Making sense of school reports
What does this
report mean?
Find the name on your child’s report. Start with what it measures, then use the results to plan a conversation with the school.
Pearson
aimswebPlus self-help
A starting point for understanding screening and progress.
aimswebPlus includes reading and math measures used to identify areas needing support and monitor change. Ask the school for the family-friendly report and the names of the specific math measures your child took.
Look for
- The measure: which skill or group of skills was assessed?
- The comparison: is the percentile national, state, or local?
- The benchmark or risk category: what target is the school using, and what support follows?
- Progress over time: compare the same measure and check dates, goals, and changes in instruction.
“Which result should we focus on first?”
“Can you show me the skill with an example?”
“What support is in place, and when will we review progress?”
Official source: Pearson aimswebPlus overview and sample reports (see Resources → Sample Reports).
Renaissance
FastBridge family report help
Look at current performance, comparisons, and change.
The Family Report brings these three views together. District and national comparisons answer different questions, so check which group each graph uses.
Look for
- Current performance: the screening result and benchmark category.
- Comparison with other students: a percentile tells you about relative standing, not the percentage of questions answered correctly.
- Change over time: look across testing periods and discuss the pattern with the teacher.
- Teacher notes: connect the numbers to what your child is doing in class.
“What does this category mean for the teaching my child will receive?”
“What do you notice across the testing periods?”
“Which home activity would support the skill you are teaching?”
Official guides in English and Spanish: FastBridge Family Resources. More detail: Family Report overview.
NWEA
NWEA MAP Growth explained
Achievement and growth tell different parts of the story.
MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment: questions adjust as your child responds. Its RIT scale helps describe performance and track change over time.
Look for
- RIT score: a score on the test’s scale. It is not a percentage correct or a school grade.
- Achievement percentile: how the current result compares with students in the same grade and subject nationally.
- Growth: change between two testing points. A growth percentile compares that progress with similar students.
- Learning areas and projections: ask the teacher what they suggest for instruction and what other evidence supports the interpretation.
“What are my child’s strengths and next learning steps?”
“Which dates are used for this growth comparison?”
“Can you show me a task or visual model that matches the next step?”
Official sources: Family Guide to MAP Growth · How to talk about the Family Report · RIT and growth definitions.
A few terms, in everyday language.
Percentile ≠ percent correct
A percentile compares a score with a reference group. For example, the 60th percentile means the score equaled or exceeded roughly 60% of that comparison group. It does not mean 60% of questions were correct. Check the report’s comparison group and testing season.
Benchmark
A reference point used to identify whether additional support may be needed. Ask which benchmark the school uses and what action follows the result.
Screening and progress monitoring
Screening helps schools identify learning needs. Progress monitoring uses repeated measures to see how a student responds to support. Ask what is being taught between checks.
Growth and achievement
Achievement describes performance at a point in time. Growth describes change across time. A child can show strong growth while still needing support with current learning goals.
Terminology: Renaissance family glossary and NWEA definitions. Report formats and local criteria can vary; ask the school to explain the version you received.
Leave with one next step.
Ask the teacher to identify one useful idea to explore at home. Then choose a model, a real-life example, or a question you can talk through together.
Find a visual model →Start a conversation →A little support, side by side
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