In brief, MAP for Improvement assesses each student’s areas of academic strength and weakness on a quarterly basis using district-prepared tests.  The tests have been generated from the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test Item Bank which is available online to teachers, students and parents. All students in the same grade level, including special education students, participate in the same MCSD assessment program.  Quarterly assessments are administered to all students in grades one through eight on a prescribed schedule. 

The first MCSD assessment test was administered in August 2002, and three administrations followed in November, February, and May in order to monitor academic growth throughout the school year. 

Potential use of the assessment results is assured through the scoring and analysis procedures that are part of MAP for Improvement.  Data scanning equipment and scan cards are provided to all elementary and middle schools.  Individual student scores and a group item analysis is calculated for each test administration.  Training on the use of the equipment is provided to groups of instructional personnel at each school by district technology support staff.

Personnel interaction about teaching and learning is a major component of MAP for Improvement.  Grade level teachers in elementary and team teachers in middle schools are required to meet bi-monthly to target areas of reading, language arts and math weaknesses among students.  Science and social studies areas are added target areas at the middle school level.  A Grade Level Learning Log is completed at each meeting and distributed to everyone present at the meeting and to the school principal.

A unique characteristic of the MAP design is the designation of a Student Achievement Lead Teacher (SALT) at every school.  Selection of the SALT is the responsibility of the principal and is based on teaching excellence and respect of the school’s faculty.  The SALT is paid a supplement and serves as the school’s liaison to the Department of Staff Development.

Once each quarter, the school Accountability Team (A-Team) meets to discuss results of the quarterly assessment and plan for facilitation of instruction.  Schools keep logs of the A-Team meetings and complete a Quarterly Accountability Progress Report for each grade level.  This report is submitted to the Superintendent. 

Membership of the A-Team meetings includes school personnel (principal, assistant principal, selected teachers, and the school’s SALT), collaborating school personnel (principal and the SALT), and system personnel (an appointed district liaison).   This membership design is a strong component of MAP for Improvement.  Collaboration about instructional improvement among schools and system-wide administrators facilitates an attitude of common responsibility for all Muscogee County Students.

In addition to the scheduled dialogue about instruction between teachers and school teams, principals meet with the Superintendent.  At these cluster meetings, MAP results, analysis and improvements are the primary agenda topic.  In all, there are six cluster groups: one for high school principals, one for middle school principals, and four for elementary principal groups.

Benefits of implementing MAP for Improvement include its design to

• Provide immediate information about the academic strengths and weaknesses of individual students to classroom teachers,
• Facilitate the immediate sharing of information from one teacher to another when students transfer schools, 
• Indicate individual and group student achievement from the beginning to the end of the school year,
• Coordinate the curriculum between grade levels and among school levels,
• Encourage meaningful parent involvement by using assessments from an electronic test bank that is readily available at home and at school.