Clever Grade-Level MAP Testing
3rd-8th Grade Parent Information - Spring 2023
MAP Grade-Level Assessments are just around the corner!
This newsletter is full of information, links and resources to help you all prepare for testing. If you have any questions or concerns regarding MAP Grade-Level testing, please don't hesitate to reach our to your student's teacher, grade-level counselor or principal.
Student Supply Checklist
- Fully Charged Chromebook
- Wired Headphones - All students will have the option to have text read to them throughout the assessment. In addition, one portion of the ELA assessment tests students' listening comprehension. Wired headphones are REQUIRED for this session.
- Mouse, if desired
Based on Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, students will NOT be permitted to have the following items with them during testing:
- Cell Phones
- Smart Watches
- Personal electronic devices with internet connectivity
In accordance with state testing guidelines, Clever teachers have been instructed to have a plan for all personal devices during testing. If the items listed above are brought to school on testing days, they will be required to be turned off and placed in the designated area of the classroom until the last student has completed testing for the day.
3rd - 5th Grade Testing Schedule
Middle School Testing Schedule
MAP Information for Parents
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Grade-Level Assessments evaluate students’ progress toward the Missouri Learning Standards. The Missouri Learning Standards define the knowledge and skills students need in each grade level and course for success in college, other post-secondary training and careers. These expectations are aligned to the Show-Me Standards, which define what all Missouri high school graduates should know and be able to do. Find more information about the standards at https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/curriculum/mls-for-parents.
A policy statement, adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education, designated the purposes of the Missouri Assessment Program as:
- Improving students’ acquisition of important knowledge, skills and competencies;
- Monitoring the performance of Missouri’s education system;
- Empowering students and their families to improve their educational prospects; and
- Supporting the teaching and learning process.
Students in grades three through eight are administered assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Those in grades five and eight also take Science assessments.
The effectiveness of an assessment program depends on the wise choice of assessment methods, appropriate administration procedures and accurate interpretation of results.
Grade-Level Assessments include multiple types of questions or items:
- Selected Response (also known as multiple choice) items are composed of a question followed by a series of possible responses. Students must select the correct response or responses.
- Constructed Response or Short Text items require students to supply an appropriate response rather than making a selection from a list of choices.
- Performance Tasks/Events allow students to work through more complicated items using real world scenarios.
- Writing Task items require students to write either narrative, information/explanatory or opinion/argumentative essay.
Each test produces an Individual Student Report (ISR) that includes an Achievement Level, which will describe the student performance as Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, or Advanced. The report also includes a short description of the knowledge and skills that are typically demonstrated by students in each Achievement Level.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) publishes a Guide to Interpreting Results (GIR) that provides additional details about the content of the Individual Student Reports. The GIR is available on the DESE website at: http://dese.mo.gov/quality-schools/assessment/grade-level.
Tips to Support Success (from DESE)
Read, Read, Read! Reading takes skill and practice. One of the best and simplest steps to improve the reading ability for children is to provide sustained periods of time for children to read.
Tip #2:
Help your child to read like a writer. Even in the early grades, children can begin to "get into the head" of the author. Reading improves a child's writing, and writing improves a child's reading.
Tip #3:
Read a variety of books and magazines. MAP English Language Arts assessments contain a variety of text including short stories, poems, dialogues, magazine articles, charts and tables. Children need to be able to read a wide variety of texts ranging from road signs to restaurant menus, comic books to classics.
Tip #4:
Build your child's reading stamina. To build reading stamina, you may wish to encourage your child to increase gradually the amount of time they read at one sitting. Include short breaks, such as stretching or closing their eyes for a minute. Set individual reading goals based upon doing the "best that they can."
Tip #5:
Teach your child that visuals are part of the text. Students are often required to gather information from photos, captions, drawings, charts, and graphs. You can help by teaching your child to look at all of these materials as part of the total text.
Tip #6:
Help your child know how to use text-based support in written responses. Some items on the MAP assessments have multiple parts or require children to explain or show how they arrived at their answers. Children may receive only partial credit for answers to questions that are not supported with specific details or that do not contain an explanation.
Tip #7:
Teach your child to identify all parts of a question. Teach your child to identify exactly what each question is asking. Some questions have multiple parts, which are often combined into a single sentence with a single question mark at the end. Not answering all parts of a multi-part question is a common error.
Tip #8:
Teach your child to paraphrase test items, turning questions into statements. For example, the question, "Why did the main character play with the ball?" could be rephrased as "The main character played with the ball because ..." This practice allows the child to phrase the question in a way that makes the most sense to them. They are then ready to read the passage and look for answers.
Tip #9:
Prepare for testing day.
- Be aware of the testing schedule.
- Be certain that your child has had adequate rest (this may mean getting them used to an earlier bed time before the week of testing).
- Be on time for school.
- Avoid scheduling appointments that can be done at a later date.
- Dress your child in layered clothing. This way, the child may add clothing to get warmer or remove some clothing to be cooler.
- If your school allows it, make sure your child has a book to read when the testing session is complete.
- Have a positive attitude.
Adapted from the Practical Parenting Partnerships by Laura Schwab and the 2001 MAP Class 6 Team.
Curious about what the Grade-Level MAP test looks like?
The OTTs can be completed more than once to help students become familiar with the testing platform and all of the available tools prior to their testing dates.
Below is the link to the OTTs on DESE's website. These will be utilized in the classroom but may also be used at home.