Subject: Math
Grade Level(s): K – 2
Measures Growth: Yes
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he Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress for Primary Grades is a computer-adaptive assessment program for benchmarking student progress in math and reading. The tests are intended to identify areas of need for individual students to inform instruction and intervention strategies. Math is measured at all grade levels from K-2.
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level • Takes students too long to complete
Pros: Results returned quickly
Cons: Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
This test is not aligned to the core curriculum nor to the curriculum (Everyday Mathematics) that is taught in my classroom.
Submitted by marianne in Washington on April 20, 2013
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level • Takes students too long to complete
Cons: Difficult to administer • Results are not returned quickly • Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
students are tested way too much. Pulling students out of class to take a multitude of tests is counter productive. All teachers know which students are not performing as well as they should be, but there is little money to provide help for these students. Instead, the money is being spent on buying tests from for profit private companies. We teachers are constantly testing students on what they know. Personally I do it orally and with pencil to paper. These tests are only putting public money into private enterprise and have nothing whatsoever to do with student learning and everything to do with punishing teachers.
Submitted by holly in Washington on April 14, 2013
Pros: Assesses higher-order thinking • Assesses a range of students, including those from far below to far above grade level
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Takes students too long to complete
Pros: Easy to administer • Results returned quickly
Cons: Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
Since I use NWEA in the fall and spring only (I don't in the winter as they take up too much time to do), it does not help me track throughout the year. Administering the tests (reading and math) to all my students in the fall and spring chews up weeks of teaching time. Most of my students need to do this individually with an adult. There are only two of us and there are anywhere between 12-18 students to test. While we test two students, other students must sit and do fairly easy work that can be done independently, quietly, without any help. It takes about 4-7 weeks in the fall to do these two tests with all our students and the same amount of time in the spring. It takes way too much teaching time away from our students. I cannot reclaim that time for teaching. The students are losing out in the end. This is why the data is not really helpful. When I look at the data and see where the students did not progress like they should have, I am always shaking my head and saying to myself and anyone who will listen, "if I had been able to teach for 7 weeks instead of testing students I may have seen more progress".
Submitted by ADRIENNE in Maine on April 14, 2013
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Takes students too long to complete
Cons: Difficult to administer
Trying to use NWEA for kindergarten is not developmentally appropriate. The questions that the students are asked also do not align to the Common Core.
Submitted by A. in Ohio on April 9, 2013
Pros: Aligned to the standards I teach • Assesses higher-order thinking • Assesses a range of students, including those from far below to far above grade level • Takes students a reasonable amount of time to complete
Pros: Results returned quickly • Helps me track my students' learning gains over the course of the school year
Cons: It is hard to use the data
The NWEA assessment compares students nationally, so it's a valuable tool. It's important for teachers to know what vocabulary students need to understand for each RIT band so that students are prepared for the test. The test is also adaptive. While the test measures students growth over time, the test does not reveal what specific skills students needs to review or relearn within each goal.
Submitted by Vibha in Illinois on January 22, 2012
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