AIMSweb:
Administration and
Scoring of Maze, MCAP, & M-COMP
Presented by Debbie Oliver, RtI Coordinator for
Stanly County Schools
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Reading – MAZE
(Whole
Group Administration)
• Students read the passage silently and choose the
correct words to complete the sentences. (Ex.:
The dog (Apple, broke, ran) after the cat.)
• The exercise is timed. The students have 3
minutes to complete the exercise.
• Don’t confuse the answer sheet with the student
copies. (Answer sheet: The dog (Apple, broke,
ran) after the cat.)
2
Things You Need to do While
Testing
Follow the standardized directions:
• Administer the assessment with consistency
• Remember it’s about testing, not teaching
• Don’t teach or correct
• Don’t practice reading the passages
• Remember Best, not fastest reading
• Administer to the whole group
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R- MAZE Standard Administration
Directions
1. Pass Maze task out to students (cover sheet with example stapled to the front
of the actual passage). Have students write their names on the Cover Sheet
so they do not start early. Make sure they do not turn the page until you tell
them to do so.
2. Say: “When I say ‘Begin,’ I want you to silently read a story. You will have
3 minutes to read the story and complete the task. Listen carefully to
the directions. Some of the words in the story are replaced with a group
of three words. Your job is to circle the one word that makes the most
sense in the story. Only one word is correct.”
3. Say: “Let’s practice one together. Look at the first page. Read the first
sentence silently while I read it out loud: ‘The dog apple, broke, ran after
the cat.’ The three choices are apple, broke, ran. ‘The dog apple after
the cat.’ That sentence does not make sense. ‘The dog broke after the
cat.’ That sentence does not make sense. ‘The dog ran after the cat.’
That sentence does make sense, so circle the word ran.”
4. Make sure the students circle the word “ran”.
4
Administration Directions continued…
5.
Say: “Let’s go to the next sentence. Read it silently while I read
it out loud. ‘The cat ran fast, green, for up the hill.’ The three
choices are fast, green, for. Which word is the correct word for
that sentence?” (Call on a student or ask the whole group for the
answer.)
6.
Say: “Yes, ‘The cat ran fast up the hill’ is correct, so circle the
word fast.” (Make sure the students circle fast.)
7.
Say: “Silently read the next sentence & raise your hand when
you think you know the answer.” (Make sure the students know
the correct word.)
8.
Say: “That’s right, ‘The dog baked at the cat’ is correct. Now
what do you do when you choose the correct word?” (Students
will answer, “Circle it.” Make sure they understand task.)
9.
Say: “That’s correct, you circle it. I think you’re ready to work
on a story of your own.”
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Administration Directions continued
10. START TESTING – Say, “When I say ‘Begin’, turn to the first story
and start reading silently. When you come to a group of three
words, circle the one word that makes the most sense. Work as
quickly as you can without making mistakes. If you finish the first
side, turn the page and keep working until I say ‘Stop’ or you are
all done. Do you have any questions?” (Answer student questions)
11.
Say, “Begin.” Start your stop watch.
12.
Monitor students to make sure they understand that they are to circle
only one word. If a student finishes before the time limit, collect the
Maze task and record the time on the student’s test booklet.
13.
At the end of 3 minutes, say: “Stop. Put your pencils down. Please
close your booklet.”
14.
Collect the Maze tasks.
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MAZE Administration Directions for
Older Students

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After the students put their name on the cover sheet, start the testing by
saying… “When I say ‘Begin’, turn to the first story & start reading
silently. When you come to a group of three words, circle the one
word that makes the most sense. Work as quickly as you can
without making mistakes. If you finish the first side, turn the page
and keep working until I say ‘Stop’ or you are all done. Do you have
any questions?” (Answer student questions.)
Say: “Begin.” Start your stop watch.
Monitor students to make sure they understand that they are to circle
only one word.
If a student finishes before the time limit, collect the student’s MAZE task
and record the time on the student’s test booklet.
At the end of 3 minutes say, “Stop. Put your pencils down. Please
close your booklet.”
Collect the Maze tasks.
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Items to Remember
• Staple the cover sheet that includes the practice test
so that students don’t begin the test right away.
• Do a simple practice test before beginning with
younger students.
• Monitor that students are circling answers instead of
writing them.
• Interruptions – If something disrupts testing (bells,
dropped passages, mistiming), discard the Maze
passage and administer another.
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What is Correct?
• An answer is considered correct if
the student circles the word that
matches the correct word on the
scoring template!
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What is Incorrect?
An answer is considered an error if the student:
•
Circles an incorrect word.
•
Omits word selections other than those the
student was unable to complete before the 3
minutes expired.
•
Circles more than one word.
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Calculating and Reporting MAZE
Scores
1.
Use the answer key and check the passage. Put a slash (/) through
incorrect words.
2.
Count the total number of correct choices up to the last circled word.
3.
Count the total number of errors.
4.
Subtract the number of errors from the total number of items attempted.
5.
Record the total number of correct answers on the cover sheet followed by
the total number of errors (e.g., 35/2, 45/0).
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Math- CAP (Concepts &
Applications)
 Students
complete word problems.
 The M-CAP is given to the whole
group.
 The test is timed:
 Grades 2-6 (8-minutes)
 Grades 7-8 (10-minutes)
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M-CAP Standard Administration
Directions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Say: “We’re going to take an 8-minute math test.” (10minute for 7th/8th grade).
Say: “Read the problems carefully and work each problem
in the order presented. Do not skip around.”
Say: “If you do not know how to work a problem, mark it
with an ‘X’ and move on. Once you have tried all of the
problems in order, you may go back to the beginning of
the worksheet and try to complete the problems you
marked.”
Say: “Write the answers to the problems in the blanks.
For multiple choice questions, place the letter (A, B, or C)
of the correct answers in the blank. You do not have to
show your work, but you may if that is helpful for you in
working the problems. Keep working until you have
completed all of the problems or I tell you to stop. Do you
have any questions?” (Answer questions)
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M-CAP Standard Administration
Directions
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Hand out the probes and say: “Here are your tests. Put
your name, your teacher’s name, and the date on each
page in the space provided. Do not start working until I tell
you to begin.” (Allow them time to write their information on
the probe.)
Say: “Begin.”
If a student asks a question or requests clarification, redirect
him to the probe and say: “Read the directions again, and
work the problem the best you can. If you still do not
understand the problem or are unable to work it, you may
move to the next question.”
When the appropriate time has elapsed (8 min. for 2-6; 10 min.
for 7-8), say: “Stop and put down your pencil.” If student
continues to work, restate: “Stop working now and put
down your pencil.”
Collect the probe and proceed to scoring.
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M-CAP Scoring
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Each problem either receives full credit or no credit.
Be sure to use the scoring key and total the points at
the bottom.
Monitor students closely to make sure they are
working the problems in order and not skipping
around.
Although alternative acceptable responses are given
in the Answer Key for many items, credit may be given
for a clearly correct response conveyed in a manner
other than the one indicated; this is where the
examiner must rely on best practices and professional
judgment.
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Math Computation –
M-COMP
• M-COMP
is administered to the whole group.
• Students should have an M-COMP probe and
pencil.
• Consider arranging desks in a manner to
minimize the temptation to cheat or use folders to
block the view.
• This exercise is timed:
• Grades 1-8 (8 minutes)
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Important Reminders….

M-COMP is not a teaching tool. Teachers
CANNOT give M-COMP probes as “practice”
tests or worksheets in order to teach the
material or prepare students for testing.
 M-COMP is timed (8 minutes for all grades) –
Changes in the administration time (ex: from 8
to 10 minutes or 8 to 5 minutes) of probes
violate the standardized procedure and
invalidate the students’ scores on that probe.
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M-COMP Total Point Value by
Grade
Grade
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Maximum Points
48
50
68
73
76
74
70
80
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Math Computation (M- CBM)
Administration Directions…..
1.
Students should have a pencil and cover sheet.
2.
Say: “We’re going to take an 8 minute math test. Read the
problems carefully and work each problem in the order presented,
starting at the first problem on the page and working across the
page from left to right. Do NOT skip around.
If you do not understand how to do a problem, mark it with an X
and move on. Once you have tried all of the problems in order,
you may go back to the beginning of the worksheet and try to
complete the problems you marked.
Although you may show your work and use scratch paper if that
is helpful for you in working the problems, you may not use
calculators or any other aids.
Keep working until you have completed all of the problems or I
tell you to stop.
Do you have any questions? (Answer questions & distribute probes.)
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Here are your tests. Put your name, your teacher’s name, and the
date on each page in the space provided, then turn over the test
(face-down). Do not turn the test back over or start working until I
tell you to begin. (Allow time to write their info. on the probe.)
Begin.
If a student asks a question or requests clarification, redirect him or her
to the probe and say: Read the directions again, and work the
problem as best you can. If you still do not understand the
problem or are unable to work it, you may move on to the next
question.
If you see a student is skipping ahead without attempting each item,
provide the following direction: Try to work each problem. Do not
skip around.
When the 8 minutes have elapsed, say: Stop and put down your
pencil.
If student continues to work, restate: Stop working now and put down
your pencil.
Collect probes & proceed to scoring.
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Scoring the Math- CBM
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The students no longer get credit for correct digits. They either get
the problem correct or they do not.
If the student shows his work, but then crossed or
“X”-ed out the problem without placing the answer in the blank, the
item is incorrect and he/she receives no credit.
If the student shows his work, but then crossed or “X”-ed out the
problem, then returned to the item and placed the correct answer in
the blank, the item is correct and receives credit.
Do not accept illegible answers, reversed numbers, or rotated
numbers in answers. (If the number itself is reversed (backward 7),
but the digit the student intended is obvious, score it as correct.)
If a student spells out the answer (ex: writes “three”), you may give
credit. If the answer is 2.5 and the student writes, two point five, you
may give credit. However, if he writes two dollars and fifty cents, the
answer is incorrect.
Use Answer Key for quick scoring (New Answer Key is in the same
format as the M-CAP.) Scoring assigns a point value based on difficulty
to each item.
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Scoring the Math- CBM

Scoring for grades 1-3 is straightforward. The
problems are basic computation & numbersense questions. There is not much variability
between what is correct and incorrect.
 At grade 4, computation with fractions and
decimals are present. It is here that some
ambiguity begins to present itself.
 Credit may be given for a clearly correct
response conveyed in a manner other than
the one indicated (rely on best practices and
professional judgment).
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Targeted Answer in Directions
If students add the $ symbol to items that
require addition or subtraction of
decimals, but the answer is correct –
give them credit.
 When a specific type of target answer is
required (ex: improper fraction or a
mixed number), that target is requested
in the directions. Student answer must
be written in the form requested.

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Questions?
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