The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments evaluate students’ progress toward the Missouri Learning Standards. EOC Assessments provide important information that contributes to decisions concerning individual students, groups of students, and educational programs. EOC Assessments are taken when a student has received instruction on the Missouri Learning Standards for an assessment, regardless of grade level. Missouri offers nine EOC assessments, four of which are required at the state level. Districts must ensure that students complete EOC assessments in Algebra I, English II, Biology, and Government prior to high school graduation. For students who complete the Algebra I EOC assessment prior to high school, Algebra II is the required high school mathematics assessment for accountability purposes. Districts may also give EOCs in Algebra II, American History, English I, Geometry and Physical Science for local purposes. A policy statement, adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education, designated the purposes of the Missouri Assessment Program as: 1) Improving students’ acquisition of important knowledge, skills and competencies; 2) Monitoring the performance of Missouri’s education system; 3) Empowering students and their families to improve their educational prospects; and 4) Supporting the teaching and learning process. The effectiveness of an assessment program depends on the wise choice of assessment methods, appropriate administration procedures and accurate interpretation of results. The EOC Assessments include multiple types of questions or items: 1) Selected Response (also known as multiple choice) items are composed of a question followed by a series of possible responses. Students must select the correct response or responses. 2) Performance Tasks/Events allow students to work through more complicated items using real-world scenarios. Your child’s Individual Student Report (ISR), includes an Achievement Level, which will describe his or her performance as Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, or Advanced. The report will also include a short description of the knowledge and skills that are typically demonstrated by students in each Achievement Level. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) publishes a Guide to Interpreting Results (GIR) that provides additional details about the content of the Individual Student Reports. The GIR is available on the DESE website at: http://dese.mo.gov/college-careerreadiness/assessment/end-course