Assessments — Missouri K-12 Education Reference

Table of Contents

1. Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)
2. End-of-Course (EOC) Exams
3. WIDA ACCESS for ELLs
4. ACT / SAT (College Readiness)
5. MAP Alternate Assessment (MAP-A)
6. Kindergarten Readiness
7. NAEP (Nation's Report Card)
8. Assessment Accommodations
9. Assessment Calendar & Administration
10. Data Interpretation & Use

1. Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)

Overview

MAP is Missouri's statewide academic assessment system, measuring student proficiency on the Missouri Learning Standards.

Grade-Level Assessments

Performance Levels

Testing Window

• MAP is typically administered in the spring (March-May)
• Exact dates set by DESE annually in the assessment calendar
• Computer-based administration (most districts)

Participation Requirements

• All students enrolled in tested grades must participate
• Students with IEPs may receive accommodations (per IEP) or take the MAP-A (alternate assessment) if they meet specific eligibility criteria
• ELL students must participate; accommodations available per DESE guidance
• Opt-out: Missouri law does not explicitly provide a parental opt-out for MAP, but DESE guidance and local policy may address refusals. Non-participation affects school accountability data.

2. End-of-Course (EOC) Exams

Required EOC Subjects

EOC Performance Levels

Same 4-level scale as MAP: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Advanced

Score Use

• EOC scores are incorporated into the student's course grade per local board policy
• EOC results count toward school/district accountability under MSIP 6
• Student participation is required; a passing EOC score is NOT a graduation requirement, but participation is

Retake Policy

Students may retake EOC exams per DESE and district policy. The highest score is typically used for accountability purposes.

3. WIDA ACCESS for ELLs

Overview

ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) is administered annually to all identified English Learners in Missouri.

Domains Tested

Proficiency Levels

Exit Criteria

DESE establishes the composite proficiency score required to exit ELL services. Students meeting the threshold are monitored for 2 years after exiting.

Testing Window

• ACCESS is administered in the winter/spring (January-March)
• All identified ELL students K-12 must participate

4. ACT / SAT (College Readiness)

Statewide ACT Administration

• Missouri provides a free ACT administration for all 11th graders (juniors) during the school day
• Part of the state accountability system; ACT results contribute to MSIP 6 college readiness indicators

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks

Use in Accountability

• Percentage of students meeting ACT benchmarks is reported in the APR
• ACT composite and subject scores used as indicators under MSIP 6 Standard 3 (College & Career Readiness)

SAT

• Some students take the SAT; concordance tables map SAT scores to ACT equivalents
• Missouri's primary state assessment is the ACT

5. MAP Alternate Assessment (MAP-A)

Eligibility

MAP-A is for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who:

• Have an IEP
• Are receiving instruction aligned to alternate achievement standards (Missouri's Alternate Learning Expectations)
• Meet participation criteria documented by the IEP team using DESE's MAP-A Participation Criteria Checklist

Key Restrictions

• No more than 1% of all students in a tested grade/subject should take the MAP-A (federal ESSA requirement)
• IEP teams must document the decision and justification
• MAP-A should not be selected based on: disability category alone, attendance, language/cultural factors, teacher expectations, or current achievement level

Performance Levels

Same 4-level scale: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Advanced (based on alternate achievement standards)

6. Kindergarten Readiness

Missouri Kindergarten Readiness Assessment

• What: Assessment administered to entering kindergarteners to measure readiness
• Domains: language/literacy, mathematics, social-emotional, physical development
• Purpose: instructional planning (not gatekeeping); data contributes to MSIP 6 indicators
• Administration: fall of the kindergarten year (typically within first weeks of school)
• Not a high-stakes test: does not determine kindergarten eligibility

Kindergarten Entry Age

Children must turn 5 by August 1 to enter kindergarten that year (RSMo 160.053). Parents may request early entry for children who turn 5 after August 1 through district assessment processes.

7. NAEP (Nation's Report Card)

Overview

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a federally mandated assessment that provides national and state-level data:

• Administered to a sample of students (not all students)
• Subjects: reading and mathematics (grades 4 and 8) every 2 years; science, writing, and other subjects periodically
• Results reported at the state level; cannot be used for individual student or school accountability
• Provides comparison data across all 50 states and jurisdictions

Missouri NAEP Results

NAEP data is useful for comparing Missouri student performance to national benchmarks and other states. Results are published on the NAEP Data Explorer (nationsreportcard.gov).

8. Assessment Accommodations

Who Receives Accommodations?

• Students with IEPs — accommodations specified in the IEP
• Students with 504 plans — accommodations specified in the 504 plan
• ELL students — linguistic accommodations per DESE ELL testing guidance

Common Accommodations

Key Rules

• Accommodations must be used regularly in instruction (not just for testing)
• Some accommodations may result in the test being scored as a "non-standard" administration
• IEP teams must document accommodation decisions and ensure they do not invalidate what the test measures
• DESE publishes an annual Accommodations Manual with specific allowable accommodations per assessment

9. Assessment Calendar & Administration

Annual Calendar

DESE publishes the assessment calendar each year with testing windows: | Assessment | Typical Window | |-----------|---------------| | MAP (grades 3-8) | Spring (March-May) | | EOC exams | Administered upon course completion (fall, spring, or summer) | | MAP-A | Spring (aligned with MAP window) | | ACCESS for ELLs | Winter/Spring (January-March) | | ACT (grade 11) | Spring (specific date designated by DESE) | | Kindergarten readiness | Fall (first weeks of school) |

Test Security

• District Test Coordinator (DTC) is responsible for test security district-wide
• Building Test Coordinator (BTC) manages administration at the school level
• Test materials must be stored securely before and after administration
• Proctors must follow administration manuals exactly
• Irregularities must be reported to DESE; testing violations can result in score invalidation and sanctions

Data Reporting

• MAP and EOC results are reported at student, school, and district levels
• Results are available through DESE's MCDS (Missouri Comprehensive Data System) portal
• Schools/districts must communicate results to parents in understandable formats

10. Data Interpretation & Use

Using Assessment Data

• Individual student level: identify strengths/gaps, inform instruction, plan interventions, monitor growth
• Classroom level: adjust curriculum pacing, grouping, reteaching priorities
• School level: evaluate program effectiveness, allocate resources, set CSIP goals
• District level: strategic planning, resource allocation, accountability, program evaluation

Disaggregation

ESSA and MSIP 6 require data disaggregation by:

• Race/ethnicity
• Gender
• Students with disabilities
• English Learners
• Economically disadvantaged students
• Homeless students
• Foster care students
• Military-connected students

Growth vs. Proficiency

• Proficiency: percentage of students meeting or exceeding the Proficient level (point-in-time)
• Growth: change in student performance over time (year-over-year progress)
• Both are important: proficiency shows current status; growth shows trajectory
• Missouri uses a student growth model as part of MSIP 6 accountability

Common Data Pitfalls

• Drawing conclusions from small sample sizes (small schools, small subgroups)
• Ignoring confidence intervals
• Attributing causation to correlation
• Comparing year-over-year data without accounting for cohort differences
• Using single assessment data points to make high-stakes decisions

Related Resources

• Graduation Audit Template -- EOC participation tracking as part of graduation requirements
• Students & Parents Reference -- graduation requirements, A+ Scholarship, and EOC exam details
• MSIP 6 & Accreditation -- how assessment data drives accreditation and accountability
• Specialists (IEP & 504) -- assessment accommodations and MAP-A eligibility criteria
• English Learners -- WIDA ACCESS assessment and ELL accommodations