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NWEA MAP Assessments

MAP Assessments: What and Why?

LCPS uses a suite of assessments developed by the researched-based, not-for-profit organization NWEA to help our teachers determine the needs and strengths of individual students. This information, gathered on all K-8 students in our district, allows teachers to meet students where they are in terms of learning.

MAP Assessments are not “tests” in the traditional sense. They do not strictly assess a student on grade-level material, but instead are adaptive – that is, the questions and materials will change based on how a student answers. It is important to know that students will intentionally see questions they may not know the answers to. When this occurs, we ask students to just try their best and move on 

MAP Assessments are conducted three times each school year — in the beginning of the year, in the middle and at the end. Here are two of the assessments LCPS uses:

  • MAP Growth measures achievement and growth in math and reading in grades K-8. It provides teachers with data to help target instruction for each student or groups of students regardless of how far above or below they are from their grade level. It also connects to the largest set of instructional content providers, giving educators flexibility in curriculum choices.
  • MAP ® Reading FluencyTM is an online, adaptive benchmark and progress monitoring assessment administered in grades K-4 that measures oral reading fluency, literal comprehension, and foundational skills — for both English and Spanish speakers. It uses advanced technology to enable group testing, automatically record and score each student, and deliver instructionally useful data.

Here are three helpful links:

Additionally, the videos below are designed to provide parents with more information about these important asessments.