This short research brief highlights trends seen in the latest data released in the NWEA Map Growth National Dashboard. In this first edition of Trend Snapshots, key findings from Spring 2025 data highlight a modest, incremental recovery post COVID, but stalled progress in reading achievement.

This is the accompanying technical appendix to the MAP Growth National Dashboard providing more details of the data and describing more fully the sample and methods used within the dashboard.

This user guide explains how to navigate the MAP® Growth™ National Dashboard, understand the key metrics and terms, make appropriate comparisons of data, and communicate findings responsibly. This guide also includes a robust “Frequently Asked Questions” section that provides in-depth answers about the dashboard and its uses.

The report documents the process NWEA followed to determine and validate the cut scores for fall, winter, and spring that can be used to identify students in Grades K–8 who have severe learning difficulties and need intensive intervention in reading and mathematics.

An added memorandum presents the updated threshold scores by grades and terms for MAP Growth Mathematics and Reading.

Severe weather events are no longer isolated anomalies. They are becoming a regular part of the school year in communities across the country. This brief highlights how severe weather events can cause deep and lasting disruptions to student learning and well-being, often in ways that far exceed the immediate days schools are closed. It also makes clear that while some communities are disproportionately at risk, no school is immune.

The 2025 norms update addresses several critical factors: evolving U.S. student demographics, documented shifts in academic performance following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the item-selection algorithm in the newly enhanced MAP® Growth™.

This NWEA research report emphasizes the vital role of family engagement in helping students recover academically from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report synthesizes current research on family engagement, examines the effectiveness of current strategies, identifies common barriers, and offers guidance for how districts can communicate more effectively with families about student progress.