Vol. 39, No. 14

June 14, 2005

CONTACT:  JIM MORRIS
Director, Public Information
573-751-3469

Summer "MAP" Test-Grading Workshops
500 Missouri Teachers to Score Tests Online at 12 Sites

During June, more than 500 classroom teachers from public schools across Missouri will score online a portion of the thousands of Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests that students took this spring.

This is the fifth year the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has conducted the summer MAP scoring workshops in collaboration with test publisher CTB/McGraw-Hill.

The first workshop began June 7 and runs through Wednesday (June 15); the second workshop will be held June 16-24. Twelve school districts will serve as host sites: Columbia, Hazelwood, Liberty, Lindbergh, Macon, Raytown, Rockwood, Rolla, St. Joseph, Sikeston, Springfield and Webb City.

The main purpose of the MAP in-state scoring project is to provide professional development for Missouri teachers. The teachers will spend the first four days training on the process before scoring students’ responses to the MAP items. Each site will score a different grade level in the math, communication arts or science subject areas.

The tests are scored electronically through a secure Internet connection to school computer labs at the 12 sites. CTB/McGraw-Hill will compile all of the data for every student and school district. School districts are scheduled to receive their complete MAP results by late August.

This spring, about 400,000 public school students across Missouri took the Missouri Assessment Program tests in math and communication arts. This year the science and social studies tests were voluntary for school districts. Each exam contains multiple-choice questions, which are machine-scored. About two-thirds of each exam, however, contains short-answer constructed-response questions and performance events that must be hand-scored.

Teachers apply for the project, and their application must be approved by their building principal. The teachers are required to have at least two years experience in teaching the subject area and grade level they score. Each teacher receives a $100-per-day stipend during the test-scoring project. Graduate credit also is available.