Missouri Students Exceed Expectations on 2015 MAP Assessments

08/11/15

In the first assessment of new standards in English language arts and mathematics, Missouri students’ results were higher in nearly every category than results from field tests administered in 2014. This was the first year the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests were administered online for grades 3 through 8. End-of-Course exams for high school students have been computer-based since 2010.

“We are very proud of Missouri students and school districts,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “They worked diligently to transition to the more rigorous expectations of the Missouri Learning Standards and to adapt to the new online testing format.”

Statewide results are based on the required assessments: English language arts and math for grades 3-8, science for grades 5 and 8, and Algebra 1, English II, Biology I, and American Government. These are the percentages of Missouri students in all grades who scored proficient or advanced:

  • 59.7 percent in English language arts
  • 45.2 percent in math
  • 56.7 percent in science
  • 63.4 percent in social studies

The following tables show the difference between the field test results and the percentages of students who scored at proficient and advanced levels on the 2015 grade-level assessments:

English Language Arts

Grade

SBAC Field Test Results (Prof/Adv)

MO 2015 Results (Prof/Adv)

3

38%

57.2%

4

41%

58.5%

5

44%

59.1%

6

41%

55%

7

38%

57.3%

8

41%

57.6%

Mathematics

Grade

SBAC Field Test Results (Prof/Adv)

MO 2015 Results (Prof/Adv)

3

39%

52%

4

37%

49.6%

5

33%

39.9%

6

33%

38.1%

7

33%

35.3%

8

32%

28.3%*

*Eighth graders enrolled in Algebra I are not included in this total. The percentage of ALL 8th graders who scored proficient/advanced, regardless of the assessment they took, is 40.8 percent.

The 2015 grade-level and End-Of-Course assessments in English and math set a new baseline with higher expectations for student performance and should not be compared with MAP results from previous years. Science standards have not changed, therefore results can be compared. Science assessments were administered in 5th and 8th grades.

Science

Grade

2014 Results (Prof/Adv)

2015 Results (Difference) (Prof/Adv)

5

48%

47% (-1)

8

52.5%

48.9% (-3.6)

 

End-of-Course exams in English I, Algebra II, Geometry and American History were optional in 2015. Physical Science was a new assessment and also was optional.

 

End of Course

2015 Results

(Prof/Adv)

English I (optional)

67%

English II

73.6%

Algebra I

62.1%

Algebra II (optional)

66%

Geometry (optional)

63%

Biology I

74.3%

Physical Science (optional)

27.2%

American Government

63.4%

American History (optional)

49.5%

 

MAP assessments are one of many measures used to gauge the college and career readiness of Missouri students and to measure the state’s progress toward the goals of the Top 10 by 20 initiative, an effort to rank among the top 10 states in education by 2020.

Commissioner’s Statement on MAP Results