MAP/EOC Testing

It's That Time of Year Again!
Posted on 03/28/2022

Yep.  It’s That Time of Year Again!
By: Christine Harper
#BulldogNationAheadofthePack

            State testing.  Yep.  It’s that time of year again.  Time for students in grades 3-8 to take the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests and students in grades 9-12 to take the End-of-Course (EOC) exams.   All students in grades 3-8 take English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.  Along with ELA and Math, Science is given to 5th and 8th graders.  EOC exams are given to high school students in the subjects of Algebra 1, English 2, Biology, and Government.  All of the EOCs must be completed prior to high school graduation.  There are a few exemptions to this, but that is a small number of students.  The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires these tests for accountability purposes.  Every public school in the state must administer these tests.

            In our district, MAP and EOC testing dates vary by building but start in mid-April and run into the first half of May.  Students will not be asked to take all of the tests in one day.  For instance, MMS gives the MAP test to 6th-8th graders, with 6th & 7th graders taking ELA & Math, and 8th graders taking ELA, Math, & Science.  MMS will be testing students April 25th-May 20th.  This allows time for all parts of each test to be given without overloading the students or the staff.  Parents will be getting information from their child’s respective school on testing.

            Just like students get assessed, so do schools and districts.  Every public school and district have a report card.  Literally, that is what DESE calls it: Report Card. These required tests are just one piece of the Report Card that gets assessed for each district and each school.  So, the better the students do on these tests, the better our Report Card is.

            So, there are things parents can do to help their child be ready for these tests.  First, make every effort to have your child at school every day all day all year long, not just during testing.  Second, our brains and bodies need food and water, so make sure they eat breakfast and are well hydrated.  Third, children need to read every day for 20-30 minutes, even when they are two years old!  Reading teaches them so much more than academics.  They learn to problem solve.  They learn to pay attention.  They learn to build stamina.  So, when it comes time to test, they are ready in so many ways.  Fourth, stay positive!  The better their attitude is toward taking the test, the better they will probably do.

            Dr. Seuss started a book before he died titled Hooray for Diffendoofer Day that is about a school that has to take a standardized test, and if they don’t pass, the students will have to go to school in “dreary Flobbertown.”  When the Principal in the story announces to the school that they have to take the test in 10 minutes, Miss Bonkers, the favorite teacher in the story says, “Don’t fret!  You’ve learned the things you need to pass that test and many more.  I’m certain you’ll succeed.  We’ve taught you that the earth is round, that red and white make pink, and something else that matters more: We’ve taught you how to think.”

            Students, if you can think, you can do.  If you can do, you can succeed.  Think, do, succeed.  You’ve got this.