The NWEA MAP test is a common-core-aligned, computer-adaptive test designed to quantify a student’s knowledge of math and reading. Unlike most other standardized tests, the NWEA MAP adapts its difficulty level based on whether or not a student selects a correct answer. If a correct answer is selected, the test becomes more challenging, asking out-of-grade-level questions.
After the student completes the test, both teachers as well as students and their parents will receive a RIT score which correlates to a percentile (both the RIT and the percentile should be included in the report from NWEA MAP). The percentile represents where a particular student’s level is compared with students across the country. NWEA’s website states, “NWEA uses anonymous assessment data from over 10.2 million students to create national norms…By drawing from an incredibly wide pool of anonymized test records (pulled from more than six million test events, 23,000 schools, and 49 states), we’re able to accurately represent the US school-age population.”
In addition, the RIT score is determined not by what kinds of questions the student can answer (for example, computation and problem solving), but rather at what level (for example, a simple addition problem versus an addition problem which has an imaginary number in it). To see examples of difficulty level compared to approximate RIT scores, visit the NWEA MAP website and search for the “RIT Reference Brochure.”
Furthermore, this test provides 1/3 of the points required to attend a Selective Enrollment High School or Academic Center. Each section of the test (reading and math) is worth 150 points, with a total of 300 points up for grabs based on their NWEA MAP score. While CPS has not yet announced the NWEA MAP test dates for this upcoming spring of 2021, we anticipate both CPS and non-CPS 5th and 7th-grade students will take the NWEA MAP during the testing window of mid-May to mid-June as was supposed to be the case last year (but was canceled because of Covid-19).
Visit Test Prep Chicago’s homepage (testprepchicago.com) to sign-up for our newsletter and receive up-to-date news. We’ll be sure to send an email as soon as CPS releases more concrete information about NWEA MAP test dates, as well as more information when we add one-day workshops to our website. As always, we offer one-on-one tutoring for NWEA MAP and can begin this at any time. Visit our website for more information on pricing, and how to reach out to us to set up sessions.
Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266