Teachers: FAQs
- NWEA Connection is an online learning platform (https://community.nwea.org/community/professional-development/) where you will find learning activities and materials that will help you deepen your knowledge about MAP Growth tests. All teachers in the Archdiocese of Boston can make an account within the system, using the same login information as the NWEA MARC site.
How much pre-instruction is necessary to administer the test?
- Teachers need more exposure to the process than students. NWEA’s online learning contains short, informative videos about the assessment process. It will help teachers understand how to frame the work and to administer the assessment. You can also access a quick tutorial and videos here.
Is there a tutorial that students and teachers can take to experience the test?
- There are several resources that teachers can use to introduce students to MAP Growth.
- Students can try sample questions on their own a day or two before testing: http://warmup.nwea.org/
- If a login is requested for the practice test, please use the following information:
- Username: grow
- Password: grow
What is the average amount of time it takes for a student to complete the test?
- On average it takes about 30-45 minutes per test.
- If the assessment is completed in less than 20 minutes, students may not be working to his or her potential. You can have them retake the test as long as its within the testing window.
Does the test provide a Lexile number?
- Yes, the reading test does provide a Lexile for each student tested. You can learn more about Lexile number here.
What types of accommodations are available to support all learners?
- NWEA provides details about accommodations here. Standards accommodations include the following:
- Presentation: read or reread aloud the test directions
- Response: assign a scribe to record responses
- Setting: test a small group of students in a separate setting
- Timing: offer breaks
- Materials or Devices: provide scratch paper
- Miscellaneous: provide a snack during testing
- When determining the best types of support to provide, it is important to note that non-standard accommodations have the potential to bias a student's test score and require special consideration when interpreting results. Below are some examples of non-standard accommodations that can impact a student's performance:
- Native language translation
- Reading aloud the answer options
- Defining words within the test question
Does the MAP Growth test provide National Norm Percentiles?
- MAP Assessments provide several different types of National Norm comparisons.
- Achievements Norms: See a student’s percentile ranking in a nationally representative student population.
- Growth Norms: Compare a student’s growth to that of his/her academic peers.
- School-level Norms: Monitor school performance over time and compare specific grade levels across schools or the nation.
- You can access the 2015 MAP Normative Data online:
https://www.nwea.org/resources/2015-normative-data/
How do I access test results?
- Students see the End of Test screen immediately after the test is complete. The End of Test screen provides immediate data relative to student performance for the test they just completed. All scores presented at the end of a test should be considered preliminary.
- Teachers can login on the NWEA MARC site with their unique credentials to view student and classroom reports 24 hours after completion of a particular NWEA MAP Growth test. This chart (https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/QRM2_MAP_Reports_Summary_QuickRef.pdf) highlights all of the reports and the corresponding purpose. NWEA also produces an excellent document that highlights all of the reports available through the administrative portal: https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/PGM2_MAP_Reports_Reference.pdf
Is there an online Parent Portal available?
- No, the NWEA Administrative site is designed specifically for administrators and teachers and is not accessible to parents and families. You can download the CSO NWEA Parent Guide here. The CSO NWEA Parent Guide provides parents and families with an overview of testing in the diocese as well as links to resources to support students at home.