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My son's school uses the ITBS to qualify students for acceleration. My son took the 3rd grade ITBS and the results letter we received simply stated "Did Not Pass". Is there any way I can make the district give me his actual scores?

If this is a US public school, you may wish to read up on FERPA, including your school's annual notice to parents.

This recent thread or this post from a recent thread may provide the information you need.

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a grade-level test, not an above-grade-level test, therefore may not be the best means of determining readiness for acceleration. This Hoagies' webpage discusses What Do The Tests Tell Us?

Does your school website provide transparency regarding the qualification criteria which your school applies to the ITBS results to determine eligibility for accelerated learning? For example, does the school use a set cut score? ... a percentile, relative to other children in the grade?

The website says "For full-grade promotion an evaluation of "proficient" must be assessed in the areas of English Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies."

Another place it says "Proficiency based promotion to the next grade level or for credit shall be demonstrated by a score of 90% or comparable performance on an assessment."

I'm not clear on what this means in relation to the ITBS...90th percentile?

This does not sound like acceleration (also known as grade-skipping or full-grade-acceleration).

"Full-grade promotion" typically means passing to the next grade; not retained. ("Retained" typically means failed; student will repeat the same grade.)

"Proficient" typically means met standards; pass.

There is typically a category above "Proficient", which is called "Advanced."

There is a difference between percent and percentile.
- Percent is the proportion of a student's answers correct. For example, 9 out of 10 correct.
- Percentile is the student's score relative to others being compared. For example, score was higher than 90% of students compared.

Is your son a third grader or was it an above level test for him? Ie. Was he supposed to test f proficient in the end of third grade test in order to go straight from second to fourth?

My son just completed second grade, so if he scored "proficient" on the third grade test he would have gone straight to fourth.
The school calls it "proficiency based promotion" instead of acceleration.

I did not make my question clear. I understand the difference between percent and percentile, but does the ITBS usually report scores in percent or percentile? I've never seen any results, and I'm not sure if they mean 90% is proficient or 90th percentile is proficient.

ITBS generally reports percentile scores, but it is also possible to calculate percent accuracy. That approach to interpretation should be deemphasized, though, because the test is a norm-referenced test, which means that, from version to version, (or level to level) there may be differences in the percentile that corresponds to a given percent accuracy.

From what I have read from the links provided above, (this is a US public school), they are required to disclose "education records". Is there any way that these test results would not be considered "education records"? I'm trying to anticipate any objections. Are there any other arguments they could make to avoid disclosing the results?

Look at the FERPA definition of "education records" (linked upthread). Also locate your school's annual notice to parents. If the school raises any objections to providing you with your child's scores, your best answers may be found in those two resources (FERPA definitions and annual notice to parents).

Current definition as of June 12, 2017:
Education records. (a) The term means those records that are:

(1) Directly related to a student; and

(2) Maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

(b) The term does not include:

(1) Records that are kept in the sole possession of the maker, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.

(2) Records of the law enforcement unit of an educational agency or institution, subject to the provisions of §99.8.

(3)(i) Records relating to an individual who is employed by an educational agency or institution, that:

(A) Are made and maintained in the normal course of business;

(B) Relate exclusively to the individual in that individual's capacity as an employee; and

(C) Are not available for use for any other purpose.

(ii) Records relating to an individual in attendance at the agency or institution who is employed as a result of his or her status as a student are education records and not excepted under paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this definition.

(4) Records on a student who is 18 years of age or older, or is attending an institution of postsecondary education, that are:

(i) Made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in his or her professional capacity or assisting in a paraprofessional capacity;

(ii) Made, maintained, or used only in connection with treatment of the student; and

(iii) Disclosed only to individuals providing the treatment. For the purpose of this definition, “treatment” does not include remedial educational activities or activities that are part of the program of instruction at the agency or institution; and

(5) Records created or received by an educational agency or institution after an individual is no longer a student in attendance and that are not directly related to the individual's attendance as a student.

(6) Grades on peer-graded papers before they are collected and recorded by a teacher.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(4))

Thanks for clarifying. I can follow this better now. Looks like puffin was ahead of the curve in understanding the thread, way to go puffin!

These are my current thoughts, based on the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS)...
- The IAS mentions potential use of the ITBS (at least 2 grade levels above child's current placement) as an assessment of aptitude.
- The IAS scoring on aptitude assessments consists of 3 bands: at or below 49th percentile, 50th-75th percentile, above 75th percentile.
- This is just one of MANY factors considered and data points collected in discussing the likelihood of a successful full-grade acceleration.
- The IAS does not mention using the ITBS as your school appears to be doing.

While the IAS is now in its 3rd edition, cost-conscious individuals can often purchase used, 2nd edition copies at greatly reduced prices online.

Some thoughts to consider, in addition to requesting your child's scores:
1) Share information about the IAS and the Acceleration Institute with your child's school. The objective would be to have them adopt this comprehensive approach to decision-making regarding full-grade acceleration.
2) Invite your child's teachers, gifted coordinator, etc, to join the free Davidson Educator's Guild.
3) When advocating, remember to remain focused on your child's needs: Kids need an appropriate academic challenge and academic/intellectual peers. (You may wish to print, highlight, and share with your school the articles by experts mentioned in the previous two linked posts: what a child doesn't learn, Gifted children: Youth mental health update.)