When you think of the classroom setting, you’re likely picturing the teacher standing at the front of the room giving lessons, administering tests and quizzes, and providing student feedback. But this image is missing a key piece of the academic puzzle, the parent. One of the most powerful (and often underestimated) allies of an educator, is an informed parent who understands their child’s academic needs and is in a position to reinforce what happens in the classroom. When educators share Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) assessment data and resources with parents, a powerful partnership is created that can take learning to the next level.
Based on our recent survey – Make Assessment Work for All Students – 76 percent of parents value interim assessment as a tool providing information about their child’s learning, but more than six in 10 parents say that their child’s teachers rarely (39%) or never (22%) discuss assessment results with them. There is a tremendous opportunity for teachers and students to involve parents in the assessment process.
NWEA provides a variety of resources that can be used to share assessment information with parents in a way that helps them understand how they can be a part of their child’s academic success. We hope these resources help facilitate this communication.
- A Parent’s Guide to MAP is a popular quick guide that answers the most common questions parents ask about MAP. It’s also available in Spanish and Arabic.
- Student Progress and Student Profile reports can be printed and given to parents as part of a discussion with the teacher. These reports contain explanatory notes to guide parents through the various components of the report.
- Normative Data Charts, based upon the latest NWEA norms study, can bring context to the RIT scores referenced on assessment reports.
- RIT Charts, which are part of the materials set provided to all MAP Administration workshop participants, can give parents insight into the kinds of work that students can do at various points along the RIT scale. These charts may also be ordered from NWEA or found on NWEA Connection.
- The Student Goal Setting Worksheet is especially helpful in allowing parents to see the growth potential of their child.
- The MAP Toolbox offers a variety of helpful resources for teachers and school leaders – all in one place!
Refer to some of our past blog posts for helpful advice, talking points, and tips on sharing assessment results and data with parents. Here are a few to bookmark:
