Imagine+ Math offers several assessment and placement options to ensure students receive the right pathway and level of support, starting with a default experience that keeps everyone engaged in rigorous, on-grade learning from day one. All K–5 students begin in the Math Mastery pathway by default, and educators may receive data-driven recommendations to switch select students to Math Builder when appropriate. Educators can also place students manually and start instruction immediately.
Assessments determine each student's assessed grade level overall (and by domain when available), which informs both pathway recommendations (Mastery vs. Builder) and content personalization within the selected pathway.
Note
Imagine+ Math is currently available for grades K–5. All students begin in the Math Mastery pathway by default, with recommendations to switch to Math Builder generated after assessments when criteria are met.
Organizations using Imagine+ Math can choose among 3 assessment options to power pathway recommendations and growth monitoring:
District Administrators select the assessment option in collaboration with their Customer Success Manager during implementation planning. Assessment data informs optimal student pathway assignment and enables ongoing growth tracking, but manual placement is possible if no assessment data is available or if classroom observations suggest alternate needs.
Imagine Learning recommends administering assessments 3-4 times a year with around 45 days between windows to allow measurable growth and opportunities to refine pathway assignments as the year progresses.
Notes
- Students are assigned to Math Mastery and can begin working in Imagine+ Math right away once rostered. Assessment results help optimize and personalize pathway assignment, but are not required for students to start using the program.
- Some districts use different assessment providers for different grade levels or schools, but this cannot be configured on a student-by-student basis.
- Switching assessment type mid-year is strongly discouraged. Each assessment type uses its own scoring system, so growth calculations will not be accurate if switching occurs.
Imagine+ Diagnostic
| Description | Additional Information | Recommended for: |
|---|---|---|
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The Imagine+ Diagnostic is a computer-adaptive assessment that integrates seamlessly with Imagine+ Math and provides enhanced personalization capabilities. The assessment offers comprehensive Spanish support and centralized scheduling and reporting. |
Students complete assessments through the Imagine+ Assessment program. The assessment provides both overall grade-level placement and domain-specific scores for detailed pathway personalization. Enhanced Spanish support: Spanish Math is available for grades K–12 (trans-adapted version), ensuring accurate measurement of Spanish-speaking students' mathematical capabilities. Flexible scheduling: Administrators use the Flexible Scheduler in Imagine+ Assessment to schedule 1–4 assessments throughout the year. There are no required gaps between testing windows, and windows can overlap based on district needs. Note We recommend waiting at least 45 days between assessments to allow sufficient time for students to demonstrate measurable growth. |
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NWEA MAP Growth Assessment
| Description | Additional Information | Recommended for: |
|---|---|---|
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The NWEA MAP Growth Assessment is a computer-adaptive third-party assessment that measures what students know, how they are growing academically, and what they are ready to learn next. Students in the same grade level receive different questions based on their performance. |
Students take the NWEA MAP Growth Assessments through NWEA; scores sync automatically with Imagine+ Math via the NWEA ID number in each student's profile. Students' MAP scores (RIT scores and Quantiles for Math) are available for educators to view by logging into the NWEA portal. The testing windows are up to 4 times a year; the schedule is determined by your organization:
Note NWEA integration requires rostering setup and should be coordinated with your Imagine Learning Account Executive. |
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Renaissance Star Assessment
| Description | Additional Information | Recommended for: |
|---|---|---|
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The Renaissance Star Assessment is a fixed-form assessment that measures student mastery of grade-level mathematical content. All students in the same grade level respond to the same set of test items, providing consistent measurement across classrooms and schools. |
Students take the Renaissance Star Assessments through Renaissance; scores sync automatically with Imagine+ Math via the Renaissance ID number in each student's profile. Students' Star scores are available for educators to view by logging into the Renaissance portal after students have taken at least 2 assessments. Testing occurs up to 3 times a year, with schedules determined by your organization. Note Renaissance integration requires rostering setup and should be coordinated with your Imagine Learning Account Executive. |
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Assessment comparison summary
| Feature | Imagine+ Diagnostic | NWEA MAP Growth | Renaissance Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Built-in, adaptive | Third-party, adaptive | Third-party, fixed-form |
| Access Platform | Imagine+ Assessment | NWEA platform | Renaissance platform |
| Testing Windows | Flexible scheduling (1-4 assessments) | 4 default windows (defined by NWEA) | Up to 3 times per year |
| Spanish Support | Complete trans-adapted version K–12 | English only | English only |
| Domain Scores | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pathway Placement | Domain-level personalization | Domain-level personalization | Overall grade-level placement |
Recommendation
We recommend the Imagine+ Diagnostic for its seamless integration, enhanced Spanish language support, flexible scheduling, and comprehensive domain-level reporting capabilities.
Overview of pathway assignment options
Imagine+ Math offers several methods for assigning students to appropriate pathways:
Automatic Math Mastery pathway assignment
All K–5 students begin in the Math Mastery pathway. After completing assessments, educators receive recommendations for students who might benefit from switching to the Math Builder pathway based on the following criteria:
- Students performing 2 or more grade levels below their rostered grade
- Students performing 1 or more grade levels above their rostered grade
The following assessments can be used for pathway recommendations:
- Imagine+ Diagnostic: Provides domain-specific scores for detailed pathway personalization and learning path customization within each pathway.
- NWEA MAP Growth: Provides domain-specific scores similar to the Imagine+ Diagnostic, allowing for detailed pathway recommendations. (Requires integration)
- Renaissance Star: Provides overall grade-level placement for pathway recommendations without domain-specific data. (Requires integration)
Manual pathway assignment
Teachers and Administrators can manually assign students to the Math Builder pathway when:
- Assessment results do not accurately reflect a student's abilities based on classroom observations
- New students join during the school year without recent assessment data
- Alternative data from classroom performance suggests different pathway needs
Pathway switching throughout the year
Educators maintain control over pathway changes throughout the year. After completing additional assessments during the school year, educators receive recommendations for students who might benefit from switching pathways. However, frequent pathway changes are not recommended for the sake of stability for the student. Instead of switching pathways multiple times, consider using the Assignment Builder to provide targeted support through customized assignments for intervention or enrichment.
Important
When pathway changes are made, inform students about the change, especially if they are in the middle of a lesson. Manual pathway adjustments may be overridden by future assessment results if they yield different placement recommendations.
Understanding the two pathways
| Pathway | Purpose | Target Students | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math Mastery | Rigorous, structured practice toward grade-level mastery | Students at grade level or 1 grade level below | Grade-level standards alignment, procedural fluency focus, embedded Mastery Checks |
| Math Builder | Targeted skill development and enrichment | Students 2+ grades below or 1+ grades above rostered grade | Essential skills prioritization, explicit video instruction, age-appropriate presentation |