erich - I agree with you on the math. DD hadn't probably even seen a lot of what was on the math portion of the test yet. We didn't do any prep besides the practice test they sent because we wanted the best true representation of how she could do and we don't agree with "teaching to the test". We showed her how to use the calculator since she had never done more than just play with one before and she told us she didn't even use it on the test.
She isn't truly out-there mathy and will tell you she doesn't like math she is just good at it (her words). I think she is better than what she thinks, but she is a very apathetic gifted kid. As long as she has a book she is enjoying, legos to build with, can play outside, and is allowed to be creative in any way she currently sees fit....she is happy.
We were hoping the Explore would give us a better indication of where she is at for some acceleration and changes to her IEP for next year. We were thrown off when her reading score wasn't really out there as we expected. We had also secretly hoped for scores at least close to DYS so we could get help figuring her out and how to best help her, but she is quite a ways from that mark. We will trudge along and maybe have her take the test again next year - since now she knows what the test is like maybe she will surprise us.
