Testing

Ben Imlay
Apr 13
6 min read

Monroe Families:

Spring Testing Season has officially begun, and families play a critical role in their child's success on upcoming tests. OSTP begins for all students on Tuesday, April 15th and continues until April 24th. Please see below for specific dates for each grade.

It is vital that all students are present at school for the entirety of the school day during testing. This means that families should ensure their child arrives to school on time (9:15 am), and should avoid signing out their child early from school.

Here's what families need to know:

When do students take OSTP and MAP?
- OSTP takes place from Tuesday, April 15th - April 24th.
  - 6th + 7th Grade tests in the Morning
  - 8th Grade tests in the Afternoon
- MAP Testing takes place on May 6th and May 7th.
- Click Here for the full Testing Calendar.

What happens if my child is absent?
- There will be a makeup day. However, this day will take place on a field trip day, so your child will have to miss their field trip.
- If your student fails to take the test at anypoint before the deadline, they may be held back for the following year.

Click on the topic below to learn more:

Testing Calendar
OSTP for Families
MAP Testing for Families
Testing Incentives

Testing Calendar

*MAP Testing for all grades takes place May 6th and May 7th

OSTP Dates: 6th & 7th Grade

*6th & 7th Grade Testing starts at 9:15 AM*

OSTP Dates: 8th Grade

OSTP for Families

As your student’s first teacher, you are a critical part of their education. It is important to remember that your student’s strengths, abilities and potential cannot be measured by a single test score. Each student grows at different rates both physically and academically. State tests help gauge how your student is growing in the knowledge and skills outlined in the Oklahoma Academic Standards. State test results, when combined with other information (i.e., report card grades, teacher feedback, classroom performance and local tests) can help you and the teacher understand where your student is making progress and where they may need extra support.

Click on the dropdown for each topic to learn more

What is OSTP?

Oklahoma Students in grades 3-8 and 11 are required by federal law to take annual state tests. Oklahoma educators had a hand in building our state tests to ensure alignment to our academic standards and appropriateness for our Oklahoma students. State tests serve as a snapshot that help schools and districts evaluate their instructional programs by providing information about student readiness in Math, English Language Arts, and Science. This information helps us know whether students are on track as they move through our K-12 systems to ensure readiness for postsecondary success.

How Does My Student's School Use These Scores?

Schools and districts use state testing data to identify strengths and gaps in their curricular and instructional programs. Although schools should never make important decisions about students based on a single measure, the tests do provide objective Information that allows educators to compare the performance of their students with others across the district and state. Information from state tests can also provide insights that help schools and districts close opportunity and achievement gaps.

How Can I Help My Student?

Remember that state tests are just one indicator that can be used, along with report cards, classroom performance, and teacher feedback, to provide a complete picture of your student's progress. Ask your student's teachers and school:

What do you see as my student’s academic strengths and areas for improvement?
What curriculum and learning experiences do you provide to support my student?
What can I do to support my student’s learning at home?
How do local and state test results contribute to school improvements?

You may also wish to have regular check-ins at your student's school to help ensure your student is engaged to learn the skills necessary to stay on track

What Does My Student's Report Tell Me?

State test results, when combined with other information, (e.g., homework, classwork, report card grades, and local assessments) can help you and the teacher understand where your student is making progress and where they may need extra support. Ask your student's school for his or her score report. You can also get your student's scores electronically through the Oklahoma Parent Portal: https://okparentportal.emetric.net/

Note: You will need your student's ID (STN) number and date of birth to set up an account. If you do not have your student’s STN number, please contact your student’s school.

Key Information in Your's Student's Score Report

Testing Incentive

All students who meet the criteria below will earn a FREE Trip to Skates Rollertainment!

To earn this incentive, the student must:

have Perfect Attendance during testing (i.e. No Missed Tests)
No Removals from Testing (i.e. no behavior incidents)

MAP Testing

Spring MAP Testing takes place for all grades on May 6th and May 7th.

Students will take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test three times each year (Fall, Winter and Spring) in both reading and math. MAP results will help you and your child’s teachers understand your child’s academic growth so far this year. The results also help your child’s school team provide the support your child needs to be successful.

In this post, parents and families can view tips, MAP resources and commonly asked questions.

Leading up to MAP Growth: 20 tips for families

MAP® Growth™ is an interim assessment given to K–12 students that provides data to help teachers teach, students learn, and administrators lead. As testing day nears, teachers help their students prepare for what to expect. Families can also play a role, whether kids are testing in school or at home during COVID-19 school closures. Here’s how:

Before testing day:

Talk with your child’s teacher as often as needed to discuss their progress. Ask about activities you and your child can do at home to help your child’s understanding of schoolwork. Families and teachers working together benefits students.
Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home without distractions from TV or other electronic devices.
Make sure that your child is well rested on school days and especially the day of a test. Children who are tired are less able to pay attention in class or handle the demands of a test.
Give your child a well-rounded diet. A healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.

For the language portion of the test:

Talk to your child and encourage them to join in on conversations during family activities.
Give your child a journal or diary as a gift so they can practice writing.
Help your child write a letter to a friend or family member.
Select a word of the week, and encourage your child to use the new word throughout the week.
Plan a special snack or meal, and have your child write the menu.
After finishing a chapter in a book or a magazine article, have your child explain their favorite event.

For the reading portion of the test:

Provide many opportunities for your child to read a wide variety of books, magazines, and other materials. By reading new materials, a child learns new words that might appear on a test. Read aloud to your child, too, even when your child can read independently. Research shows that this is the most important activity families can do to increase a child’s chance of reading success.
Make time for frequent visits to the library, and let your child explore books that interest them.
Ask your child’s school about a suggested outside reading list or get suggestions from your public library.
Play games like Scrabble, Spill and Spell, Scattergories, and Balderdash together.
Work crossword and word search puzzles with your child.

For the math portion of the test:

Spend time with kids on simple board games, puzzles, and activities that encourage using math skills. Even everyday activities such as playing with toys in a sandbox or in a tub at bath time can teach children math concepts such as weight, density, and volume.
Encourage children to solve problems. Provide assistance, but let them figure it out themselves. Problem solving is a lifetime skill.
Head to the kitchen! It is filled with tasty opportunities to teach fractional measurements, such as doubling and dividing cookie recipes.
Point out ways that people use math every day to pay bills, make change, and tip at restaurants. Involve older children in projects that incorporate geometric and algebraic concepts such as planting a garden, building a bookshelf, or figuring out how long it will take to drive to your family vacation destination.
Read the paper together. Children can learn to read and interpret charts and graphs found in daily newspapers. Collecting and analyzing data will help your child draw conclusions and become a discriminating reader of numerical information.

If you’re a caregiver and have any questions about MAP Growth, please ask your child’s teacher, read our post on common questions, or view our Family Toolkit.

Family Report

Our Family Report make it easy for families to understand and connect with MAP Growth data.

Family Guide to MAP Growth

The Family Guide to MAP Growth is available to share with families and explains how MAP works, what it measures, explains a RIT score and answers common questions. It's also available in multiple languages.