the child was performing.
MAP Growth is all computerized, with the ability to test students in grades K-12 in the areas of math, reading and language usage. Science will be added next year as the North American Division Office of Education works with the Map Growth group to develop test questions aligned with the Adventist Church’s creation curriculum standards.
Unlike the previous Iowa Assessment test, MAP Growth testing isn’t timed. Students work at their own pace, with most finishing within 50 minutes (students needing longer are given that opportunity).
Another exciting feature of MAP Growth is that students are assessed not just once but three times each year, with the results available to their teachers within 48 hours. This provides more complete data on the growth of each student and helps teachers focus on areas in which a student may need remedial help or more challenging lessons. It also allows students and their parents to better track academic growth and achievements throughout the school year. With a database of 10,000 questions for their grade level, students receive a different test each testing session. Test sessions occur after the 4th, 20th and 32nd weeks of school.
Learn more about MAP Growth at nwea.org/map-growth.
