Academic Progress Tests For Westport Students Starts Sept. 27

WESTPORT, CT — Middle school students in Westport are scheduled to begin the first of two rounds of Measures of Academic Progress Growth tests on Sept. 27, according to Anthony Buono, Westport Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. Additionally, elementary school students will also begin similar testing on the 27th.

In a letter to parents and guardians Friday, Buono said that the fall online tests from the Northwest Evaluation Association will finish up in early October, and that the second round of testing will be in the first two weeks of February.

"MAP Growth data helps teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth in reading and mathematics," Buono wrote. "This also fulfills the universal screening requirements by the State of Connecticut. In addition, MAP Growth helps to track individual student growth year to year. This data will inform decision making about curriculum and instruction on a classroom, school, and district level."

Ali Moran, the district's Coordinator of Elementary Curriculum, also sent elementary parents and guardians a similar letter on Friday.

Connecticut, like many other states, recently saw students' academic performance drop due to disruptions in instruction and learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

For the MAP Growth tests, a student's answer determines the test's path in measuring skill levels.

"If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging," Buono said. "If students answer incorrectly, the next question is less challenging. These results will provide a more complete picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn—whether it is on, above, or below grade level."

Moran said that depending on an elementary school student's performance, they may receive further testing.

"Based on your child’s performance, he/she may be given an additional screening tool called the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills (DIBELS)," Moran wrote. "DIBELS assessments are most appropriate for use as screening tools in the primary grades because they are highly sensitive to early reading skills and allow educators to reliably determine if a student is making progress toward long-term goals. In the event your child is scheduled to participate in the DIBELS screener, you will be contacted by your child’s teacher prior to administration."

Once all the tests are finished and reviewed by staff, reports will be sent to parents and guardians showing a summary of the student's performance.

For more information about MAP Growth, visit NWEA.org/familytoolkit.