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Hi..
As some of you know we had our prek 5 year old son tested to skip kindergarten. The results are in.. he scored a 174 in math (91st percentile for spring) and a 164 in reading (79% for spring). He needed 90 in both. I knew reading would be what held him back. I am impressed by his scores math in the 99% and reading is 97% for fall kindergarten. Now for all you experts... what should I be asking for since he wont be in first grade next year and gifted doesn't start until 2nd grade.

Thanks
Sheila

Since he made it for math, would they consider subject acceleration- 1st grade for math?

That would be my first instinct.

Julie

I'm nowhere close to an expert... Just a mom

Julie

Sheila,
Pat,pat...

This is so hard to figure out, because you don't know if these percentages are national or local. And if they are national, how do the kids in his classroom compare? Are there a few others entering K like him, or are the kids who are finishing K with scores like that rare?

I love the idea about asking for 1st grade math, unless they can show you 2 other kids who also are starting K with 99% math and promise to cluster them together and give them harder work...

Hummm -- can you get them to agree to retest reading under the same conditions about mid-August? I'm not suggesting that you hothouse, it's more that gifted kids DO often leap forward.

BTW - are you saying that your son would be the same as the 79% in reading as kids doing their Spring testing at the end of Kindy?
It seems to me that the bar is set too high. If you are going to compare him to kids a year ahead, I'd take the average of th 79% and the 91% to get about 85% and say that that is high enough...I mean, if a Kindy kid finished reading at 79% would they be happy or consider holding him back?

To me, if he was over 90% in both, compared to local 'end of kindy' kids, then a skip into 2nd should be looked at. I mean, the idea is to have peers in his classroom, and how many peers would he have if he had scored over 90% on both? If the answer is '1 or 2' then I'd still be asking for more. If it's 3 or 4, well then they have a point.

Best Wishes,
Grinity



Best Wishes,
Grinity

Grinity,
Yes those are the score for spring of kindy.
I have to think they are national based on the report I am looking at. There is nothing listed under the district heading. For math i=under the norm group average it states 158 and reading 156. Now looking at dd's report from winter, our district tends to score higher then the norm group but only by 1 or 2 points (first grade report).
also looking at her report from fall the average first grader in district scores math 163 (winter 170) and reading 161 (winter 172). wow glad I had her MAP scores handy lol. I didn't look at those numbers earlier.
The 90th percentile number is set by the district. I don't think I can challenge the letter I received ... although I saw this on the website *Decisions regarding eligibility for Early Entrance to First Grade will be made by a team consisting of a school psychologist, the school principal and a district administrator. This decision is final.* So now I wonder if I can keep trying. I will ask if they can do the IQ testing (wisc-iv) now intead of waiting until 2nd grade if that will help (or if I can pay for them to administer it.. thinking it may cost less this way). This bothers me as well...

Q. Can I place my child in District XX kindergarten and then request my child be advanced to first grade after he starts school since my child completed a non-public kindergarten program?

A. No. To enter first grade a child must meet the age requirement of turning 6 on or before September 1 or meet the early entrance criteria for first grade.


HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let me just add... the early entrance isn't something they make easy to find. I don't believe any others were tested at our school. The school secretaries were surprised we were testing at the school. They thought it would happen somewhere else.

Of course you can keep trying. You may not get what you are asking for, but if you keep saying, calmly and confidently, "His scores are saying that he'll still be at the top of quarter of entering first graders when he starts kindy, so that will give him a chance to develop good work ethic, which is our goal." Even if you don't get the skip now, you might get:

1) Math subject acceleration
2) August Retest
3) Free WISC (don't offer to pay - tell them you appreciate that they are being so careful, and that given how close the MAP testing was, they should keep being careful and test as soon as he turns 6.

Best Wishs,
Grinity

I would ask for a meeting to discuss his scores and plan for the fall. I'd see what they're willing to offer and would ask for subject acceleration in math if they don't bring it up. I'd also bring DH to the meeting. Good luck!

I am gathering my thoughts for our meeting on Tuesday...
A local gifted school will test him (whether we decide to send him there or not.... like we can afford $18,000 per year) for $450. I plan on calling them on Monday to see what they have to say.

do you think he is too old for WPPSI-3 or should we wait until December (he will be 6 on November 30th) to have him take the WISC-IV