April 5, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has developed resources for parents and families to help them become familiar with the expectations of the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP).
MAP is the new statewide assessment for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics for grades 3-8 and Algebra I and English II. Students statewide will take MAP assessments during the testing window of April 25 through May 17.
“Mississippi educators participated in the development of MAP to identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement to ensure they are on track for the next grade and eventually, college and career,” said Dr. J.P. Beaudoin, MDE chief of research and development. “MAP is one of many measures, including student grades and teacher reports, that combined, provide a more robust picture about student progress.”
MAP parent resources include an overview of MAP, frequently asked questions, links to practice tests and a preview of the online testing environment. With the exception of the writing portion of the ELA test, students will take the MAP test on a computer.
Parents may use the materials to help their child become familiar with the types of questions they will be asked on MAP. Parents are also encouraged to talk frequently with teachers about their child’s academic performance.
“Parental support is vital for student achievement,” said Miranda P. Kincaid, a 10th grade English teacher at Louisville High School in the Louisville School District. “Teachers must have constant communication with the parents about higher academic standards and how rigor in the classroom will ultimately be beneficial not only for the MAP assessment, but to ensure student success in career or college.”
MAP assesses students on critical thinking and problem-solving and goes beyond multiple-choice questions to get a deeper understanding of students’ learning. Students will be required to apply their knowledge and skills to address real-world problems and describe their reasoning.
“Together, educators and parents can utilize MAP data to encourage, strengthen, and guide the academic careers of students to build a strong foundation for their future,” said LaShea Cirlot, an Algebra I teacher at East Central High School in the Jackson County School District.
MAP replaces the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test. MAP was specifically developed for Mississippi because the state ended its membership in the PARCC testing consortium and new tests were needed to measure student mastery of the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards (MCCRS).
View MAP parent resources here: www.mde.k12.ms.us/OSA/MAP/parent-resources
Media Contact:
Patrice Guilfoyle, APR
Director of Communications
601-359-3706
Jean Cook, APR
Communications Specialist
601-359-3519