I find that my son doesn't achieve high on tests above level because he has been taught in so much as he takes what he knows and applies the next logical step. He of course couldn't do a calculus problem but given his limited algebra teaching he could get through some of the more basic problems (he is eight) and even a bunch of geometry just based on what he has been taught about angles he could use that knowledge for harder problems. He wasn't taught half of this nine week's science material because it was pre skip and we didn't think to tell him to go back and read those chapters and the teacher gave a 9 week cumulative test and he stil got a 90% second highest in the class. Not from anything we have after schooled or enriched. He just knows stuff. Or figures it out. And he doesn't read non fiction.
So I understand that kids aren't going to know stuff they have not been exposed to in general...I think that each thing should be a piece of the puzzle...ind iq testing, achievement, that stupid group test (luckily our county doesn't use that), classroom observations (by someone who knows what they are looking at).
