5 Things To Know About MAP Growth at SAA-SDS

As a school dedicated to continual growth, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessments are just one tool used at St. Agnes-St. Dominic to ensure we are meeting our students right where they are  and giving them the resources they need to succeed.

Given three times a year to students in  Kindergarten - 7th grade, MAP Growth allows faculty to measure students’ progress throughout the year and assess strategies for student achievement.

This week (Jan. 25-29) is MAP Assessment week at SAA-SDS, so we would like to share five things our K-8 School Counselors Rosa Tutor (SDS) and Britney Dedmon (SAA) want you to know about MAP:

1. This is not a typical standardized pencil and paper test! It is a computer adaptive test that adjusts to each child’s performance.
   
   
2. The counselors and teachers are intentional in the way they explain and approach the test with our students. During MAP assessment weeks students begin each day with outdoor play and mindfulness exercises. We wake up their bodies and brains first! The students practice positive self-talk and are given opportunities to take practice tests, which help to alleviate test anxiety.
   
   
3. The counselors, teaching assistants and learning specialists work collaboratively with the classroom teachers to set individualized goals for students. We use MAP assessments to empower our teachers to differentiate instruction for all of our students-whether more growth is needed or more enrichment. On our In-service Day, February 12, our teachers will attend an all day workshop to learn more about the data that MAP generates.
   
   
4. The students get surprise treats and positive notes from the counseling team the week of MAP!
   
   
5. It is extremely helpful for parents to attend the MAP Town Hall meeting on February 11 at 6:00 p.m. Parents will have a better understanding of the MAP Family Report, what is measured, and how teachers use the data to help foster growth in their children. The opportunity to partner with our parents is a critical piece of MAP’s value.

When asked about MAP assessments and their impact on her classroom, St. Agnes 5^thgrade teacher Amber Brown shared, “MAP data is helpful in planning instruction, identifying trends, and revealing the skills that may need more focus. This year we have paired our MAP testing with the MAP Accelerator program, which gives students individualized math practice at the level indicated by their MAP test. I can’t wait to see how this support program enhances our MAP growth in Math this year!”

If you have any further questions about the MAP assessments, please reach out to our counselors Rosa Tutor  or Britney Dedmon (bdedmon@saa-sds.org).  They would love to talk with you!