Couple of topics here. First, public school GT testing and LDs.
DS7, in 1st grade, has recommendations for accommodations that we may be able to work into a 504 plan, although he has no formally diagnosed LD. We have dyslexia testing from three months ago that, combined with his WPPSI-III testing from nearly two years ago, determined he does not have dyslexia but that his slower processing speed affects his reading, his written output, and his ability to perform to his full potential on timed assignments. His second grade math teacher is going to work with us after spring break on getting a 504 or an IEP set up for him.
He didn't pass our district's GT test in K, and our WPPSI tester told us not to bother having him take it again till he was able to read the test on his own. She also recommended a grade skip for him if we stayed in public school.
So, DS 7 will have to take the district's GT test next year in 2nd grade, as our district screens all 2nd and 3rd graders.
I'm hopeful he'll score 98th percentile or higher on two of the tests so that we have one additional school option open to us - the HGT magnet in our district - if we want it. I'm not super optimistic he'll pass it though, as he scored lower than 50 percentile on two of the three tests in K. He scored only 94 percentile on the one that tested quantitative reasoning, but he is two to three years ahead in math concepts.
If we do get a 504, are there any accommodations for gifted testing? Our district administers the Verbal CogAT, Quantitative CogAT, and Raven's Test. The Raven's is not timed, but I believe the CogATs are. They take the top two scores from the three tests, and toss the other out. I'd assume they don't provide special accommodations because that would seem to defeat the purpose of a timed test, but I thought I'd ask if anyone knows otherwise on here as I start my research.
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Second topic, and the reason I'm hoping for better results on the GT testing next year, is how do you know when it's time to jump ship?
I get really frustrated with DS's experience every few months, look around at other schools and find they're no better, back off for a bit, and then get frustrated again. I'm in my frustrated stage now, especially after talking to DS tonight about how he hasn't found a new BF since his BF from K moved away last summer.
We talked about grade skipping tonight a bit more seriously than in the past (I brought it up) as his reading has improved enough through tutoring over the last 6 weeks that I think it's feasible. He's about a full year ahead in reading now, although still behind where he should be based on his other abilities. I'd need to look at the IAS before really moving forward, and I don't like the idea of dealing with the grade skip come middle school. However, he really prefers the kids who are one to two years older, even though he can easily devolve into the silly behavior of his age mates. I have a feeling that's not going to last too many years into the future though.
I don't know if a grade skip, or simply a different school, or just staying where we are is the answer. I came across an old Hoagie's article recently about the "steady as she drifts" philosophy, where parents are doing their gifted kids harm by saying "things could be better but they're not all that bad," and it was upsetting. I've been saying "things could be better but I can't find any place better" for two years now.
If he could do as well on the district's GT testing as he did on the WPPSI, we'd have the possibility of getting him into an HGT program where he'd be around other kids more like him and finally getting the challenge he needs throughout his entire curriculum. He's MG with a 130 FSIQ and 137 verbal subtest on the WPPSI, so he'd likely function well in our HGT program, his scores are the scores those programs are designed for. I'm not sure how that would work with his LD, if I can even call it that, since we don't have a label for it, just recommendations for accommodations. How do you decide whether to leave something that's working okay for something that may or may not be any better? We really love this school community and have a lot of friends and neighbors there. DD5 will start there in the fall, and I'm waiting to see how things work for her there too.
