Gifted Program Testing - how much to push?

[belovedgandp]

DS1 is in third grade and just completed his evaluation for our public school district's gifted program. This is kind of the normal time to do this. A few exceptional kids will test at the end of second grade, but doing it in third grade for fourth and fifth grade elementary enrichment is the norm. There is one child in his grade (out of 100) already in the program. I think two or three others were tested at the same time he was.

Starting with his first grade teacher I was told to have our gifted program on the radar. I think he's a bright boy and in many ways intelligent beyond book smart. But I'm not around a lot of 9 year olds and don't have any comparison.

There are two tests he completed. He needed to be in at least the 97th on one and 98th percentile on the other one. He scored at the 96th and 97th respectively.

My heart says it wasn't his best testing days. They had to rush it in because of all our snow days and I know he was tired from other things the days they pulled him out. But do I have 100% confidence he would score better, no. I'm 50/50 in my gut on that.

I do not think I will push to do a re-test right now before the end of this school year. The gifted teacher, school psych and classroom teacher all reiterated how disappointed they were, but didn't give the impression there was any wiggle room on those numbers. In the flow of things I'm sure we could do it again next year, but I'm not sure if I want to.

The gifted program in our district is home school based; for 4th and 5th grade he would get pulled out to do enrichment activities with a woman who is fabulous. By middle school it is its own course but there are lots of other courses to offer enrichment also. Even more so by high school. An added resource, kind of a dedicated guidance counselor but no access to courses or materials that everyone could not be in if desired.

DS knows that the kids that go to this class get to play with fun things - games, robotics, circuits, that kind of stuff. While it would have been fun for him. I do not think this is make it or break it for his education. He's a smart kid that never causes trouble. He reads when he finishes early, doesn't bother his classmates, all those things that you stereo typically hear. He is a teacher pleaser and will continue to do good work on his own.

We will continue to offer him lots of enrichment at home. Half the reasons he loves the gifted teacher's office is because it has things we have at the house also (Snap Circuits, Mindstorms, logic games). The school will have other enrichment things he can do, but not during the school day. I can and will get him to those after school. Fortunately I have the ability to and probably would have even if he had tested into the program. But I hate feeling forced to utilize these only.

This is way long, but I'm just looking for some feedback. Do I push to test again in fourth grade? That would give him a year in elementary school and the option for middle school. Just let it drop completely? I can't decide how much of this is my pride or hurting for my kid.

[westwoodmom04]

Maybe just see how you and he feel in a year? Making the determination based on one or two tests seems crazy to me; I'm sorry that your school system goes that route. Our system keeps a file on each kid starting in kindy and doesn't officially create a G&T track until third grade (and kids may be on this track just for reading or just math), but ability level tracking for reading starts in first. It also isn't really G&T, just advanced coursework.

Is it worth having a discussion with the teacher whether there is a way he could get in with his current scores?

[elektra]

Is it all just based on the test scores? I know for our GATE, the teacher has some say too. I imagine they do that for just this type of situation- where they strongly feel that a one-day test didn't end up with the complete picture.
I would ask about the exact acceptance criteria.

[mum-to-be]

How do I learn about these programs? I don't think our school has one.

Also, what is the cost for having the assessment done and is there a national company people use?

[SnuggleBuggles]

My ds1 has just missed the cut off too. They are super strict about not retesting him till a whole year has passed. He will be retested in May. It's very likely that your school will not allow him to be retested but you could go somewhere to have it independently done in some school districts.

[SnuggleBuggles]

How do I learn about these programs? I don't think our school has one.

Also, what is the cost for having the assessment done and is there a national company people use?

The school does it for free here. Ds1 is at a charter school and we could even go through the school district for extra free testing if we choose.

[goldenpig]

Is it all just based on the test scores? I know for our GATE, the teacher has some say too. I imagine they do that for just this type of situation- where they strongly feel that a one-day test didn't end up with the complete picture.
I would ask about the exact acceptance criteria.

:yeahthat:
I agree, if his teachers felt strongly he should be in GATE I would ask them if there is a way to have their input considered, esp since the test scores were only one point off. If not, I would try testing again next year. It seems a shame to let test scores from one off day be the only determining factor. Sounds like he'll do well either way, but it's good to have some options. I would ask his teachers for advice.

[cmo]

If your district in anything like ours, there is little you can do. The gifted teachers in your school are likely bound by district-wide protocol, both in testing and scores to gain admittance. I do know that our district will accept outside testing (i.e. an IQ test administered by a psychologist), but only for one of the qualifying areas.

It's worth asking, though, especially since your son was SO close in his scores!

[ahisma]

Given that he was so close, I'd retest if the teachers / advisors recommend it. From your OP, I'm not sure if they do or not.

I missed a similar test as a kid, and was retested. At the time, the district (Fairfax County) required that you retest using a different form of the test so I did an oral test. I passed that with flying colors and did get the placement (in that situation, it was an entirely different building)

That said, I think you need to consider how it will impact him as well. I generally avoid these tests like the plague and have already informed DS's teachers that he is not to be tested as it really offers nothing in his district and doesn't pass the balancing test IMO. I grew up knowing far too much about my results and the implications of them - in fact we all knew each others' results. I'm sure that isn't your approach - but does he know what the tests are? If so, what is his outlook? Is he feeling rejected? Does he seem to have a preference for how to proceed?

My girlfriend handled testing pretty well IMO. She told her DD that she was volunteering for a research gig to evaluate how kids' brains worked. Her DH is a prof and her DD took it all in stride, never guessing what the true intent was.

[Binkandabee]

I think I would wait a year and test him again. What happens if he misses the mark again? I think that feeling of failure/disappointing you would do way more harm than not participating in the program for a year.

FWIW, I too missed the GATE program by a point....and I remember it to this day. Would have been completely devastating to miss it twice in a row in the same year. My mom never had me retested.

[kellij]

I would talk to his teacher and the gifted teacher and ask what they think.

My DS is in the gifted program, and so I wanted my dd to take the test (in 1st grade), and she didn't make it in. She thought she did really well and was disappointed when she didn't get to be in the class. In hindsight, I wish she hadn't taken the test because I know she feels sad that she's not in it. It was the teacher's suggestion that my DS take the test, but it was my idea for my DD. I think teachers have a good idea about who will end up in the program, so it's a great idea to see what they have to say.

For what it's worth, I missed it by one point when I was a kid and my brother was in it. It didn't matter to me and I just took advanced classes as soon as they were offered. So I agree with you, that sometimes how they feel about it is a reflection of how we feel about it.

[stefani]

You could try talking with his teacher, but here usually they just test again in a year.

I usually try to make light of such things so that DS doesn't have expectations of making it. I just say: "Just do your best and just see".

[belovedgandp]

The classroom teacher definitely recommended him for testing. She kind of joked about having a good "batting average" for knowing which kids will qualify and which ones will not. I would not push to immediately test now. I definitely got the impression that without any other outside factors (severe testing anxiety, classroom behavior issues) the two raw scores were all they would consider.

DS was quite accepting of the results. He knew he had tried and felt good about how he did at the time. He talked about it a bit on the days they'd pulled him out. He thought it was cool some of the questions he did know since it was presented to him as knowledge from where he is now up through high school.

DH is the one who told him that his score wasn't quite high enough, but that he can test again next year and that he can try again next year. That seems to have set well with DS.

I too remember not making the cut in 5th grade and being retested in 7th to then make it. But by then the program was such a pain. I had to bused to another school which is not cool being the only one leaving your friends in middle school that I quite after less than a calendar year.

I probably am more uptight about it than I realize. Trying not to project that on my kiddo. I was such a perfectionist child and he is easy going in those ways that I am not and I want to encourage that.

[crayonblue]

Hi, last year my daughter was tested and scored a 97. She needed a 98. I got all flustered and called her teacher and the school district GATE person and was told by both, don't worry, she will be identified at the beginning of 3rd grade. Sure, enough, she was.

I'm sure that last paragraph made me sound like one of those crazed parents who go haywire about GATE but really, my DD needs it. She is bored in school and needs to be challenged. I wish that schools took gifted students' needs as seriously as other needs.