Math Diagnostic Testing Project

NOTE: The MDTP Online Testing Platform is only available Mon-Fri from 7am-5:30 pm (Pacific Standard Time)

MDTP (Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project)

A free diagnostic tool designed to support secondary mathematics programs in California schools

MDTP is an intersegmental statewide funded by the California State University, University of California, and The California Academic Partnership Program. The program develops, distributes, scores, and reports the results of tests that measure student readiness for mathematics courses ranging from pre-algebra to calculus.

MDTP grade-level and course-level diagnostic assessments are designed to measure students' mathematical preparation in foundational topics of the course students are entering, and/or to inform students' preparation for the mathematical content in the course they are promoting to. The diagnostic results should be used formatively to understand students' strengths and areas of unfinished learning, inform instruction and potential interventions, evaluate course readiness, measure program growth, and identify appropriate professional learning. MDTP tests can be administered any time throughout the school year and are available in both paper form and on the MDTP Online Testing platform.

MDTP diagnostic readiness tests are used formatively in classrooms, departments, and schools to promote and support student readiness and success in college mathematics courses.

Teachers use MDTP diagnostic tests to inform and enhance their classroom teaching practices.
Departments and schools use MDTP diagnostic tests to collectively shape instruction, assessment, support and intervention, and policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which MDTP test should I administer?

Please use this URL to view the list of grade-level assessments of preparedness and course-level readiness tests: https://mdtp.ucsd.edu/assessments/readiness-tests.html

When should I administer the test(s)?

Teachers often administer tests near the beginning of the course to help identify curriculum areas that need review, during courses to measure growth from the beginning of the year, and/or near the end of the course to help students prepare for the next mathematics course

How do I order testing materials?

Visit the main site and submit the form online, or call our office and someone will help you with your order (530) 754-9504

Is there a cost to use MDTP testing materials?

MDTP provides online testing and paper testing and services to California secondary educators free of charge.

How long does it take to process an order for online testing access or paper testing?

Per the conditions of the CSU/UC MDTP agreement, we do our best to process all orders usually within two days of receipt of requests. For online testing, educators generally receive full access within 48 hours after the office receives the online request. *Note: all rosters now need to be downloaded through the online platform and then scanned back into the site, the green scantrons and brown classroom sheets are no longer used. If you are unable to print rosters at your respective site, the UCD office can assist with that. Please take into consideration weekends and holidays when ordering materials to be shipped out and returned to your respective sites.

Do you offer testing materials for non-English speakers?

Yes! We offer several tests in Spanish: pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and second-year algebra readiness. Spanish versions are available online and in paper tests.

How long does it take to receive the test results?

Online testing results are immediate. For paper testing, per the conditions of the CSU/UC MDTP agreement, our office strives to have test results available within two days of receipt of uploaded answer sheets. Also please factor in weekends and holidays when anticipating turn-around times.

Does my county work with the UC Davis MDTP site?

The UC Davis site works with schools in the following counties:

Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba

If you do not see your school's county on this list, please visit http://mdtp.ucsd.edu/k12-users/regional-sites.html.

Is the MDTP test helpful with changes to the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics?

Yes! MDTP began developing readiness tests aligned to the new California Common Core Standards for Mathematics in 2013. All of the tests are now aligned to the State Standards for Mathematics which are defined by the Mathematics Framework for California Schools.. If you would like to participate please contact [email protected]

Helpful Documents:

Documents

Understanding MDTP Readiness and 9th Grade Assessments

Six Guidelines to Inform Next-Course Enrollment Options

Test Results

Schools should help students interpret their individual test results in ways that best meet the students’ needs. In particular, each K-12 student who takes an MDTP test should be provided with a copy of the student letter that indicates the student’s score and identifies those topics in which more work is needed. Students whose test results indicate readiness for a mathematics course should be encouraged to pursue their mathematics education. They should also be cautioned that success in a course requires good study habits and persistence. Students whose test results indicate inadequate preparation for a particular course should be advised to develop readiness for that course either by individual study or enrollment in a course that will prepare them for it. They should not be counseled out of mathematics.

Since MDTP tests are designed to measure students’ grade-level preparedness for math expectations in the grade-level course they are entering or course-level readiness for the topics of course they are entering, MDTP does not provide scaling of scores. Raw scores and overall topic scores can be used for reporting to students and when used as one measure to inform enrollment course options. MDTP provides several guidelines for using diagnostic results to inform appropriate next-course options.

The UC Davis site serves the following counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba. If you do not see your school’s county on this list, please visit http://mdtp.ucsd.edu/k12-users/regional-sites.html

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