NWEA® MAP® Growth™
Accommodations
The adaptive nature of MAP® GrowthTM assessments makes them appropriate for students with a wide range of skills and needs. This includes special needs homeschool testing.
To best measure growth, we recommend being consistent in the accommodations you offer and how you provide them.
For students who use accommodations, follow the guidelines below to set them up for success.
Standard IEP Accommodations
Help With Understanding the Question
Simplifying or clarifying directions
Example:
Clarifying the location of the ‘NEXT’ button
Using visual magnification devices or software
Example:
MAP Growth is compatible with ZoomText Magnifier 9.1 or MAGic 11
Using auditory amplification devices, noise buffers, or software
Using masks to block a portion of the screen
Example:
The student may use a sticky note, index card, or a blank sheet of paper to move down the screen as they are reading
Reading or rereading aloud the test questions
Example:
For math, science, or language usage tests only
Text-To-Speech
Example:
Students with dyslexia or similar reading challenges may use the text-to-speech feature to have the test read to them automatically
Defining or explaining the questions, answers, or passages
Pronouncing or explaining math notation or symbols
Help With Answering the Question
The student’s response must accurately represent the student’s own choice.
Any help with answering the question should be neutral and not impact the student’s answer or guide them toward a particular answer.
An adult may scribe for the student (enter the student’s answer in the computer)
Students may tell the scribe their answer
Students may point to their answer for the scribe
Students may give the scribe their answer in their native language
Guiding the student toward the correct answer or letting them know if they answered correctly
Help With Managing Distractions
Testing an individual student in a separate setting
Testing a small group of students in a separate setting
Minimizing distractions
Example:
Use of a study carrel
Help With Timing and Test Schedule
Administering the test over multiple sessions in a day
Administering the test over a number of days*
Requires special arrangement with Homeschool Boss – contact us!
*Cannot exceed 28 days or go beyond the last day of the season in which the test is started.
Allowing flexible schedule
Extending time for testing
All MAP Growth assessments are designed to be untimed for all students.
Please note: There is one timed aspect on MAP Growth assessments that we are not able to adjust – each question has a 15 minute window. If no answer is submitted before the 15 minutes concludes, the test will lock as a security measure. If this happens, there is no penalty to the tests scoring and we will simply load a brand new question for the student.
Administering at time of day most beneficial to student
We are open for testing Monday-Friday from 8AM-7PM CST.
Offering breaks
Breaks are highly encouraged!
Encouraging students to take an excessive amount of time on the test
Most students, on average, should be able to finish one subject in 45-60 minutes. Taking an excessive amount of time to figure out questions that they do not know can inflate their score and their report data will be less beneficial.
Materials or Device Accommodations
Providing scratch paper
Providing a comparable calculator when a student is unable to use the on-screen calculator given in a question
Unless otherwise approved by HSB, calculator should only be used on questions where the calculator is offered in the toolbar.
Allowing the student to use a calculator on questions that don’t have an on-screen calculator
Please contact us if you have questions about exceptions.
Miscellaneous Accommodations
Providing a drink during testing
Providing a snack during testing
Playing music in the background
If your student regularly has background music or other noise during instruction, they are welcome to have this while testing as well.
Non-Standard IEP Accommodations
Non-standard MAP accommodations are accommodations that have the potential to bias the student’s score and require special consideration. These are not allowed in most cases.
Bias can arise from differences in the way each person reads, translates, or pronounces. Also, from one question to the next, variation in tone and inflection may cue or miscue the student to a particular answer.
Miscellaneous Accommodations
Native language translation
Reading or translating any portion of the reading test
Reading aloud the answer options
Defining words within the test question
Using a calculator for questions that do not have an on-screen calculator available
Any other accommodation not explicitly listed above
What You Can Do –
Let us know if circumstances necessitate non-standard MAP testing accommodations, such as:
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
- 504 plan
- English for Speakers of Other Languages program
- A student with comparable special needs
MAP Growth does not preclude you from making these accommodations, but as the test administrator, Homeschool Boss does require that non-standard accommodations be approved before testing.
Please send us a follow up email after booking to let us know the accommodation you require.
Important: For Your Consideration –
Non-Standard Accommodation Effect on Testing Results
The greater the use of non-standard MAP accommodations during the test’s administration, the weaker the validity of the inference that can be drawn from the student’s score.
This qualification should be considered when interpreting test scores or using them to make important educational decisions.
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