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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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