North Mason Schools began using MAP assessments in 2007, testing 2nd through 8th graders three times a year to assess their readiness for state exams. But individual schools and classrooms were still conducting a variety of benchmark assessments – without correlating that data with MAP results – and some educators at North Mason felt they were missing out on the full benefits of a coordinated testing plan. When NWEA invited them to participate in a full-day comprehensive assessment planning workshop, they saw it as the first step toward making a needed change.