Parent Concerns

 My child's RIT score/MSP percentiles are dropping!

 My child's RIT/MSP scores are at a lower percentile than I am happy with!

Possible causes
 Sampling variability.
 The format of the MAP test is adverse for my child.
 My child's instructional needs are above or below the taught curriculum in the classroom
 Psychosocial/health factors may be affecting how receptive my child is to the instruction.
 Learning disability? (MAP is NOT a diagnostic for L.D., but lack of growth may suggest further testing for L.D.)
 The curriculum is weak: Does not adequately address state standards
 The instruction is not as effective as it could be.

Additional data to ask for and consider.

 MSP scores: Are the MAP and MSP scores consistent?

 Samples of student work that show what is being taught, and from which we can ascertain whether my child is making reasonable
progress or not.
 Comparing the taught curriculum to state standards. Is the taught curriculum lagging behing standards?
 Look at class mean RIT scores for fall and winter. Is the class mean about where one would expect if the taught curriculum is
matching state grade-level stndards? Did the class mean score increase? Is the class mean score change equal to or better than the
score change indicated in the MAP-STARR chart? If the three answers are “Yes,” this would indicate that effective, grade-level
appropriate teaching and learning are occurring in the classroom.
 What does the distribution of RIT scores for the class look like? Is there a very large spread, or a tight grouping? A large spread in
scores means the teacher's job is much harder:Sh/e has multiple levels of instructional need, and can spend proportionately less time
providing direct instruction at each instructional level than a teacher who has class full of kids all at the same instructional level.
 Is my child's RIT score at the top, bottom or middle of the class distribution? This is less of a concern if the spread in the class RIT
scores is small (MATH: ~10-12 points), rather than large (MATH: ~20 pts or more).

If a parent is still concerned that the student is falling being the desired level of achievement, and if tutoring or special education services are
selected as an intervention, then the MAP scores are a good way to monitor the effectiveness of the intervention. Effective intervention will
produce a steepening of the MAP score trendline.