Sorry this is so long. Thanks for any thoughts.
My daughter switched from a private preschool to a public elementary school this year. She's an October birthday so she did two years of K at the private school.
When she entered 1st grade at the public school she was adding and subtracting two digit numbers, adding fractions, basic multiplication, and reading chapter books. They started out teaching two letter words, colors, and counting.
I was frustrated and said something to the teacher at back to school night, and she blew me off saying it was review and it would get harder. (review from 2 years ago for my kid) Then I emailed the guidance counselor, who didn't respond. Then I found out that if I put a request in writing they had to test her for gifted. Apparently this school doesn't normally test until 2nd grade and doesn't offer services routinely until 3rd. I didn't want to be a pain, I just wanted her to be given some enrichment or something- ANYTHING. I wrote the letter, and got a poorly written, misspelled letter back saying they would do a pre-evaluation to see if she required services, and if so THEN they would test her. I waited a month. Finally I emailed again, and heard that they had done some testing - a Slosson on which she scored 135 (but they look for 140 because they claim it's an inflated test), a math evaluation where she scored a 60% of the mid first year (which is everyday math, which includes stuff she had never seen before, but not addition and subtraction and fractions), and a reading assesment where she scored an 80% comprehension at the 3rd grade level. They weren't done with the evaluation though and would get back to me. Three weeks later I asked if they had any news and was told that based on her reading, they would do a further assessment, and I should receive a letter to sign and then her clock would start on their 60 days to test. That was another week ago, still no letter.
I am getting really annoyed. Her math has totally regressed. She refuses to add or subtract now. They spent a WEEK on tally marks. Her spelling test comes back with words like 'it'. She gets 100% on everything and then doodles all over the paper, presumably while waiting on the rest of the class. The only progress I have seen is that she's allowed to pick off of the library shelves now, and her teacher (who supposedly evaluates the library book choices for each child) is letting her bring home books like Harry Potter (which she is devouring).
I don't want to be THAT parent and bug them again. My husband and mother-in-law, who used to be a teacher, are not particularly supportive. They say to just let her be, that 'so what if she's not learning anything new in school, she's having fun and we can supplement her at home'.
I'm worried though. I want to make sure that I'm doing the right things and making the right decisions. My husband and I both tested as highly gifted (IQ 150) and I have no reason to believe that my daughter isn't at least above the gifted threshold. I spent most of my school career with a book on my lap, reading while the teacher was teaching and still came out valedictorian. My husband got bored and decided that school wasn't worth his time. He held that belief until after college and is just now back in graduate school.
So, do I keep pushing? Is there anything that the school can really do to help even if they test her and she tests as gifted? The gifted program for me was just playing games and getting out of class, for the most part. Should I just start looking at private schools? (homeschooling isn't an option)
