EXPANDED MAP TESTING CONTINUES Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests are given to all students in seven different grades. Communication arts and math tests were given in grades three through eight. Science tests were given in grades five and eight.
END OF COURSE EXAMS BEGIN Testing also includes End of Course (EOC) exams in algebra, biology, government, American history and English II. Students take the EOC exams over specific content at the end of the class. EOC exams also are intended to increase students’ motivation to perform well on the tests. A portion of each student’s final course grade is based on the results of the EOC exam.
MAP SCORES MAP tests are aligned with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests. These are national tests in which all states must participate. With the realignment, the MAP tests for communication arts and mathematics are based on four "achievement level" categories, instead of five, that describe student performance. The performance standards for the test were also adjusted to fit within the four new achievement level categories. The new categories, which are identical to those used by NAEP, include:
Below Basic
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
Each achievement level represents standards of performance for each content area assessed. Achievement level scores provide a description of what students can do in terms of the content and skills assessed. They are a means of comparing test results with standards of academic performance. Panels drawn from educational, business and professional communities determine the standards.
