NWEA Maps Assessment Concern

A Concerned Diocesan Parishioner recently emailed Birmingham Diocesan Watch (BDW) regarding possible gender identity problems with testing in our diocesan Catholic schools. The MAP student assessment and analysis tool from NWEA, which allows teachers to accurately assess the progress of a student’s learning and create a plan forward for their education growth, is now offering a gender X option as part of their assessment diagnostics, which has caused readers to worry that gender identity agendas may be added to the curriculum or testing assessments.

BDW began investigating this issue and determined that the school superintendent of the Birmingham Diocese is aware of this problem with the NWEA MAP assessment tools, and that each school using this assessment has been notified. Furthermore, a Diocesan teacher has confirmed that each school has the option to decline the gender X designation and that curriculum and training materials have been thoroughly examined to determine that no gender identity agendas are being slipped into the material at this time. Teachers and administrators throughout the diocese will continue to monitor these assessments to ensure that this precedent continues. The NWEA MAP assessment is currently the most comprehensive and useful tool for analyzing students’ progress, so many schools continue to use the program with heightened monitoring of the test material.

We commend the Diocese of Birmingham for their vigilance and for handling this potential danger with heightened scrutiny. Our hope is that the other dioceses also remain aware of the potential gender identity agenda in these materials. We ask that our readers bring any concerns they have regarding this assessment or any other classroom issues to our attention by emailing BirminghamFaithful@gmail.com.  As always, BDW maintains the strictest confidentiality.