The MAP tests are used as an academic screener at specific grade levels in FCPS. As an academic screener, the MAP tests give teachers information about strengths and needs in students’ foundational mathematics and reading skills. Gaps in foundational skills are the root of many later learning difficulties. Early detection and intervention in these gaps can help students reach their potential and succeed in coursework. As an academic screener, MAP tests completed in the fall provide a first look at areas in which students may need extra support. Teachers may collect more information using diagnostic assessments. 

MAP Math - Middle and High School, Grades 6-12

The MAP  Math test serves as academic screener in middle school and identified high school courses. 

MAP Reading - High School Grades 9-12

The MAP Reading test serves as academic screener in identified high school courses. A listing of courses is available under "High School (9-12) Screening and Growth" on the Academic Screening, Growth, and Diagnostic Tests webpage. 

The MAP tests are used as a growth measure in FCPS to ensure students are developing at the expected rate and are making progress to close any learning gaps from previous years. As a growth measure, the MAP tests give teachers information about student progress in developing the content knowledge and skills defined in grade level, course, and/or state standards.  

Middle School Grades 6-8 - MAP Math 

In middle school, MAP Math tests are approved as a SOL-aligned growth measure under the Virginia Assessment Program. The growth measure is used three times per year to fulfill state requirements. 

High School Grades 9-12 - MAP Math / Reading

In high school, MAP Math and Reading tests are used in the identified courses as a growth measure within the FCPS Strategic Plan. MAP tests are used 1-3 times per year to monitor learning. 

Unlike paper-and-pencil tests, where all students are asked the same questions and spend a fixed amount of time taking the test, MAP is a computer-adaptive test. That means every student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions get harder. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier. By the end of the test, most students will have answered about half the questions correctly, as is common on adaptive tests. The purpose of MAP assessments are to help educators understand where a student is on their academic journey, if they are growing over time, and where a student’s strengths and opportunity areas are.

FCPS has testing windows to give MAP tests to students at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Participation guidelines differ by grade-level and course as well as depending on how student’s score.

Most students take around 45 to 55 minutes to complete a MAP test. However, the MAP test is not timed, and students may take as much time as they need to complete it. Students will encounter questions with content that they may have not yet been exposed to so students should be advised to take their best guess.

When we talk about high-stakes tests, we are usually talking about a test designed to measure what students already know, based on what is expected at their grade level. High-stakes tests are also often used as a way to measure grade-level proficiency. MAP tests are designed to measure student achievement in the moment and growth over time, regardless of grade level, so it is quite different.

MAP is not a standardized test because it doesn’t give all students the same, standard set of questions every time it’s administered. Instead, it adapts based on a student’s answer, asking a more difficult question when they answer correctly and an easier question when they don’t. Students are expected to answer questions correctly only about 50% of the time.

MAP is also a formative assessment, that is, it is given periodically during the school year, so that teachers and families can see a student’s growth over time.

Different reports from the vendor are provided to help schools and teachers use MAP assessment information. Teachers can see the progress of individual students and of their classes as a whole. Teachers use RIT scores combined with formative assessment to develop classroom-level strategies for equitable instruction that help maximize every student’s learning potential. MAP tests also provide data around the typical growth for students who are in the same grade, are testing in the same subject, and have the same starting achievement level. This data is often used to help students set goals and understand how much they need to learn to achieve their goals. Principals and administrators can use the scores to see the performance and progress of a grade level, school, or entire district.

The MAP tests include multiple choice, drag and drop, and other types of questions. You can access some short sample tests to get an idea of what MAP questions look like.

Your child’s teacher will help with any pre-test instructions to explain the test to the students. Just like on any school day, make sure your child is well-rested and fed. Encourage them to do their best. There are also currently two videos to support students in learning more about the assessment: What is the Math MAP Assessment and Understanding RIT Scores

The MAP Reading test used in English 9--11courses evaluates students' skills in three (3) instructional areas:

• Word Origins, Semantics, Vocabulary Acquisition
• Comprehension of Literary Texts
• Comprehension of Nonfiction Texts

The MAP Math general test used in Math 6-7, Prealgebra, and Algebra 1 courses evaluates students' skills in five (5) instructional areas:

• Number and number sense
• Computation and estimation
• Measurement and geometry
• Probability, statistics, patterns, functions and algebra

The MAP Math Algebra 1 content test used in Algebra Functions and Data Analysis (AFDA) courses evaluates students' skills in three (3) instructional areas:

• Expressions and operations
• Equations and inequalities
• Functions and statistics

The MAP Math Geometry content test used in Geometry  courses evaluates students' skills in three (3) instructional areas:

• Reasoning, lines and transformations
• Triangles
• Polygons, circles and three-dimensional figures 

The MAP Math Algebra 2 content test used in Algebra 2 courses evaluates students' skills in three (3) instructional areas:

• Expressions and operations
• Equations and inequalities
• Functions and statistics

The Student Progress Report provides performance information from the student's most recent MAP test alongside results from any previous MAP testing window. Reports are generated in fall, winter, and spring. Families will only receive a report for a window when the student took a MAP Math and/or MAP Reading test. 

Translations of a family guide resource explaining the MAP Student Progress Report can be found below. 

When a student takes an MAP Math and/or MAP Reading test in a testing window, families receive a Student Progress Report within 1 month of the close of the window. 

• The report is posted to the SIS ParentVUE Documents section
• Numerical scores are posted to the SIS ParentVUE Test History section
• For families without a ParentVUE account, the score report is distributed to the family from the school 

When students finish their MAP test, they receive a number called a RIT score for each subject they are tested in: reading and/or math. This score represents a student’s achievement level at any given moment and helps measure their academic growth over time. The RIT scale is a stable scale, like feet and inches, that accurately measures student performance, regardless of age, grades, or grade level. Like marking height on a growth chart and being able to see how tall a child is at various points in time, you can also see how much they have grown between tests.

A percentile rank indicates how well a student performed in comparison to the students in the specific norm group, for example, in the same grade and subject. A student's percentile rank indicates that the student scored as well as, or better than, the percent of students in the norm group. For example, a student scoring at the 35th percentile scored as well as, or better than, 35 percent of students in the norm group. It also means that 65 percent of the students in the norm group exceeded this score.

The percentile rank is not a percentage of items the student answered correctly.

The MAP Student Progress Report lists the goal areas tested within each content area and gives a descriptive word or phrase to express the strength of a student's performance in that area. The goal areas reported are the same as the instructional areas provided under the "Tested Content" section above. 

The possible descriptors are:

• Low (percentile < 21st)
• LoAvg (percentile between 21st and 40th)
• Avg (percentile between 41st and 60th)
• HiAvg (percentile between 61st and 80th)
• High (percentile > 80th)

An asterisk (*) is displayed if the goal score was not calculated.

Just as a doctor has a chart indicating the most common heights and weights of people at certain ages, the vendor has put together charts showing the average RIT scores for students at various grade levels. Researchers examined the scores of millions of students to find the average scores for students in various grades. A student’s percentile score shows how their score compares to students at the same grade-level.

Different reports from the vendor are provided to help schools and teachers use MAP test information. Teachers can see the progress of individual students and of their classes as a whole. Teachers use RIT scores combined with formative assessment to develop classroom-level strategies for equitable instruction that help maximize every student’s learning potential. MAP testes also provide data around the typical growth for students who are in the same grade, are testing in the same subject, and have the same starting achievement level. This data is often used to help students set goals and understand how much they need to learn to achieve their goals. Principals and administrators can use the scores to see the performance and progress of a grade level, school, or entire district.