Here are some terms you will hear and use as you are talking with teachers and your children about MAP scores and reports.

– RIT Score
Tests developed by NWEA use a scale called RIT to measure student achievement and growth. RIT stands for Rasch UnIT, which is a measurement scale developed to simplify the interpretation of test scores. The RIT score relates directly to the curriculum scale in each subject area. It is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches, so scores can be added together to calculate accurate class or school averages. RIT scores range from about 100 to 300. Students typically start at the 180 to 200 level in the third grade and progress to the 220 to 260 level by high school. RIT scores make it possible to follow a student’s educational growth from year to year.

– District Average
The average RIT score for all students in the school district in the same grade who were tested at the same time as your child.

– Norm Group Average
The average score of students who were in the same grade and tested in the same term as observed in the latest NWEA norming study.

– Percentile Range
Percentiles are used to compare one student’s performance to that of the norm group. Percentile means that student scored as well as, or better than, that percent of students taking the test in his/her grade. There is about a 68 percent chance that a student’s percentile ranking would fall within this range if the student tested again.

– Lexile Range
Lexile Range can be used by educators and parents to find appropriately challenging books, periodicals, and other reading material for students. Lexile Range represents a level of reading difficulty that leaves readers neither frustrated nor bored. Text in this range should stimulate a student to new learning while rewarding their current reading abilities.

– Standards
Standards are statements, developed by states or districts, of what students should know and be able to do, related to specific academic areas.