The students of Alliance High School are now taking the maps test three times a year instead of twice. Mr. Stein says that there are two main points to taking the tests three times. The first point is to get students more comfortable taking standardized tests. This is also to help when Juniors take the ACTs and score higher with a lowered amount of stress. The second reason is to examine the curriculum and how the students are being taught. The third test is also to see where students are at on what they are learning and to make sure that they are learning things in a timely manner. With the strengths and weaknesses brought to light by the test, it gives the teachers and the students an area to improve on. Mr. Stein knows that this can be hard on some students but if the test scores are increasing there will be a chance that the students may not need to take the third test.

From the students point of view, it is a bit different. The majority of students disagree with taking the third MAPS Test. There are a few students who do see how the third MAPS Test can help students but it is still found as tiring and stressful. There is also the struggle of how some of the test problems on the MAPS Test can have no relation to what we are learning in our classes and that makes it difficult for students.