Clark County School District Adopts NWEA MAP Growth Assessments Districtwide for Grades K-8
Cites Emphasis on Growth and Instructional Relevance as Reasons for Extending Its Partnership with NWEA
Portland, Ore.—March 11, 2019— Clark County School District (CCSD), the fifth-largest school district in the nation, approved extending the use of MAP Growth assessments for grades K-8. The CCSD Board of School Trustees approved the decision by a unanimous vote, 7-0.
CCSD currently partners with NWEA, the not-for-profit provider of assessment solutions, to use the MAP Suite of assessments for grades K-3 in support of the CCSD Balanced Assessment System Framework. Under the leadership of newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara, an internal assessment review was conducted to identify priorities and evaluate how the current assessment system informs instructional decisions.
“This decision will ensure more instructional consistency throughout CCSD, with a goal of increasing achievement across the board,” Jara said in a statement to the media made immediately following the Board of School Trustees meeting. “Research is clear that great teachers have the biggest impact on student achievement, more than any program or technology-driven solution.
“A strong relationship with an effective teacher, along with clearly identified learning needs, is the key to great growth for any student,” Jara said in the media statement. “This is why we are partnering with NWEA, a non-profit organization focused on teacher and student growth with the best formative assessment system.”
”We’re looking forward to partnering further with Superintendent Jara and the schools in Clark County to deliver the best insights to teachers and students. We’ve seen in other districts that assessments are a strategic tool when there is strong leadership and alignment. In Clark County, leadership has prioritized high expectations and has a strong vision for student growth and we are proud to partner with them,” said Chris Minnich, CEO of NWEA.
MAP Growth provides a precise measure of a student’s academic performance and growth. A computer-adaptive assessment, it adjusts to each student’s responses to provide personalized results about what each student knows, is able to do, and is ready to learn next— whether on, above, or below grade level. Beginning this fall, MAP Growth Math and Reading assessments will include both English and Spanish versions.
For more information visit https://newsroom.ccsd.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Board-Recap2-14-19-2.pdf
About NWEA
NWEA® is a mission-driven, not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide by creating assessment solutions that precisely measure growth and proficiency and provide insights to help tailor instruction. For more than 40 years, NWEA has developed innovative Pre-K-12 assessments, professional learning that fosters educators’ ability to accelerate student learning, and research that supports assessment validity and data interpretation. Educators in more than 10,000 schools, districts, and education agencies in 141 countries rely on our flagship interim assessment, MAP® Growth™; our progress monitoring and skills mastery tool, MAP® Skills™; and our reading fluency and comprehension assessment, MAP® Reading Fluency™. Visit NWEA.org to find out how NWEA can partner with you to help all kids learn.