nwea map test scores by grade level chart table
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NWEA Map Test Scores by Grade Level 2026 [Percentile Charts]

ByNWEA

NWEA Map Test Scores by Grade Level 2026 (Percentile Charts for 2025-2026)

These are the updated NWEA Map Scores Norms Charts with Percentiles for 2025-2026. Learn how to interpret NWEA MAP test scores, including RIT scores, Map Score charts by grade level, and percentile scores. This is how you track your child’s progress easily.

Table B.1. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Math Norms – Fall Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Fall, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 121 137 147 158 171 180 184 189 192 196 196 195 194 5
10 125 142 153 164 177 185 190 195 199 202 203 203 201 10
15 128 145 157 168 181 189 194 199 203 207 208 208 206 15
20 131 148 160 171 184 193 197 203 207 210 211 212 211 20
25 133 150 162 174 186 195 199 206 210 213 214 215 214 25
30 135 152 165 176 189 198 202 208 212 216 217 218 217 30
35 136 154 167 178 191 200 204 211 215 218 220 221 220 35
40 138 156 169 180 193 202 206 213 217 220 222 224 223 40
45 140 158 171 182 195 204 208 215 220 223 224 227 226 45
50 141 159 173 184 197 206 210 217 222 225 227 229 228 50
55 143 161 175 186 199 208 212 219 224 227 229 232 231 55
60 144 163 177 188 201 210 214 222 227 229 232 234 233 60
65 146 164 179 190 203 212 216 224 229 232 234 237 236 65
70 148 166 181 192 205 215 219 226 232 234 237 240 239 70
75 149 168 183 195 208 217 221 229 234 237 239 243 242 75
80 152 171 186 197 210 220 224 232 237 240 242 246 246 80
85 154 173 189 200 214 223 227 235 241 243 246 250 250 85
90 157 176 193 204 217 227 231 239 246 248 251 255 255 90
95 161 181 198 210 223 233 237 246 252 254 257 263 263 95

Table B.2. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Math Norms – Fall Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Fall, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 133 150 162 172 185 193 197 202 205 206 206 208 205 5
10 135 152 164 175 187 196 200 205 208 210 210 212 209 10
15 136 154 166 177 189 198 202 208 211 213 213 215 212 15
20 137 155 167 178 190 199 203 209 212 215 215 217 215 20
25 138 156 169 179 192 201 205 211 214 217 217 219 216 25
30 139 157 170 180 193 202 206 212 215 218 219 221 218 30
35 140 157 171 181 194 203 207 213 217 220 221 223 220 35
40 140 158 171 182 194 204 208 214 218 221 222 224 221 40
45 141 159 172 183 195 205 209 215 219 223 224 226 223 45
50 142 159 173 184 196 206 210 217 220 224 225 227 224 50
55 142 160 174 185 197 207 211 218 222 225 227 229 226 55
60 143 161 175 186 198 208 212 219 223 227 228 230 227 60
65 144 162 176 187 199 209 213 220 224 228 230 232 229 65
70 145 162 177 188 200 210 214 221 226 230 231 233 231 70
75 145 163 178 189 201 211 215 222 227 231 233 235 232 75
80 146 164 179 190 202 212 216 224 229 233 235 237 234 80
85 147 165 181 192 203 214 218 226 230 235 237 239 237 85
90 149 167 182 193 205 215 220 228 233 238 240 242 240 90
95 151 169 185 196 208 218 222 231 236 242 244 246 244 95

Table B.3. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Math Norms – Winter Test for Students -(2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Winter, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 130 146 155 166 176 183 187 191 194 196 196 195 194 5
10 135 151 161 172 183 189 194 197 201 203 204 203 202 10
15 138 154 165 176 187 194 198 202 206 207 208 209 207 15
20 140 157 168 179 190 197 201 206 210 211 212 213 211 20
25 142 159 171 182 193 200 204 209 213 214 216 217 215 25
30 144 161 173 184 196 203 207 211 216 217 219 220 218 30
35 146 163 175 186 198 205 209 214 219 220 222 223 221 35
40 147 165 177 189 200 207 212 216 221 222 224 226 224 40
45 149 167 179 191 202 210 214 219 224 225 227 229 227 45
50 151 168 181 193 204 212 216 221 226 227 229 231 230 50
55 152 170 183 195 207 214 218 223 228 230 232 234 233 55
60 154 172 185 197 209 216 220 226 231 232 235 237 235 60
65 155 174 187 199 211 219 223 228 233 235 237 240 238 65
70 157 176 189 201 213 221 225 231 236 237 240 243 241 70
75 159 178 192 204 216 224 228 233 239 240 243 246 245 75
80 161 180 194 206 219 226 231 236 242 243 246 250 248 80
85 164 183 197 210 222 230 234 240 246 247 250 254 252 85
90 167 186 201 214 226 234 238 245 251 252 255 259 258 90
95 171 191 207 220 232 240 245 251 258 259 263 267 266 95

Table B.4. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Math Norms – Winter Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Winter, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 142 158 169 180 190 197 201 205 207 208 207 208 206 5
10 144 161 172 182 193 200 204 208 211 212 212 213 211 10
15 145 162 174 184 195 202 206 210 213 215 215 216 214 15
20 146 163 175 186 197 204 208 212 215 217 217 218 216 20
25 147 164 177 187 198 205 209 214 217 219 219 220 218 25
30 148 165 178 188 199 206 211 215 219 220 221 222 220 30
35 149 166 179 189 200 208 212 217 220 222 223 224 222 35
40 150 167 180 190 201 209 213 218 221 223 224 226 223 40
45 150 168 181 191 202 210 214 219 223 225 226 227 225 45
50 151 168 181 192 203 211 215 220 224 226 227 229 226 50
55 152 169 182 193 204 212 216 221 225 228 229 230 228 55
60 152 170 183 194 205 213 218 223 227 229 230 232 229 60
65 153 171 184 195 207 214 219 224 228 230 232 234 231 65
70 154 172 185 197 208 216 220 225 229 232 234 235 233 70
75 155 172 186 198 209 217 221 227 231 234 236 237 234 75
80 156 173 188 199 210 218 223 228 233 235 238 239 236 80
85 157 175 189 201 212 220 225 230 235 238 240 242 239 85
90 158 176 191 203 214 222 227 232 237 240 243 245 242 90
95 160 178 193 205 217 226 230 236 241 244 247 249 246 95

Table B.5. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Spring Norms – Spring Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Spring, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 136 151 161 171 180 186 190 192 196 194 195 195 193 5
10 141 157 167 177 187 192 197 199 203 202 203 203 201 10
15 144 160 171 181 191 197 201 204 208 207 208 209 207 15
20 147 163 174 185 195 200 205 208 212 211 213 214 212 20
25 149 165 177 188 198 204 208 211 215 215 216 217 215 25
30 151 167 179 190 201 206 211 214 218 218 220 221 219 30
35 153 169 181 193 203 209 213 216 221 221 223 224 222 35
40 154 171 183 195 206 211 216 219 224 223 226 227 225 40
45 156 173 185 197 208 214 218 221 226 226 229 230 228 45
50 158 175 187 199 210 216 220 224 229 229 231 233 231 50
55 159 177 189 201 212 218 223 226 231 231 234 236 234 55
60 161 179 192 203 215 221 225 229 234 234 237 239 237 60
65 163 181 194 206 217 223 227 231 237 237 240 242 240 65
70 165 183 196 208 220 226 230 234 239 240 243 245 243 70
75 167 185 198 211 222 228 233 237 242 243 246 249 247 75
80 169 187 201 213 225 232 236 240 246 247 250 252 251 80
85 171 190 204 217 229 235 239 244 250 251 254 257 255 85
90 174 193 208 221 233 240 244 249 255 256 260 263 261 90
95 179 199 214 227 240 246 251 256 262 263 268 271 269 95

Table B.6. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Math Norms – Spring Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Mathematics, Spring, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 148 165 175 185 193 199 203 207 209 209 208 208 206 5
10 150 167 178 188 197 202 206 210 213 213 213 213 211 10
15 152 168 180 190 199 205 209 213 216 216 216 216 214 15
20 153 170 181 192 201 207 211 215 218 218 218 219 217 20
25 154 171 183 193 202 208 212 216 220 220 220 221 219 25
30 155 172 184 194 204 210 214 218 221 222 222 223 221 30
35 156 173 185 196 205 211 215 219 223 223 224 225 223 35
40 156 173 186 197 206 213 217 220 224 225 226 227 224 40
45 157 174 187 198 208 214 218 222 225 226 227 228 226 45
50 158 175 188 199 209 215 219 223 227 228 229 230 228 50
55 159 176 189 200 210 216 221 224 228 229 231 232 229 55
60 159 177 190 201 211 218 222 226 229 231 232 233 231 60
65 160 177 190 202 212 219 223 227 231 232 234 235 232 65
70 161 178 192 203 214 220 225 228 232 234 236 237 234 70
75 162 179 193 204 215 222 226 230 234 235 238 239 236 75
80 163 180 194 206 217 224 228 231 236 237 240 241 238 80
85 164 182 195 207 219 226 230 233 238 239 242 244 241 85
90 165 183 197 210 221 228 232 236 240 242 245 247 244 90
95 167 186 200 213 224 232 236 239 244 246 250 252 249 95

Table B.7. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Fall Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Fall, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 123 134 142 155 166 175 181 185 188 186 188 188 187 5
10 126 139 148 161 173 181 187 191 194 193 195 195 193 10
15 128 142 152 166 177 186 191 195 198 197 199 199 198 15
20 130 145 156 169 181 189 195 198 201 201 203 203 202 20
25 132 147 159 172 184 192 198 201 204 204 206 206 205 25
30 133 149 161 175 186 195 200 204 207 207 208 209 208 30
35 134 150 163 178 189 197 202 206 209 209 211 211 210 35
40 136 152 166 180 191 199 205 208 211 212 213 214 213 40
45 137 154 168 182 194 201 207 210 214 214 215 216 215 45
50 138 155 170 185 196 204 209 212 216 216 218 218 218 50
55 139 157 172 187 198 206 211 214 218 218 220 220 220 55
60 140 159 174 189 200 208 213 217 220 221 222 223 222 60
65 142 160 177 192 203 210 215 219 222 223 225 225 225 65
70 143 162 179 194 205 213 218 221 225 226 227 228 228 70
75 144 164 182 197 208 215 220 224 227 228 230 230 230 75
80 146 166 184 200 211 218 223 226 230 231 233 233 234 80
85 148 169 188 204 215 222 226 230 233 235 236 237 237 85
90 150 172 192 208 219 226 231 234 238 239 241 241 242 90
95 153 177 198 215 226 232 237 240 244 246 247 248 249 95

Table B.8. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Fall Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Fall, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 131 145 158 171 182 190 196 199 202 201 202 200 198 5
10 132 148 161 174 185 193 199 202 205 205 205 203 202 10
15 134 149 162 176 187 195 201 204 207 207 207 206 204 15
20 134 150 164 177 188 196 202 205 208 208 209 208 206 20
25 135 151 165 179 190 197 203 207 210 210 211 210 208 25
30 136 152 166 180 191 199 205 208 211 211 212 211 209 30
35 137 153 167 181 192 200 206 209 212 212 213 212 211 35
40 137 154 168 182 193 201 207 210 213 214 215 214 212 40
45 138 155 169 183 194 202 207 211 214 215 216 215 214 45
50 138 155 170 184 195 203 208 212 215 216 217 216 215 50
55 139 156 171 185 196 204 209 213 216 217 218 218 216 55
60 139 157 172 186 197 205 210 214 217 218 219 219 217 60
65 140 158 173 187 198 206 211 215 218 219 220 220 219 65
70 141 158 174 189 200 207 212 216 219 220 222 222 220 70
75 141 159 175 190 201 208 213 217 220 222 223 223 222 75
80 142 160 176 191 202 210 215 218 222 223 225 225 223 80
85 143 161 178 193 204 211 216 220 223 225 226 227 225 85
90 144 163 180 195 206 213 218 221 225 227 229 229 228 90
95 146 165 182 198 209 216 221 224 228 230 232 233 232 95

Table B.9. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Winter Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Winter, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 128 139 149 160 170 178 183 186 189 187 188 188 186 5
10 132 145 155 167 177 184 189 192 195 194 195 194 192 10
15 135 148 159 171 181 189 193 196 199 198 199 199 197 15
20 137 151 162 175 184 192 197 200 203 201 203 203 201 20
25 139 153 165 178 187 195 199 202 205 205 206 206 204 25
30 140 155 168 180 190 197 202 205 208 207 209 208 207 30
35 142 157 170 183 193 200 204 207 210 210 211 211 210 35
40 143 159 172 185 195 202 206 210 213 212 214 213 212 40
45 145 161 175 188 197 204 209 212 215 214 216 216 214 45
50 146 163 177 190 199 206 211 214 217 217 218 218 217 50
55 147 164 179 192 202 209 213 216 219 219 220 220 219 55
60 149 166 181 194 204 211 215 218 221 221 223 223 222 60
65 150 168 183 197 206 213 217 220 223 224 225 225 224 65
70 152 170 186 199 209 215 219 223 226 226 228 228 227 70
75 153 172 188 202 211 218 222 225 228 229 230 230 230 75
80 155 174 191 205 214 221 225 228 231 232 233 233 233 80
85 157 177 194 209 218 224 228 231 235 236 237 237 237 85
90 160 181 199 213 222 228 232 235 239 240 241 242 241 90
95 164 186 205 220 229 235 238 241 245 247 248 248 248 95

Table B.10. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Winter Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Winter, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 138 152 164 176 185 192 197 200 203 201 202 199 196 5
10 140 154 167 179 188 195 200 203 206 205 205 203 200 10
15 141 156 168 181 190 197 202 205 208 207 207 205 203 15
20 142 157 170 182 192 198 204 206 209 209 209 207 205 20
25 143 158 171 184 193 200 205 208 211 210 211 209 207 25
30 143 159 172 185 194 201 206 209 212 212 212 211 208 30
35 144 160 174 186 196 202 207 210 213 213 213 212 210 35
40 145 161 175 187 197 203 208 211 214 214 215 213 211 40
45 145 162 176 188 198 204 209 212 215 215 216 215 213 45
50 146 162 177 189 199 205 210 213 216 216 217 216 214 50
55 147 163 177 190 200 206 211 214 217 217 218 217 215 55
60 147 164 178 191 201 208 212 215 218 219 219 219 217 60
65 148 165 180 193 202 209 213 216 219 220 221 220 218 65
70 149 166 181 194 203 210 214 217 220 221 222 221 220 70
75 149 167 182 195 204 211 215 218 222 222 223 223 221 75
80 150 168 183 196 206 212 216 220 223 224 225 225 223 80
85 151 169 185 198 207 214 218 221 225 226 227 227 225 85
90 152 171 186 200 209 216 220 223 227 228 229 229 228 90
95 154 173 189 203 212 219 222 226 230 231 232 233 232 95

Table B.11. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Spring Norms for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Spring, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 131 142 153 164 173 180 185 187 190 187 188 187 184 5
10 136 148 159 171 179 186 191 193 196 194 195 194 191 10
15 139 152 164 175 184 191 195 197 200 198 200 198 196 15
20 141 155 167 179 187 194 198 201 203 202 203 202 200 20
25 143 157 170 182 190 197 201 203 206 205 206 205 203 25
30 145 160 173 184 193 199 203 206 209 208 209 208 206 30
35 147 162 175 187 195 202 206 208 211 210 211 211 209 35
40 149 164 177 189 198 204 208 211 213 213 214 213 211 40
45 150 166 180 192 200 206 210 213 216 215 216 215 214 45
50 152 168 182 194 202 208 212 215 218 217 218 218 216 50
55 154 170 184 196 204 211 214 217 220 219 221 220 219 55
60 155 172 186 198 207 213 216 219 222 222 223 223 221 60
65 157 174 188 201 209 215 218 221 224 224 225 225 224 65
70 159 176 191 203 211 217 221 224 227 227 228 228 226 70
75 161 178 193 206 214 220 223 226 229 230 231 230 229 75
80 163 181 196 209 217 223 226 229 232 233 234 234 233 80
85 165 184 200 213 220 226 229 232 236 236 237 237 236 85
90 168 188 204 217 225 230 233 237 240 241 242 242 241 90
95 173 193 210 224 231 237 239 243 246 247 248 249 248 95

Table B.12. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Reading Norms – Spring Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Reading, Spring, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 143 156 168 179 187 194 198 201 203 201 201 198 195 5
10 145 159 171 182 190 197 201 204 206 205 205 202 199 10
15 146 161 173 184 193 199 203 206 208 207 207 205 202 15
20 147 162 175 186 194 200 205 207 210 209 209 207 204 20
25 148 163 176 187 196 202 206 208 211 210 211 209 206 25
30 149 164 177 189 197 203 207 210 212 212 212 210 208 30
35 150 165 178 190 198 204 208 211 214 213 213 212 209 35
40 150 166 179 191 199 205 209 212 215 214 215 213 211 40
45 151 167 180 192 200 206 210 213 216 215 216 214 212 45
50 152 168 181 193 201 207 211 214 217 217 217 216 213 50
55 153 169 182 194 202 208 212 215 218 218 218 217 215 55
60 153 169 183 195 203 209 213 216 219 219 220 218 216 60
65 154 170 184 196 205 211 214 217 220 220 221 220 218 65
70 155 171 186 198 206 212 215 218 221 221 222 221 219 70
75 156 172 187 199 207 213 216 219 222 223 224 223 221 75
80 157 173 188 200 208 214 218 221 224 224 225 225 223 80
85 158 175 190 202 210 216 219 222 225 226 227 227 225 85
90 159 176 192 204 212 218 221 224 227 228 229 229 228 90
95 161 179 195 207 215 221 224 227 231 232 233 233 232 95

Table B.13. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Fall Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Fall, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 124 136 146 157 165 171 175 177 177 178 177 178 178 5
10 126 139 150 161 170 176 180 182 182 183 183 183 183 10
15 128 142 153 165 174 179 183 186 187 188 188 188 189 15
20 129 144 156 168 176 182 186 189 190 191 191 192 192 20
25 131 146 158 170 179 184 189 191 192 194 194 194 195 25
30 132 147 160 173 181 186 191 193 194 196 196 197 197 30
35 133 149 162 174 183 188 193 195 196 198 198 199 199 35
40 135 150 164 176 185 190 194 197 198 200 201 202 202 40
45 136 152 165 178 186 192 196 199 200 202 203 204 204 45
50 137 153 167 180 188 194 198 201 202 205 205 206 206 50
55 138 155 169 182 190 196 200 203 205 207 208 209 209 55
60 139 156 171 184 192 198 202 205 207 210 210 211 212 60
65 140 158 173 186 194 200 204 207 209 212 213 214 214 65
70 142 160 175 188 196 202 206 209 212 215 216 217 217 70
75 143 162 178 191 199 205 209 213 215 218 219 220 220 75
80 145 164 181 194 202 208 213 216 218 221 223 224 224 80
85 147 167 184 197 205 211 216 219 222 225 227 228 228 85
90 150 171 188 202 210 216 221 225 227 230 232 233 234 90
95 154 175 195 209 216 222 228 231 234 238 240 242 242 95

Table B.14. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Fall Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Fall, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 133 147 159 170 179 185 189 192 193 193 192 193 194 5
10 134 148 161 172 182 188 193 196 197 197 197 197 198 10
15 135 150 162 174 184 190 195 198 199 199 199 200 200 15
20 136 151 163 175 185 192 197 199 201 201 201 202 202 20
25 137 152 164 176 186 193 198 201 202 202 202 204 204 25
30 138 152 165 177 188 194 199 202 203 204 204 205 205 30
35 138 153 166 178 189 195 200 203 204 205 205 206 206 35
40 139 154 167 179 190 196 201 204 206 206 207 208 208 40
45 139 155 168 180 191 197 202 205 207 207 209 209 209 45
50 140 156 169 181 192 199 203 206 208 209 210 210 210 50
55 141 156 170 182 194 200 204 207 209 210 211 212 212 55
60 141 157 171 184 195 202 205 208 211 212 213 214 214 60
65 142 158 172 185 197 203 207 210 212 213 215 216 216 65
70 143 159 174 187 199 205 208 211 214 215 216 217 218 70
75 144 160 175 188 200 206 209 213 215 216 218 219 220 75
80 146 162 177 190 202 209 212 215 217 218 220 222 222 80
85 148 164 180 193 206 212 215 218 220 222 224 225 226 85
90 150 167 184 197 210 216 219 222 224 226 227 229 230 90
95 153 172 190 203 215 221 224 227 229 231 233 234 235 95

Table B.15. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Winter Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Winter, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 129 141 153 164 171 177 180 182 182 181 181 180 179 5
10 132 145 158 169 176 182 185 187 187 187 186 186 185 10
15 135 148 162 173 180 185 189 191 192 192 192 192 191 15
20 137 150 165 175 183 188 192 194 195 196 196 196 195 20
25 138 152 167 178 185 191 194 196 198 198 198 199 198 25
30 140 153 169 180 188 193 196 198 200 201 201 201 201 30
35 141 155 171 182 190 195 198 200 202 203 203 203 203 35
40 142 156 172 184 192 197 200 202 205 205 205 205 205 40
45 143 157 174 186 193 199 202 204 207 207 208 207 207 45
50 144 158 176 187 195 201 204 206 209 210 210 210 210 50
55 146 160 178 189 198 203 206 209 212 212 213 213 213 55
60 147 161 180 191 199 205 209 211 214 215 215 215 216 60
65 148 163 182 193 202 207 211 214 217 217 218 218 219 65
70 149 164 184 196 204 210 213 216 220 220 221 221 221 70
75 151 166 187 198 207 212 216 219 223 223 224 224 225 75
80 153 169 190 201 210 216 220 223 227 228 228 229 229 80
85 155 171 194 205 213 220 224 227 231 232 233 233 234 85
90 158 175 198 209 219 225 229 232 236 238 238 239 240 90
95 163 180 204 215 225 231 234 238 242 244 245 245 246 95

Table B.16. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Winter Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Winter, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 140 153 165 176 184 190 194 196 198 197 197 196 195 5
10 141 154 167 178 186 193 197 199 201 201 200 200 199 10
15 142 155 168 179 188 194 198 201 203 203 203 203 202 15
20 143 156 169 181 190 195 200 202 204 204 204 205 204 20
25 143 157 170 182 191 196 201 203 206 206 206 207 206 25
30 144 157 171 183 192 198 202 205 207 207 208 208 207 30
35 144 158 172 184 193 199 203 206 208 209 209 210 209 35
40 145 159 173 185 194 200 205 207 210 211 211 211 211 40
45 146 160 174 186 195 201 206 208 211 212 212 213 212 45
50 147 161 175 188 196 202 207 210 213 213 214 214 214 50
55 147 162 176 189 198 204 209 211 214 215 216 216 216 55
60 148 163 177 190 199 205 210 213 216 217 218 218 218 60
65 149 164 178 191 201 206 212 214 218 219 219 220 220 65
70 150 165 179 193 202 208 213 216 219 220 221 221 221 70
75 151 166 181 194 204 209 215 217 221 222 223 224 224 75
80 152 168 183 197 206 212 217 220 223 224 225 226 226 80
85 154 170 186 200 209 216 220 223 227 228 229 230 230 85
90 156 173 190 204 213 220 225 228 231 232 233 234 235 90
95 159 177 196 209 218 225 230 233 236 238 238 239 240 95

Table B.17. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Spring Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Spring, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 133 146 158 168 175 180 182 184 184 182 181 180 178 5
10 137 151 164 174 180 185 188 190 190 188 186 185 184 10
15 140 155 168 177 184 190 192 194 194 193 191 190 188 15
20 142 158 171 180 187 193 195 197 198 196 195 193 191 20
25 144 160 174 182 190 195 198 200 201 200 198 197 196 25
30 146 162 175 185 192 198 201 202 203 202 201 200 199 30
35 147 164 177 187 194 200 203 205 206 205 203 203 202 35
40 148 165 179 188 196 202 205 207 208 207 206 205 204 40
45 150 167 180 190 198 204 207 209 210 209 208 207 206 45
50 151 168 182 192 200 206 209 211 213 212 210 210 209 50
55 152 170 183 194 202 208 211 213 215 214 213 212 211 55
60 154 172 186 196 204 210 213 216 217 217 215 214 214 60
65 155 174 188 198 207 213 216 218 220 219 218 218 217 65
70 157 176 190 201 210 216 219 221 223 222 221 220 220 70
75 159 178 193 204 213 219 222 224 226 225 224 224 223 75
80 162 181 196 207 216 222 225 227 229 228 227 227 226 80
85 165 185 201 212 220 227 230 232 234 233 232 232 231 85
90 169 190 206 217 226 232 235 238 240 239 238 238 237 90
95 174 197 214 225 235 241 245 247 248 247 246 246 246 95

Table B.18. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Language Usage Norms – Spring Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Language Usage, Spring, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 147 160 171 181 188 194 197 200 201 199 198 197 195 5
10 148 162 174 183 191 197 200 203 204 202 201 200 199 10
15 149 163 175 184 193 198 202 205 206 204 204 203 202 15
20 150 164 177 186 194 200 203 206 208 206 206 205 204 20
25 151 165 178 187 195 201 204 207 209 207 207 206 206 25
30 152 166 179 188 196 202 205 209 210 209 208 208 207 30
35 152 166 180 189 197 203 206 210 211 210 210 209 209 35
40 153 167 181 190 198 204 208 211 213 212 212 211 210 40
45 153 168 182 191 199 205 209 212 214 213 213 212 212 45
50 154 169 183 192 200 206 210 214 215 214 214 214 213 50
55 155 170 184 193 201 208 211 215 217 216 216 215 215 55
60 155 171 185 194 202 209 212 217 218 217 217 216 216 60
65 156 172 186 196 204 210 214 218 220 219 219 218 218 65
70 157 172 188 197 205 212 215 220 221 220 220 220 219 70
75 158 173 189 198 207 213 217 221 223 222 222 222 222 75
80 160 175 191 200 209 216 219 223 225 224 224 224 224 80
85 162 177 194 203 213 219 222 226 228 227 227 227 227 85
90 165 180 198 207 218 224 227 231 233 232 232 232 232 90
95 170 185 205 212 224 230 233 237 240 238 239 238 239 95

Table B.19. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Fall Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Fall, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 126 137 145 154 163 170 173 177 177 177 177 176 175 5
10 128 141 150 159 169 175 180 183 183 184 184 183 182 10
15 131 144 153 162 172 178 183 186 187 188 188 187 187 15
20 133 146 156 165 175 181 186 189 190 191 191 191 190 20
25 134 147 158 167 177 184 188 192 193 194 194 194 194 25
30 136 149 160 169 180 186 191 194 195 197 197 197 197 30
35 137 151 161 172 182 188 193 196 198 199 199 199 199 35
40 138 152 163 174 184 190 195 198 200 201 202 202 202 40
45 139 153 165 175 186 192 196 200 201 203 203 203 204 45
50 140 155 166 177 188 194 198 202 203 205 205 206 206 50
55 141 156 168 179 190 195 200 204 205 207 207 208 208 55
60 143 158 169 181 192 197 202 206 207 210 210 211 212 60
65 144 159 171 183 194 199 204 208 210 212 212 214 214 65
70 145 161 173 185 196 201 206 211 212 215 215 216 216 70
75 146 163 175 187 199 203 209 213 215 217 218 219 219 75
80 148 165 177 190 202 206 212 217 218 221 222 223 223 80
85 150 168 180 193 206 210 216 220 222 225 226 227 227 85
90 153 172 184 197 210 214 220 224 226 230 231 232 233 90
95 157 177 190 203 216 220 226 230 232 236 238 239 239 95

Table B.20. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Fall Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Fall, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 134 149 160 171 180 187 191 194 195 194 194 193 192 5
10 136 150 162 173 182 189 194 197 198 197 197 197 195 10
15 137 151 163 174 183 190 195 199 200 199 199 199 198 15
20 138 152 164 175 184 192 197 200 201 201 201 201 200 20
25 139 153 165 176 185 193 198 201 202 203 203 203 202 25
30 140 154 167 177 186 194 199 202 203 204 205 205 203 30
35 141 155 167 179 187 195 200 203 204 205 206 206 205 35
40 142 156 168 180 188 197 201 204 205 206 207 207 206 40
45 143 157 169 181 190 198 202 206 207 208 208 208 207 45
50 144 158 170 182 191 199 203 207 208 209 210 210 209 50
55 144 158 171 183 192 200 204 208 209 210 211 211 210 55
60 145 159 172 184 193 201 205 209 210 212 212 213 212 60
65 146 160 173 185 195 202 206 210 212 213 214 214 213 65
70 147 161 175 187 196 203 207 212 213 215 216 216 215 70
75 148 162 176 188 197 204 209 213 215 217 217 218 217 75
80 149 163 177 190 199 206 210 215 216 218 219 219 218 80
85 150 164 179 192 202 209 213 218 219 222 222 223 222 85
90 152 166 181 195 205 212 216 221 223 226 226 227 226 90
95 154 168 184 199 209 216 220 225 227 230 231 232 231 95

Table B.21. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Winter Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Winter, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 130 142 152 161 169 175 179 181 183 181 181 180 178 5
10 134 146 157 167 175 182 185 187 189 188 187 187 185 10
15 137 150 161 171 179 186 189 192 194 193 192 192 191 15
20 139 152 164 174 183 189 193 196 198 197 197 196 194 20
25 141 154 166 176 185 192 196 198 200 200 199 199 197 25
30 142 155 169 179 188 194 198 200 203 202 202 201 200 30
35 144 157 170 181 190 196 200 202 205 205 205 204 203 35
40 145 158 172 183 192 198 202 204 207 207 207 206 205 40
45 146 159 173 185 194 200 204 206 209 209 209 209 208 45
50 147 160 174 187 195 202 206 208 211 211 211 211 210 50
55 149 162 176 189 197 204 208 210 213 214 214 214 213 55
60 150 163 178 191 200 206 210 213 215 216 216 216 215 60
65 151 164 179 193 202 208 212 215 217 218 218 218 217 65
70 152 166 181 195 205 210 214 217 220 221 221 221 220 70
75 154 167 183 198 208 213 217 220 223 224 224 224 223 75
80 156 170 185 201 211 216 220 223 226 227 227 227 226 80
85 158 172 188 205 214 219 223 227 230 231 231 231 230 85
90 161 175 192 210 219 224 229 232 235 236 237 237 236 90
95 165 179 197 217 226 231 236 239 242 244 244 244 243 95

Table B.22. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Winter Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Winter, School)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 141 155 166 176 184 191 194 196 198 196 195 195 193 5
10 142 156 167 178 186 193 196 199 201 199 199 198 197 10
15 143 157 169 179 188 195 198 201 203 202 201 201 199 15
20 144 158 170 180 189 197 200 203 205 204 203 203 201 20
25 145 159 171 181 191 198 201 204 207 206 205 205 203 25
30 145 160 172 183 192 199 203 205 208 207 207 206 205 30
35 146 161 173 184 193 200 204 207 209 209 208 208 206 35
40 147 162 174 186 194 201 205 208 211 210 209 209 208 40
45 148 163 175 187 195 202 207 209 212 211 211 211 209 45
50 148 164 176 188 196 204 208 210 214 213 212 212 210 50
55 149 165 177 189 198 205 209 212 215 214 214 214 213 55
60 150 166 178 190 200 207 211 214 216 216 216 216 214 60
65 151 166 179 192 201 208 213 215 218 218 218 218 217 65
70 152 168 181 193 203 209 214 216 220 220 220 220 219 70
75 153 169 183 195 205 211 216 219 222 222 222 222 221 75
80 154 170 184 197 206 213 218 221 224 224 224 224 223 80
85 155 172 186 199 209 216 221 224 227 227 227 227 227 85
90 157 174 188 202 213 220 225 227 230 231 231 231 231 90
95 159 176 191 205 218 224 230 232 235 236 236 237 236 95

Table B.23. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Spring Test for Students (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Spring, Student)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 134 147 157 166 174 180 183 185 187 184 182 181 178 5
10 139 153 163 173 181 187 190 192 194 190 189 187 185 10
15 143 157 168 178 185 191 194 196 198 195 193 192 190 15
20 146 159 171 181 189 194 198 200 202 199 197 196 194 20
25 148 161 173 184 192 196 200 203 205 202 201 199 197 25
30 149 163 175 186 194 198 203 205 207 205 204 202 201 30
35 151 164 177 188 196 201 205 208 209 208 207 205 204 35
40 152 166 179 190 198 203 207 210 212 210 209 208 207 40
45 154 168 180 192 200 204 209 212 214 213 212 210 209 45
50 156 169 182 194 202 206 212 214 216 215 214 213 212 50
55 157 171 184 196 204 208 214 217 218 218 217 215 214 55
60 159 173 186 198 206 210 216 219 221 220 219 218 217 60
65 160 175 188 201 208 212 218 221 223 223 222 221 220 65
70 162 177 191 203 210 215 220 224 226 226 224 223 222 70
75 164 179 193 207 213 218 223 227 229 228 228 227 226 75
80 167 181 197 210 216 221 226 230 232 231 231 230 229 80
85 169 184 200 214 220 224 229 233 235 235 234 234 233 85
90 173 188 204 220 224 228 234 238 240 240 239 239 238 90
95 179 193 210 226 229 234 240 243 245 245 245 244 243 95

Table B.24. NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 Science Norms – Spring Test for Schools (2025-2026) – Achievement Percentiles – (Science, Spring, Schools)

Pct K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pct
5 146 159 170 180 188 194 197 200 201 198 198 196 194 5
10 148 161 173 183 191 198 201 204 205 202 201 201 199 10
15 149 162 175 185 193 200 202 206 207 204 203 203 201 15
20 150 164 176 186 194 201 204 207 209 206 205 205 204 20
25 151 165 177 187 195 202 205 208 210 208 207 207 205 25
30 152 166 178 188 196 203 206 209 211 209 209 208 207 30
35 153 167 179 189 197 204 207 210 212 211 210 210 209 35
40 154 168 181 190 198 205 208 212 213 212 211 211 210 40
45 155 169 181 191 200 206 209 213 214 213 212 212 211 45
50 155 169 182 192 201 208 210 214 216 215 214 214 213 50
55 156 170 183 193 202 209 212 216 217 216 216 215 214 55
60 157 171 184 194 203 210 213 217 219 218 217 217 216 60
65 158 172 185 195 204 211 215 218 221 220 219 219 218 65
70 159 173 186 196 206 212 216 221 222 221 221 221 220 70
75 160 174 188 198 207 214 218 222 224 223 223 222 222 75
80 161 176 190 201 210 217 220 225 227 226 225 225 224 80
85 163 178 193 204 214 220 223 228 230 229 229 229 228 85
90 166 182 197 209 219 225 228 233 235 234 234 234 233 90
95 169 185 203 214 225 231 234 239 242 241 241 241 240 95

How to Understand NWEA MAP Scores in 2025–2026.

MAP Growth scores can feel confusing at first. It’s not just you. Most parents open a MAP report and immediately think, “Is this good?” or “Is my child behind?” The report often shows a number (the RIT score), a percentile, and a few charts, but it does not look like traditional grades. There is no A, B, or 90%. There is no simple “pass or fail.”

Here’s the good news. MAP scores are actually very logical once you know what the test measures and how the score is built. And once you understand the basics, the report becomes much more useful. It can help you see where your child is right now, how they are growing during the school year, and what skills they should work on next.

This long guide is written for parents. It uses short sentences when things should be simple. It also uses longer sentences when you need the full picture. By the end, you should feel calm, clear, and confident when reading your child’s MAP report for 2025 and 2026.

What Are NWEA MAP Scores?

NWEA MAP Growth is a computer-based assessment used in many schools across the United States. MAP stands for Measures of Academic Progress. The test is designed to measure academic achievement and growth over time, which is why many schools give it more than once per year.

Most students take MAP Growth in three testing windows: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Some schools test twice a year instead. Either way, the idea is the same. MAP is not meant to be a single moment that defines a child. It is meant to track progress across the year and across multiple years.

MAP Growth is most commonly used for Math and Reading. Many districts also use it for Language Usage. Some use it for Science in certain grades. Not every school uses every subject, so your child’s report may look different from a friend’s report in another district.

What MAP Growth Is Trying to Tell You (Two Big Parent Questions)

Parents usually want a simple answer. They want to know if the score is “good” or “bad.” But MAP is built around growth and learning level, not a single grade-level percentage. MAP is most helpful when you use it to answer two questions:

  • Where is my child right now in their learning?
  • How much are they growing compared to what is typical?

That’s the heart of MAP. It is not about labeling your child. It is about understanding learning level and tracking change. Some children start higher. Some children start lower. What matters most is steady growth and a clear plan for next steps.

Why MAP Scores Do Not Look Like Traditional Test Scores

Many classroom tests are fixed-level tests. That means every student gets a similar set of questions for their grade, and the score is based on percent correct. A student might score 75% because they answered 30 out of 40 questions correctly. This can be easy to understand, but it has a limitation. It cannot measure students far above or far below grade level very well.

MAP Growth is different because it is computer-adaptive. The test changes as your child answers. If your child answers correctly, the next question often becomes a bit harder. If your child answers incorrectly, the next question often becomes a bit easier. Over many questions, the test finds the level where your child is working best. This is why some students feel the test “gets harder.” If they are doing well, it should get harder. That is how the test finds their true learning level.

Because it is adaptive, MAP does not report percent correct. Instead, it reports a learning-level score. That score is called the RIT score.

How the MAP Test Works (Simple Explanation for Parents)

Imagine a ladder. The bottom rungs represent easier skills. The higher rungs represent harder skills. MAP is trying to find the rung where your child is working. Not too easy. Not too hard. Just right.

That means two children in the same grade can get different questions. And that’s okay. The goal is not fairness through identical questions. The goal is accuracy. MAP aims to measure each child’s level as precisely as possible.

This also explains something parents notice. A strong student may come home saying, “It was really hard.” That may actually be a good sign, because the test kept pushing them upward into more challenging questions. A struggling student may say, “It was easier than I expected,” because the test adjusted downward to find a better fit.

What Is a RIT Score?

RIT is the main MAP score. RIT stands for Rasch Unit. It is a measurement scale that places academic skills on a consistent ladder from kindergarten through high school. A RIT score is not a grade level. It is not a percentage. It is not a “score out of 100.” It is a learning-level number.

A helpful parent-friendly way to think about RIT is this: it represents the difficulty level of questions your child is ready to work with right now. Another way to say it is that a RIT score is your child’s current learning level in that subject.

Because the RIT scale is consistent across grades, it is useful for tracking growth. A child’s RIT score should generally rise over time as they learn.

What RIT Scores Mean (And What They Do Not Mean)

RIT scores do mean:

  • Where your child is on a continuous learning scale right now
  • A way to track progress across Fall, Winter, and Spring
  • A way for teachers to group students and plan instruction

RIT scores do not mean:

  • A percent correct
  • A letter grade like A, B, or C
  • A promise about future performance
  • A diagnosis by themselves

A RIT score becomes most powerful when you compare it to your child’s previous scores and when you use the skill breakdown section of the report to decide what to practice next.

Why the Same Student’s RIT Score Should Rise Over Time

In general, RIT scores should increase as students learn. Most students will show growth from Fall to Winter and from Winter to Spring. However, growth is not identical at every age. Younger students often gain more points because foundational skills develop rapidly. Older students often gain fewer points because learning becomes deeper and more specialized, and MAP measures broad skills rather than specific course content.

It is normal for a kindergarten or first-grade student to show larger jumps. It is also normal for a high school student to show smaller increases and sometimes plateau. A plateau does not always mean “no learning.” It can mean the student is already strong in the broad skills MAP measures, or that the test is less sensitive to the specialized learning happening in advanced courses.

Understanding Percentiles on MAP Reports

The percentile is the “context number.” It helps you understand how your child compares to other students nationally in the same grade and season. Percentiles can feel emotional. Parents see a number and instantly worry. Try to keep it simple.

A percentile answers this question: out of 100 students nationwide in the same grade and season, about how many did your child score higher than?

  • 50th percentile means your child is around the national average
  • 75th percentile means your child scored higher than about 75% of peers
  • 25th percentile means your child scored higher than about 25% of peers

A key parent insight: percentiles are relative. If your child’s percentile stays about the same across the year, that can still represent strong progress, because their RIT score should still rise. Staying at the 60th percentile year after year often means your child is learning at about the same pace as other similarly ranked peers. That is normal.

Standard Error and Score Ranges (Why Some Reports Show “Plus or Minus”)

Many MAP reports show a RIT score along with a small range, sometimes written like a plus/minus band. This is often called a standard error or confidence range. It exists because no test measures learning perfectly. Day-to-day factors like stress, fatigue, distractions, or test anxiety can affect performance.

Parents should treat small changes inside that typical range as normal. Don’t panic over tiny differences. Larger changes across multiple testing windows are more meaningful, especially when they match what you see in classwork and teacher feedback.

Achievement Norms vs Growth Norms (The Two “Norm” Ideas Parents Hear About)

Parents often hear the word “norms” and assume it means a passing score. In MAP Growth, norms are not passing cutoffs. Norms are reference points based on large groups of students.

There are two main norm ideas:

  • Achievement norms describe where a child is right now compared to peers (this connects to percentiles).
  • Growth norms describe how much growth is typical over time for students who start at a similar score.

A parent-friendly way to remember it is this: achievement norms are “where your child is,” and growth norms are “how much your child is moving.”

Why NWEA Updated the MAP Growth Norms in 2025 (What It Means for 2025–2026)

In 2025, NWEA updated the official MAP Growth achievement norms to reflect more recent national student performance data. The RIT scale itself did not change. The meaning of a RIT score did not change. What changed is the national comparison group used to calculate percentiles.

That means your child could earn a similar RIT score as in previous years, but the percentile might look slightly different than older reports. This is not a mistake. It is simply a newer national benchmark.

Norm updates typically happen every several years. They do not happen every year. The 2025 update replaces the prior norms and is designed to provide a more accurate and current benchmark of student achievement across the United States.

The sample described for the update is very large. It includes 116 million scores from 13.8 million students across about 30,000 schools, spanning six testing terms from fall 2022 through spring 2024. In other words, the norms are built to broadly reflect the U.S. student population.

NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 – Map Score Chart – Average.

Need a quick understanding of how your child is doing compared to the national average? This Map Score Chart shows the national average range of what is considered a ‘Good Map Score’ for each Grade Level at the Fall, Winter and Spring Map Test, in Math, Reading, Language Usage, and General Sciences.

nwea map test scores by grade level chart table
NWEA Map Test scores by Grade Level Chart 2026 (Average Range Table)

Seasonal Timing: Why Fall, Winter, and Spring Norms Are Not the Same

MAP norms are tied to typical points in the school year. This matters because a fall score is not the same as a spring score, even if the number is similar, because students have had different amounts of instruction.

The norms are conditioned to specific instructional weeks:

  • Fall norms are based on assessments around the 4th week of instruction
  • Winter norms are based on assessments around the 20th week of instruction
  • Spring norms are based on assessments around the 32nd week of instruction

This conditioning helps ensure students are compared fairly at similar points in the academic year. It also means parents should be careful when comparing results if their school’s testing date was much earlier or later than typical for that season.

Student vs School Percentiles (This Is the Part That Confuses Many Parents)

When you look at the official norms tables, you may notice two types of percentile tables:

  • Student Achievement Percentiles
  • School Achievement Percentiles

They sound similar, but they are used for different things. This is the simplest rule for parents:

If you are trying to understand your child’s performance, always use the Student Achievement Percentiles.

Student Achievement Percentiles (The One Parents Should Use)

Student percentiles compare an individual student’s RIT score to other students nationwide in the same grade and season. This is the percentile you typically see on your child’s MAP report.

Example:

  • If your child is at the 60th percentile, they scored higher than about 60% of students nationally in the same grade and season.
  • If your child is at the 25th percentile, they scored higher than about 25% of students, meaning about 75% scored higher.

A quick interpretation guide:

  • 90th percentile or higher = very high achievement
  • 75th percentile = above average
  • 50th percentile = around the national average
  • 25th percentile = below average
  • 10th percentile or lower = significantly below average

School Achievement Percentiles (Not Intended for Individual Students)

School percentiles measure something different. They compare the average score of an entire school to other schools across the country. This is used by districts, administrators, and researchers to evaluate school-wide performance and trends.

For example, if a school is at the 60th percentile, it means the school’s average student score is higher than about 60% of schools nationally. This does not mean your child is at the 60th percentile. It is about the school average, not individual performance.

So if you see “School” in the table title, do not use that table to interpret your child’s MAP score.

Which Charts Should Parents Use: Median Range vs Mean Score?

Many parent-focused MAP pages include charts labeled “Median Range” and charts labeled “Mean Score.” Both are ways to describe national norms, but they are slightly different.

The median is the middle score. Half of students score above it, and half score below it. The mean is the average score. In most cases, both will give you a similar general understanding of “typical” performance, but they are not always identical.

If you want something quick and simple, use the median range chart as a fast reference point. If you want the traditional “average,” look at the mean score chart. Either way, remember the best MAP interpretation comes from looking at your child’s growth across seasons and the skill breakdown areas on the report.

What Is a “Good” MAP Score?

Parents want a clear target. That’s understandable. But MAP is not designed around one perfect score for every child. A “good” MAP score depends on grade, subject, season, and where the child started.

A good MAP score is best defined in three ways:

  • It falls in a healthy range compared to grade-level norms for that season.
  • It shows expected growth from the child’s previous score.
  • It aligns with classroom performance and teacher observations.

A child can score below the national average but still be doing well if they are growing faster than typical. A child can also score above average but show weak growth if they are not progressing as expected. This is why MAP is a growth tool, not just a ranking tool.

MAP Growth Projections: What “Projected Scores” Mean

Some MAP reports include projected scores for the next season. These projections are based on growth norms. They are not guarantees. They are statistical expectations based on patterns across many students.

If your child scores above the projection, it may suggest they grew faster than typical. If your child scores below the projection, it may suggest slower-than-typical growth, or it could simply reflect an off day, illness, stress, or other factors that affected the test.

Parents should use projections as conversation starters, not labels. The best question is, “What skills do we focus on next?” not “Why didn’t you hit the projection?”

How to Read a MAP Score Report Step-by-Step

When you receive a MAP report, follow these steps in order. This simple process prevents confusion and helps you focus on what matters most.

Step 1: Identify the subject and season

First, confirm the subject (Math, Reading, Language Usage, or Science) and the season (Fall, Winter, or Spring). Scores should be compared within the same subject and across seasons for growth.

Step 2: Find the RIT score

The RIT score is the main learning-level number. Write it down. Then compare it to the previous season’s RIT score in the same subject.

Step 3: Look at the student percentile

The student percentile gives national context. It shows how your child compares to peers nationwide in the same grade and season. Use the student percentile, not school percentile tables.

Step 4: Check growth from the last testing window

Look at the change in RIT score from the last testing window. Then compare it to the growth expectation or projected growth if your report includes it.

Step 5: Review the goal or domain breakdown

This is often the most useful part of the report. It breaks the subject into skill areas. Two children with the same overall score can have different strengths and needs. The goal breakdown helps your teacher plan instruction and helps you understand what to practice at home.

Step 6: Turn the results into a simple plan

A parent plan should be small and realistic. Pick one or two skills to strengthen, and one strength to maintain. Then build a weekly routine. Consistency matters more than intensity.

Common Parent Mistakes With MAP Scores (And How to Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Treating MAP like a grade

MAP is not a percent-correct test. A score is not “good” or “bad” by itself. Growth and skill needs matter.

Mistake 2: Comparing the wrong seasons

Fall, Winter, and Spring expectations are different. Always compare growth across seasons and use the correct norms for that season.

Mistake 3: Ignoring growth and focusing only on percentile

A stable percentile with a rising RIT score is still progress. Look at the trajectory over time.

Mistake 4: Overreacting to small drops

Small differences can be normal testing variability, especially if they fall within the confidence range. Look for patterns across multiple tests.

Mistake 5: Skipping the goal-area breakdown

The goal areas tell you what to work on next. They are usually more helpful than the overall score alone.

How Parents Can Help at Home Without “Teaching to the Test”

Parents often ask how to raise MAP scores. The best answer is not test tricks. It is skill growth. The most effective support is consistent practice in the underlying skills the test measures.

Simple ways to help:

  • Read with your child and talk about what you read.
  • Ask “why” questions and encourage evidence-based answers.
  • Practice math thinking, not just math facts.
  • Encourage writing and revising short paragraphs.
  • Help your child sleep well and eat well before testing days.

MAP scores often rise naturally when students build stronger reading comprehension, stronger number sense, and stronger academic vocabulary.

For Parents

MAP Growth is a tool. It is not a label. It helps schools and families understand learning level and track growth over time. The most important things to look at are the RIT score trend across seasons, the student percentile (not school percentile tables), and the skill breakdown areas that show what to learn next.

If you ever feel unsure, bring the report to a parent-teacher conference and ask one simple question: “What does this score mean for what my child should work on next?” That question turns MAP data into an action plan.

– NWEA Map Scores by Grade Level 2026 – Data Checked and Updated March 2026.

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