Dear Parent or Guardian,
Chippewa Valley Schools will soon be conducting our fall benchmark assessments. Between September 11th and October 6th, students will take the FastBridge assessments in kindergarten through 5th grade and the NWEA MAP Growth assessment in 6th through 10th grade in math and reading. These tests help teachers see where students are academically at a moment in time. The teachers look at the screening scores after the testing and compare their students’ scores with other information about school performance. Students with low scores across different tests receive additional support to help them meet their learning goals.
Elementary Students - FastBridge:
· K & 1 students will be assessed using the earlyReading assessment suite, allowing the teachers to screen and monitor student progress in developing reading skills. Teachers will work with students individually to complete their assessments. They will also take the aMath assessment, which screens for broad math abilities. Amath is a computer-adaptive test with questions aligning with the National Core State Standards.
· 2 – 5 students will be assessed using the FASTtrack assessment suite, which screens for broad and specific measures. The broad measures are those measures that determine how well the student integrates all the skills necessary to achieve proficiency. The specific measures indicate specific skill deficits and describe the problem in greater detail. CBMreading is a part of this assessment suite and is an effective way to screen and monitor student reading progress. There is a correlation between this measure and the proficiency level on the state exams such as M-STEP. Along with these reading assessments, they will also take the aMath assessment, which screens for broad math abilities. Amath is a computer-adaptive test where the questions align with the National Core State Standards.
Secondary Students – NWEA:
· 6 – 10 students will be assessed using the NWEA MAP Growth, an assessment for measuring achievement and growth in reading and math. It provides teachers with accurate information to help inform instruction. The assessment is a computer-adaptative test that moves according to how the students answer the questions. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. If they answer correctly, the next one is more challenging. This assessment challenges top performers without overwhelming students with skills below grade level. Therefore, items will be different for most students. Students must make an honest effort to ensure the accuracy of the results. · To watch a 3-minute video describing the MAP assessment for parents, go to: https://vimeo.com/230226438.