Dear Parents of Students in Grades 3-8 and Grade 10,
Earlier this year, students in grades 3 through 8 took the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. MAP is one of multiple assessment pieces that our teachers use to monitor student growth and determine next steps in learning. Children do not all learn in the same way, so any standardized assessment needs to be viewed only in conjunction with a range of other learning data. We get the most accurate picture of a student’s progress by using a variety of learning evidence including everyday ongoing assessments, learning conversations with students, ongoing formative assessment (assessment that helps us design more appropriate subsequent learning experiences).
MAP also measures your child’s achievement level compared to other students who have taken this test, and measures academic growth over time in the areas of mathematics and reading. However, the student sample is drawn from US public and private schools, not international schools. The test does not cover all academic skills, nor does it cover such areas as physical, artistic, or interpersonal skills. Parents will gain a more complete picture of student performance by looking at this test along side a variety of classroom work samples and other assessments over a period of time.
Your child’s MAP assessment results are now available on PowerSchool. When you log in, you should see a link in the upper right corner where you can Download MAP Results.
We will have a parent meeting on Monday, November 5 at 1:30 to talk about standardized testing at ISB. This will include information about MAP (given to students in grades 3-8) and the ISA (given to students in grades 3 5, 7, and 10). We will meet in MPB 3. Your involvement in your child’s education is crucial. We look forward to seeing you on Nov. 5!