Hi NikiHarp,
Welcome! I am new here too, and have a DD6 that just started 1st grade.
We are in similar situations, so I'll share a bit about what we did and are trying to do.
I too wasn't sure that DD was being challenged. She started reading in Pre-K, so she had a pretty good foundation to build on. Our DD was in pull-out ELP for 30 minutes a week for reading with a few others. I began to do more reading about giftedness and decided to see if we could get her tested. The school gave her the CoGAT as well. After we received the results (on the last day of school). We had the GoGAT and her reading level, but not much else to help with a plan.
We finally a wonderful child psychologist who works with the local school districts and is well versed in GT education. She gave her the WISC-IV. Her results were good, especially the verbal (which was also her highest category on the CoGAT). The psychologist went over the results with us and talked a bit about what sort of educational setting (project based learning or IB) might be best for our DD.
While the WISC highlighted what we already suspected, I think that it will help us with future education planning. I don't think anyone took us seriously last year....ELP doesn't formally start until 3rd grade, and no one seemed to be concerned about where DD was at other than me. I am hopeful that this year will be better. We have yet to meet with the Principal, teacher and ELP teacher. I'm anxious about this year already because they've changed literacy programs and now are required to have 90 minutes "in classroom" reading time. Thus, ELP pullout may not be in the cards. However, I'm not sure how they can meet the needs of DD who left Kindergarten reading at level "T".
We are in the process of applying to the Davidson Young Scholars program in hopes that it offers additional support/information and insight.
Sorry to be so wordy:-)
