Hi bzylzy - you've already gotten great advice re your original question - and I"m in a hurry (as usual lol!). I just wanted to add my extra two cents to the voices who suggested caution about using state tests. I'd suggest you *might* be able to use them as one piece of data but be sure you understand the level of the test, the ceiling and what it doesn't test, and the distribution of scores among students at your dd's grade level in her school district.
In our state, not only are the state tests limited to the current grade, the skills measured on the test are limited even relative to what's expected of most students in that grade at a typical school, there are very few questions, no time limits, and the kids spend a small bit of time prepping for the tests (note: it's a "small" bit of time at my kids' school... but... friends of mine who live in other states mention that test prep takes up a *huge* amount of classroom time for state testing). I think any one of these things could be used by the school staff to diminish the meaning of your dd's results.
You can most likely find out a lot about the statistics etc for your state tests online - I think schools are required to report them to the public. Our school district website has "report cards" for each school that show testing results by grade level, and also links to sample tests, as well as detailed curriculum mastery lists for each subject by grade level.
I get a little bit excitable over state testing for a reason - my 2e ds was, in mid-elementary school, clearly unable to compose any kind of written paragraph (or sentence) unless he had a ton of support. Yet he scored *ONE* point below the top quartile on his state writing test.... and it wasn't because he'd suddenly found his ability to write
When advocating, two things that I think might help your case are cultivating a relationship with a teacher who really gets your dd and wants to see her advance, as well as taking a close look at curriculum standards for your dd's current grade and the grade levels ahead. Even though it's not as official as a test, it never hurts to be able to walk into a meeting and state that dd has mastered skill a,b,c that are included in the curriculum goals for grade current+2 etc.
Good luck!
polarbear
