I wasn't thinking in terms of ACT/SAT. It would be interesting to see both age/grade norms on them. Numats sort of gives you a look at comparing other talent search kids with one another. It's a bizarre little thing that goes on for us at least in my district. In testing for a disability or IEP qualifying issue, our district only uses age based norms. This was an issue for us last year with DD. They wanted to retest achievement because previous results had been grade normed. It was silly since it only brought her scores higher. When testing for GT placement they turn around and use grade based scoring, UH? So if my child is tested for a disability the scores are compared (in our case) to children usually a grade below her/him. In turn making my young for the grade kids look even more advanced.
I think using both might even give a better picture for us and the schools. A 99 percentile on an grade level achievement test is still a 99 when you age norm for my kids, but the redshirter's score might not look that way anymore. Maybe just maybe giving the parents some perspective. My kids have not been harmed by the current policy. If there were limited seats as in many districts and they were bumped my a child 2 years older because of red shirting, I would be annoyed to say the least. It's gotten to the point in my district when I am listening to parents of these redshirted kids complain when they don't make the cut. It's gross listening to it. They wouldn't even be close if they went to school at the appropriate age. I get looked at by them like I must be hot housing and have a secret recipe I'm not sharing with them.
There are absolutely times a child should be kept home another year. I am no more pleased with places that don't allow holding back when needed than I am with those that allow holding back to the extreme for nothing more than an edge over classmates.
Last edited by Jtooit; 08/22/13 12:25 PM.
