At its January meeting, the State Board of Education approved achievement level cut scores for the spring 2015 English language arts and mathematics portions of the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) for grades 3-8. The scores were determined through an inclusive process that involved teachers, parents, higher education faculty, business leaders and other community members in member states of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Educators who work with English language learners and students with disabilities were included to help ensure that achievement levels would be fair and appropriate for all students.

“These scores provide students, teachers and parents with insight into a child’s depth of understanding early enough to provide extra support, if needed,” said Sharon Helwig, assistant commissioner for the Office of College and Career Readiness. “When children score in the proficient or advanced range, we know they have a greater chance at avoiding remediation in higher education.”

Achievement level setting, also known as standard setting, makes it possible to create categories of performance on an assessment. Missouri educators were integral in providing feedback on this work as well as the design and development of the assessments.

Four achievement levels indicate a student’s demonstrated understanding and ability to apply subject matter as defined by the Missouri Learning Standards:

Below Basic (Level 1) – minimal understanding

Basic (Level 2) – partial understanding

Proficient (Level 3) – adequate understanding

Advanced (Level 4) – thorough understanding

The levels define student performance based on yearly English language arts and mathematics assessments for grades 3-8 in Missouri public and charter schools.

2015 marks the first time 16 states will give the same assessments created through the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. As Missouri moves to new assessments aligned to the standards put in place in 2010, the yearly MAP assessments continue to yield important information about what children know and are able to do in each grade and whether or not they are achieving college and career ready goals. One of the primary goals of Missouri’s Top 10 by 20 initiative is that all Missouri students will graduate ready for college and career.