Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Have test results - had meeting with school pg3

An update of sorts. I called the district coordinator for the G&T program. The schools offer the Cogat in September for qualification purposes for the program, in addition to filling out an application and getting recommendations from teachers. I wanted to know if my dd didn't take the Cogat if that would affect her ability to get into the program on her WISC-IV from the private psychologist alone. The coordinator asked if she was near the 130 mark and when I told her the score she was pretty much speechless and said I need to call N**** at our school who is in charge of making sure kids' needs are being met and meet with her regarding my dd's score and she even said that sometimes a grade skip is warranted. I still don't know how I feel about that, especially since we have no achievement scores to see where she stands at the moment. I have really done very little with her at home. Everything is at her will/pace and decides on her own what she wants to do. So while she has done some advanced math I just don't really know what she is capable of. I do feel, however, that if she were instructed in a classroom at a faster pace and higher level she would pick it up very quickly.

While I'm very happy with her strengths and abilities I can't help but feel overwhelmed. My older dd who is 9 is dyslexic and I have been battling the school for months to get her an IEP or 504 and they have refused. My focus and energy has been on advocating for her. I just thought younger dd was a walk in the park, MG or very bright and schooling options wouldn't be an issue or cause for concern. Now I'm realizing she has been "dumbing" herself down to fit in and not striving for her potential and we have been seeing the aftermath of her frustrations at home in the form of temper tantrums and possibly her night terrors and sleepwalking.

So my plan now is to schedule a meeting with N***, dd#2's teacher, and whoever they feel should be present to just go over the psychologists report, recommendations, and dd's strengths and weaknesses. Maybe their opinion on going to 2nd grade for math will change after seeing the report.

I think that's what was done. Is there any way to tell how far above 19 she scored? Or are the raw scores the only way to know?

We are at a small magnet school so they don't have a lot of staff in the school. There is a psychologist who is there 1 day a week. And I have little faith in the learning specialist as she has no clue as to how to help my older dd who has dyslexia.

When older dd was diagnosed with dyslexia by the children's hospital the school did their own testing in addition to the report by children's. They decided that dd didn't qualify for an IEP or 504 and pretty much disregarded children's diagnosis and report. The psychologist (no longer at the school this year thank goodness... she actually rolled her eyes at the meeting we had last spring) didn't have any concerns about her subtest discrepancies or lower score compared to the WISC-IV she had done 2 years prior. I personally have no faith in them testing any of my children at this point and I will refuse to let them test dd #2. If they insist on achievement testing I will return to the psychologist who tested dd#2 privately. She is far more experienced with gifted children (worked in the school district as the G&T coordinator/psychologist for 15+ years).

I don't have the raw scores. Is it common for parents to ask for them?

You are right and in the psychologist's report she actually recommends avoiding repetitive worksheets and 'busy work'.

I believe the GAI can't be calculated due to the large discrepancy between the VCI and PRI, but this is all very new to me so I could be wrong. Perhaps somebody else more knowledgeable with the WISC can chime in on this to verify.

I agree with Dottie. Is there a way you can have an achievement test done like the WJ?

We had DS4 tested this past summer and while we did get a PG result from testing it is the ACHIEVEMENT scores that I feel are the most valuable for me to be able to advocate for him in school and try to make the right decisions.

Thank you so much for figuring that out for me the best you could. So if I ask the psychologist for the raw scores in those subtests it will tell me how far above 19 she went? I'm curious to know where those 10 or 11 points came from.

So does this mean her actual iq is 141 or is it still 149?

And thank you for letting me know about the test order, so I'm nearly certain her lower VCI has nothing to do with shyness.

I think you guys are right about achievement testing being important in advocating for subject acceleration. I'm thinking she wouldn't be as advanced in achievement testing as she is with her IQ score. We really don't do any enrichment or school work outside of school. Only time is if I'm working with older dd and younger dd wants to do a workbook page or two on her own. Other than that she just enjoys reading and writing stories.

Last week was the first week of school and this evening she is upset about going back to school tomorrow. She has rarely complained about going to school and I'm surprised she's already not wanting to go. She had been looking forward to school for nearly a month.

So the 141 for WMI and 151 for the PRI aren't calculated with the extended norms?

Thanks again for all your help and advice!

One more question, if I wanted to apply for DYS would she still qualify? Thanks!