MAP Testing: A School Day Full of Test-Taking | News

The Kansas City, Missouri School District offers these tips to parents and students as they take the MAP.

• Be sure that your child has a good night’s sleep EVERY night.
• Be sure that your child has a good breakfast – either at home or at school
• Be sure that your child is at school EACH DAY
• Be sure that your child is on time EACH DAY
• Remind your child to listen carefully, read directions and answer all questions
• Remind your child to read the entire passage or problem and make sure he/she understands the question before giving an answer
• Remind your child that some sections of the test will take longer than others
• Remind your child that he/she will need extra stamina to complete the test
• Remind, encourage and EXPECT your child to do his/her BEST!

Students in KCMO also produced and performed in videos about the importance of preparing for and focusing during MAP testing.

Tests at both levels are composed mostly of multiple choice questions, with some fill-in-the-blank questions, drawing diagrams, showing work for math problems, short answer responses, and filling in blanks.

Students’ results are graded according to four achievement levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.

Students in grades 3-8 are assessed in Communication Arts and Mathematics; students in grades 5 and 8 are additionally assessed in Science.

The collective scores are used by the state of Missouri to determine whether schools and school districts are demonstrating Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), or consistent progress toward the goal of all students scoring at or above the proficient level on the MAP test. These determinations are released by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) each year.