Understanding MAP Testing: A Parent's Guide

Recently, I had the pleasure of designing and delivering a parent workshop on MAP testing at our international school. As both the MYP Coordinator and MAP Assessment Coordinator, I've found that helping parents understand assessment data is crucial for student success. The workshop was met with enthusiasm, and the engaging discussions that followed demonstrated how valuable this information is for our parent community. Given its success, I wanted to share these insights more broadly.

As a school leader, one of the most common questions I receive from parents is about interpreting MAP test results. In this guide, I'll explain what MAP testing is, how it works, and most importantly, how you can use this information to support your child's academic growth.

What is MAP Testing?

MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) is not a geography test – it's a digital assessment that tracks students' academic achievement over time. Unlike traditional paper-and-pencil tests where every student answers the same questions, MAP is:

• Digital and individualized for each student

• Untimed, allowing students to work at their own pace

• Focused on measuring individual growth

• Adaptive, meaning it adjusts question difficulty based on student responses

How Does MAP Testing Work?

The adaptive nature of MAP testing is what makes it unique. As students answer questions:

• If they answer correctly, they receive a more challenging question

• If they answer incorrectly, they receive a slightly easier question

• This continues until the test finds the student's "sweet spot" of learning

It's important to note that students are expected to get about 50% of the questions wrong – even high-performing students! This is how the test determines their precise learning level.

Understanding MAP Scores

RIT Scores

Students receive a RIT (Rasch Unit) score, which measures academic difficulty. Typical ranges are:

• Grades 3-5: 140-190

• Middle and High School: 240-300

Percentiles

Perhaps more meaningful than the RIT score is the achievement percentile, which shows how a student performed compared to U.S. grade-level peers. For example:

• 50th percentile means performing at the national average

• 99th percentile means performing better than 99% of peers

How Teachers Use MAP Data

Teachers use MAP data to:

• Identify specific areas where students excel or need support

• Differentiate instruction for individual students

• Select appropriate reading materials at students' levels

• Track growth over time

• Complement other assessment data for a complete picture of student progress

Supporting Your Child at Home

Reading Support

• Read together as a family

• Discuss unfamiliar words in context

• Play word games (Scrabble, Word Search)

• Have students summarize what they read

• Implement family reading time (everyone reads together!)

Mathematics Support

• Practice mental math during daily activities (cooking, shopping)

• Play math-related board games

• Ask children to explain their problem-solving process

• Engage in real-world math applications

Maintaining a Growth Mindset

Remember these key points when discussing MAP results with your child:

• Focus on growth rather than absolute scores

• Celebrate progress, no matter how small

• Ask "What did you learn?" instead of "How did you do?"

• Encourage positive self-talk ("I can't do this yet" vs. "I can't do this")

• Use scores as information for growth, not judgment

Final Thoughts

MAP testing is just one piece of data in your child's academic journey. While it provides valuable insights, it should be considered alongside classroom performance, teacher observations, and other assessments. The most important thing is to maintain a positive, growth-oriented approach to learning and use this information to support your child's educational journey.

Remember: Every student grows at their own pace, and MAP testing is designed to help us understand and support that individual growth pattern.

For specific questions about your child's MAP results or for additional guidance, please reach out to your school's MAP coordinator or your child's teachers.