Student MAP Scores

Student MAP testing results are reported in RIT scores (short for Rasch
Unit). A RIT score is an estimation of a students instructional level and
also measures student progress or growth in school.

You may have a

chart in your home on which you mark your childs height at certain times,
such as on his or her birthday. This is a growth chart to show how much
he or she has grown from one year to the next. MAP assessments do the
same sort of thing, except they measure your students growth in mathematics, reading, and language usage. The RIT scale is an equal-interval
scale much like feet and inches on a yardstick. It is used to chart your
childs academic growth from year to year. This type of score increases
the value of the tests as a tool to improve student learning because it
enables teachers to pinpoint what students have learned and what students are ready to learn.

Understanding the RIT Score

The charts on the inside of this brochure show national median RIT
scores for grades 1-9 in a typical school district. You may use these

Measures of Academic Progress

charts to help determine if your student is performing at, above, or below

grade level compared to students across the nation.
It is important to understand that the MAP test is one test at one point in
time. It does not measure intelligence or a students capacity for learning. When making important decisions about students, school staff will
consider the MAP test results along with other data such as classroom

What is MAP?

performance, other test scores, and input from parents and teachers.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is a state-aligned comput-

Growth Over Time

erized adaptive assessment program that provides Aiken County

We expect RIT scores to increase over time. Typically, younger students

educators with the information they need to improve teaching and

show more growth in one year than older students. Students who test

learning and make student-focused, data-driven decisions.

above grade level often show less growth. Sometimes RIT scores may

Students in grades one through nine are tested three times per year

decline from one test to the next. One low test score is not cause for

in math, reading, and language usage. Educators use the growth

immediate concern. Like adults, students have good and bad days and

and achievement data from MAP to develop targeted instructional

their test results do not always indicate what they know. Students attitudes toward the test can also affect their score. Therefore, growth over
time is a better measure of student learning.
Parents and guardians should become comfortable with the understanding that individuals will grow at different rates. Anticipated growth rates
for each student are based on national norms and should be viewed as
typical growth, not expected growth.

Teachers and principals have

participated in training to learn what the MAP test results mean and how
to best utilize the results.

Our goal is for teachers to use the data to

differentiate and adjust instruction so that all students grow at levels

appropriate for each individual.

strategies and to plan school improvement.

MAP:

Is not an accountability test

Generates test questions based on student responses

Reports student results in RIT scores (see back page)

Gives immediate results

Is aligned to SC curriculum standards

Measures growth over time

Provides information used to target individual instruction

If you have immediate questions, please contact your students classroom teacher (elementary) or math or English teacher (middle and high
school) or your building principal.
Aiken County Public Schools
1000 Brookhaven Drive
Aiken, South Carolina 29803

803-641-2428
www.aiken.k12.sc.us

www.aiken.k12.sc.us

Growth Guideline Chart

When are tests given?

The chart below shows the NATIONAL grade level scores for 1st-9th

Three (3) times per year

December/January

March

(Winter)

(Spring)

(Fall)

you can check to see if his/her growth is above, at, or below average,

On the computer under adult supervision in the school setting

Adjusts to a students skill level so that each student takes an
individualized test
What tests are given?

Grade

Reading

Math

Language

1st

2nd9th

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Grade

that is typical for each grade level. When you review your childs scores,
compared to students in the same grade.

How are tests given?

graders who tested in Fall and Spring. This shows the yearly growth

Reading
Fall
Spring
160
173
179
190
192
200
201
207
208
212
216
213
217
219
223
220
224
222

Year's
Growth
13
11
8
6
4
3
2
3
2

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Grade

September/October

Fall
164
179
192
203
212
219
225
230
233

Math
Spring
178
191
203
211
220
225
230
234
236

Year's
Growth
14
12
11
8
8
6
5
4
3

Is my child on grade level?

Fall MAP Reading RIT Score

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

161+
180+
193+
202+
209+
214+
218+
221+
223+

160
179
192
201
208
213
217
220
222

147-159
161-178
180-191
193-200
202-207
209-212
214-216
218-219
221

1-Grade
Below

146147-160
161-179
180-192
193-201
202-208
209-213
214-217
218-220

2-Grades
Below

146160179192201208213217-

Grade

Grade

Above
At Grade
Below
Grade Level Level Grade Level

Fall MAP Math RIT Score

Winter MAP Reading RIT Score

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

168+
187+
198+
206+
212+
216+
220+
223+
224+

167
186
197
205
211
215
219
222
223

152-166
168-185
187-196
198-204
206-210
212-214
216-218
220-221

1-Grade
Below

2-Grades
Below

151152-167
168-186
187-197
198-205
206-211
212-215
216-219
220-222

151167186197205211215219-

174-187
191-209
201-218
208-225
213-230
217-234
220-237
224-240
225-242

173
190
200
207
212
216
219
223
224

156-172
174-189
191-199
201-206
208-211
213-215
217-218
220-222

164
179
192
203
212
219
225
230
233

148149-164
165-179
180-192
193-203
204-212
213-219
220-225
226-230

148164179192203212219225-

1-Grade
Below

2-Grades
Below

152153-171
172-186
187-199
200-208
209-216
217-222
223-228
229-232

152171186199208216222228-

1-Grade
Below

2-Grades
Below

158159-178
179-191
192-203
204-211
212-220
221-225
226-230
231-234

158178191203211220225230-

165+
180+
193+
204+
213+
220+
226+
231+
234+

149-163
165-178
180-191
193-202
204-211
213-218
220-224
226-229
231-232

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

172+
187+
200+
209+
217+
223+
229+
233+
235+

171
186
199
208
216
222
228
232
234

153-170
172-185
187-198
200-207
209-215
217-221
223-227
229-231
233

Spring MAP Math RIT Score

1-Grade
Below

155156-173
174-190
191-200
201-207
208-212
213-216
217-219
220-223

2-Grades
Below

155173190200207212216219-

Above Grade At Grade

Below
Level
Level Grade Level

Grade

Grade

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

2-Grades
Below

Above Grade At Grade

Below
Level
Level Grade Level

Spring MAP Reading RIT Score

Above
At Grade
Below
Grade Level Level Grade Level

1-Grade
Below

Winter MAP Math RIT Score

Grade

Grade

Above
At Grade
Below
Grade Level Level Grade Level

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Above
At Grade
Below
Grade Level
Level Grade Level

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

179+
192+
204+
212+
221+
226+
231+
235+
237+

178
191
203
211
220
225
230
234
236

159-177
179-190
192-202
204-210
212-219
221-224
226-229
231-233
235