Two steps forward...
DD8 recently took a practice exam for the statewide, high-stakes assessment test (LEAP). DW attended a meeting to discuss DD's performance... and it was not good. It was recommended that DD get some after-school tutoring to bring up her scores.
DW consulted with me, and I stated my position: I do not want DD to attend any tutoring, as this would be an indication the school could use to show how DD was not ready for 4th grade, and should be held back. DD was adequately prepared for the 3rd grade version (iLEAP) when she was homeschooled through 2nd and 3rd grades for approximately 3 hours a day, they have her for 8 hours and are responsible for advancing her only one grade level, so there are no excuses.
In reviewing the results, DW was particularly stricken to see how DD performed on the fractions portion of the math section. DD had done fractions with DW the previous year, and had excelled at them. In conversation with DD, it has been revealed that DD hasn't been doing any fractions in her G/T math pullout, so she hasn't seen it since she did it in homeschooling nearly a year ago. Which begs the question... why is my 4th grade DD not doing the 4th grade math that she'll be tested on in the 4th grade assessment test?
So now I'm anticipating the possibility that DD comes back with subpar LEAP scores, and the school attempts to use that as justification for holding her back a year. We can slam the door on that line of discussion when we hold up her iLEAP scores from the previous year, to demonstrate that she has the ability, and 4th grade was an appropriate placement, so any failure to perform on the LEAP represents a failure of the school to properly prepare her for it.
That's a conversation I'm not looking forward to having.
My expectation is that she's not the only G/T kid having this issue, and the teacher has seen the results, and will be focusing on the subject area deficits from now until test time. I also expect the school to be doing an intensive test-prep review in the weeks prior to the test, because that's what schools do on these things, and at least I now know that this won't be a colossal waste of DD's time.
We'll see how it goes.
