Anyone familiar with NJ MAP testing?

[shelly3girls]

I posted this on the community board but I thought someone here may be able to answer it better...

My DD is in 2nd grade and they just started the MAP testing today. She came home very excited about her score saying it was better than her friends and the teacher said it was high. She is a very good student and one of the best readers in her class (according to the teacher). From what I understand this was the first hour of testing and the content was Reading.

Does the computer really tell the kids their score?
What is a good score?
What do the scores mean?
TIA! I really know nothing about these tests.

 

[ryka]

I never heard of this. We just finished the Tera Nova for the K-2 grades last week. I wonder what this testing is.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Perhaps this is some new type of test. DD just started middle school this year, but at no time do I recall this specific test being given to her in elementary school.

That is really odd too, about giving the kids the scores. Shame on the school! How is that supposed to make the kid that scored lowest in the class feel? It used to be that if anything, test results would be sent home to the parents, but not shared with the kids or during class.

I tell you, I can't keep up with the tests the schools administer here in NJ. Sometimes I think they change the names of them or the kind they give just to make the parents crazy!

 

[shelly3girls]

I have no idea what they are. The only thing I know is that they are completely computerized and the test adjusts to the child's answers. Supposedly it significantly shortens the time required for the test. They took them in the fall also but we did not receive any results. We were told that the test is used to track progress. I tried to search the internet and could not really find anything about them.

 

[CEDmom]

I posted this on the community board but I thought someone here may be able to answer it better...

My DD is in 2nd grade and they just started the MAP testing today. She came home very excited about her score saying it was better than her friends and the teacher said it was high. She is a very good student and one of the best readers in her class (according to the teacher). From what I understand this was the first hour of testing and the content was Reading.

Does the computer really tell the kids their score?
What is a good score?
What do the scores mean?
TIA! I really know nothing about these tests.

My 2nd grader took a different test a few weeks ago but it wasn't on the computer and I haven't seen scores yet. I find it very odd that the scores would be given right there for the very reason that I highlighted above. Normally test scores are sent home with an explanation on how to read them. If you want to know for sure call the school.

 

[pha1226]

Our school takes Terra Nova tests for K-2 and NJ ASK tests for older elementary. I have no idea what MAP is!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Our school takes Terra Nova tests for K-2 and NJ ASK tests for older elementary. I have no idea what MAP is!

Those are the tests I'm familiar with too, but I know those aren't done on a computer.

Just asked DD if she ever did one of these types of tests on the computer at school and she looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe the test the teacher gave is not one of the statewide tests at all but maybe just something that your DD's particular school or just her teacher uses to see how far the students have come along since the fall.

 

[Keara'sMom]

I'm not familiar with that test, but I just did a google search and came up with the website www.nwea.org\assessment. Check it out!

 

[shelly3girls]

I'm not familiar with that test, but I just did a google search and came up with the website www.nwea.org\assessment. Check it out!

Thanks! Another parent told me tonight that they use these tests to evaluate the overall class achievement/improvement. They also use the tests as one part of the assessment to identify children with special needs including both the low and high end of the spectrum. Our school starts accelerated math and reading programs in 3rd grade so I guess this test is part of the decision as to who qualifies.

 

[caseywirth]

My daughter's school does map testing, but you don't know the score that day. In fact it is a while before you know the scores.

 

[shelly3girls]

Thanks everyone! According to the website the teacher receives instant results but it made it sound like they are not available to the child. This makes much more sense to me.