Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy taking out-of-grade-level NCLB exams

Each state is required to test students annually from grade 3 onward in reading and math. Many gifted students hit the ceilings of such tests. Schools typically offer at least one "make-up" day for each test for absent students. Why not let students take the next higher grade level test on the make-up day if their parents request it? They would still take their grade level test on the regular test day. Scores on higher-level tests would not count for official NCLB purposes, but they could be used to make decisions about subject or whole-grade acceleration.

One reason for not doing this is that many schools prefer the administrative convenience of purely age-based class placement and do not really want to know if Suzie the 3rd grader can ace the 4th grade NCLB test.

We only 'won' the right to testing at academic placement (well, okay only ONE year behind... and I think I've talked elsewhere about how debatable current placement is...)

anyway.

We won this point with the school by pointing out the problem of OVER-INTERPRETATION OF TEST ITEMS in a child testing minus 2-7 levels from academic placement could, just possibly result in a child performing LESS well on the, say... third grade assessment.... <ahem> as opposed to the fifth grade assessment. Besides, aren't these things supposed to be tied to state standards?? Not much good to test the student on material they haven't even seen in years and years...

hardly surprising if testing isn't as good as it might be if the student were taking the assessment intended for their academic level.


IMMV, of course.

I think some of it may have to do with funding and test secrecy. Our state tests include many essay questions in Reading and in Math (full step by step explanations/mathematical oroofs) starting with the 3rd grade assessments. This in turn requires the hiring of special personnel to grade the essays.

Interestingly, because DS7 was subjected accelerated to the 3rd grade GT math class, he is required to take the 3rd grade state math assessment with the other 3rd graders this year. However, even though his 3rd grade GT math curriculum covers fourth grade math, they are not assigned the 4th grade assessment.

The objective of the test is to determine if the school's instruction is sufficient to ensure that a child is making enough progress to master the minimal grade level skills. It is not designed to determine if a child is mastering skills beyond grade level. The purpose is very narrow.

I don't believe that giving a grade level test to a gifted child is an action that stems from "administrative convenience". I believe that it is an indication that the school is following state law. The law is written around the idea of tracking minimum acceptable performance. It is not a diagnostic test to that is aimed at identifying maximum performance. Even those students that score advanced, are demonstrating advanced skill and knowledge of grade level curriculum as defined by the state frameworks. For gifted kids this may be a waste of time - but for those that struggle or for gifted kids with LD, the test can be revealing.

The test is an accountability measure, and not much more.

We are in the same boat -- gt classroom with at least 1 year of acceleration in math and language arts but state tests at grade level. Our district also uses grade level tests for Acuity testing which is supposed to be diagnostic throughout the year. I don't think that DD11 has gotten more than one wrong on an Acuity test in the three years that she has taken them. I realize that the district is doing this to comply with federal and state law. I just wish that all of these resources could be used to fund testing that would give her teachers useful information.

@Bostonian, DD11 is now in her second week of state testing (12 testing blocks over 10 school days). I don't think that I could pay her to take an extra test. She is tired of being out of her routine and bored out of her mind.

We have also struggled with this. DD13 has been 2-4 years ahead in math and English but has always had to take her grade level tests. I have sat with her for a bit of practice prior to the test this year as it will depend on whether she gets gifted high school placement. Its been awhile since some of the 7th grade math concepts etc. It was amazing to see her try and make the problems harder than they were. On top of that the gifted high school coordinator will not accept the SAT scores in place of the grade level scores if her scores do not make the gifted range.....