Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Achievment Testing

So I am calling around for costs of achievement and one place is a corporation that offers all different types of psych-educational testing as well as tutoring and coaching. They want about $600 to give DS WJIII Reading and Math.

I called a woman who lives in my area who advertises that she was a Special Ed. Teacher (10 yrs) and is a homeschool evaluator (K-12) She says she is an evaluator for several diploma agencies including PHAA, Mason-Dixon, Erie Co. and Susquehanna Co., a Notary Public, and that can administer standardized tests, including the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (among others) She quoted me a price of $55.

The price difference is so jarring it kind of makes me nervous aboout... The first place is a business and incorporated and has eduational psychs on staff. So I know they are credible but so expensive! Anyone know what I should look for on terms of making sure the homeschool evaluator is legit and credible, etc? I found her name on a local homeschool website.

In general, a person administering a test for homeschoolers would be serving a parental need for initial screening to see if further (more expensive) assessments may be needed, they may not often be serving a parental need for detailed information to use for advocacy.

Are either of these test administrators familiar with gifted? 2e?

You may wish to consider whether your needs may be more in line with the full-service corporation. When talking with each test administrator, you may wish to share your purpose for testing, planned use(s) of the scores, and ask about the detail of the score reporting and interpretation that you would receive for the stated price.

It is my understanding a test administrator would be "legit" and "credible", qualified with the required credentials, or the test company would not sell their tests to him/her to administer.

Thanks so much Indigo!

Well, as you may remember, I already have an IQ test and report from a neuropsych. I wanted to bring him back to that neuropsych to finish the achievement testing because we just had run out of time and energy at the inital testing for any more than a few subtests. But it will cost a lot (about $650). The full service corp wants $600.

And then there is this homeschool woman. She advertises that she can "administer and evaluate the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement." She said she'd only charge $55 since I just want Reading and Math. We talked about his special needs and I did mention that he is also bright with a relatively high IQ. We discussed his writing disability, the accomodatiosn he gets at school.

I think I really just need scores with percentiles and grade level equivalents, no?

Just for some further info, I want them for a few reasons:

(1) just to see for myself when DS is in those areas right now b/c he seems pretty high above grade level in those areas - so just for my own curiosity and get a better picture (I also want to see if he is going up and how much from last year);

(2) I will also submit them to the ADHD center if/when I proceed with the eval for adhd - just so they have a good picture of not only his IQ and his struggles but of his achievement in relation to his IQ as well (I think that is important when considering how to proceed with ADHD treatment, no?); and,

(3) perhaps if it's high enough to apply for DYS (I can't remember - does one need two qualifying achievement scores plus IQ or just one qualifying achievement score plus IQ?)

I know when the school psych gave him the WJIII Achievment Tests last year she didn't give a big report on them, just listed the scores and grade level equivalents.

In terms of either being familiar with twice exceptional, no one seems to be very knowledgeable about that around here (unless they cost a bundle) so I give up!

If you want someone to treat the results as legit, I would avoid the $55 deal. She may be familiar with the WJIII, but I don't think she has the credentials. I'm not certain, but I would think that one of the numerous places in the area that administers the WISC would also administer the WJ III.

oh no... bummer ..Yes places that administer wisc administer WJIII achievement but they are very expensive.

If you do a websearch on Woodcock Johnson III you can see the free public website of the test company. You may want to compare and discuss with the potential test administrator what each score report contains (Complete test? Achievement Test? Just Reading & Math?)

Here's a link to the qualifications page. The WJIII Cognitive Battery is listed. You may wish to verify this is the same version of the WJIII you plan for your ds to take.

You'll want to be sure the test & score reports will meet your needs.

Irena, awhile ago I pm'd you the name and contact info for someone. She may be somewhat less than the $600, and she is a qualified school psych. I wouldn't say she is an expert in 2e, but she seemed to do right by my two.

Yes I got it, thanks! It's just the psychologists are always so much more expensive (and she's a little far from me). I was under the impression that while IQ testing had to be done by a certified school psychologist achievement testing could be done by much less than a psychologist and as a result much cheaper. I suppose I misunderstood...

The test publisher website offers a page of "examiner qualifications".

One need not necessarily be a school psychologist.

A person wants to work with the test, test version, and score report which will meet their needs.

So, Indigo, do you think as long as the tester and I come to a clear understanding as to what I need from her (which believe we already have, i.e., she agreed to do the full math and reading WJII test, score the test and write a report containing the scores, age and grade percentiles), then she should be fine?

The tester is listed on the PHAA, which is the "Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency" http://www.phaa.org/ (a diploma-granting organization recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide diplomas to graduates of Pennsylvania home education programs) as an accredited evaluator and tester I mean, I assume homeschooling people need this stuff (achievement testing) too and that's why businesses like hers exist... She isn't a school psychologist so she can't offer psycho-educational evals but the more I look into her it does look like she's probably legit for testing. There are may evaluators listed on the page but she seems to be very close to us geographically plus I like her special education experience.

According to how she is coded on the PHAA site (and she tells me and her website indicates) that she can "Can evaluate for Elementary students (i.e. grades 1-6) without advance written permission from the local school superintendent; Can evaluate for Secondary students (i.e. grades 7-12) without advance written permission from the local school superintendent; Can pre-approve for the handicapped" and, most important for my purposes, "Offers Individual PIAT or Woodcock-Johnson testing which can be used to meet the 3rd, 5th, or 8th grade testing requirement."

I just do not want to spend $600 on just getting two achievement tests. But I'd hate it if he could qualify for DYS and I didn't bother getting it done. I also think it would be very useful for other things as I listed. I already spent a bundle getting the IQ testing and report from the neuropsych. And I understand their kind of expertise is necessary for that ... But just seeing where he is achievement-wise? in reading and math? I mean, in school the teachers can give these tests right ? It doesn't have to be the school psych (even if it usually is b/c it is usually part of an RTI and eval).