Interesting! So if you can't take the test again for 2 years I wonder if that means they will accept his 4 yr 11 mo results until he's 6 years 11 mos? If so, that would be nice. The policy isn't publicly posted, which is frustrating. One of my concerns is waiting too long to show them his test results and then having to retest him again unnecessarily.
I do think George is right that they will probably accept the GAI score, which would give him the results to qualify. I think they might have him retake the achievement test portion, though. The tester didn't administer a wide range of subtests because she felt he was too young for most of them, if I remember correctly.
And also on the retesting, from my point of view I feel like this was an accurate test, so I don't think I'd want him to retake it. I disagree with some of the questions on the WPPSI that are more knowledge about the world types of things for a 5 year old (especially if you live in a portion of the country that doesn't expose you to different things)... can't complain here without giving away too much about the test ;), but if you know the test maybe you will know what I mean. But other than getting those types of questions right after a full year of pre-k/k I don't think his score would really change that much.
(And yes after seeing a few examples of what he missed on the test I felt I'm raising a very smart child with no common sense.
We've started talking more about the world around us! But that's a whole different thread!)
So... the other part of this that's tricky is there really isn't a problem to solve yet. I think his K class will be just fine for him for at least 3 months, maybe 1/2 the year. We do math at home for fun and he consumes books on his own... he sits down and reads for a couple hours without moving. As long as he's having fun, learning something and not unhappy, I think he is fine in the regular classroom. Am I naive?
He's really excited about multiplication lately and his math lessons will be about counting. Maybe I will see how he handles it?
The issue I see is when he gets to first grade and he is expected to do more structured academic work. When that is below his level I think he'll be very frustrated and unhappy. In that sense it would be great to know he's already AIG identified and will have support during that time.
Part of the identification criteria is the 98% scores + something like "a need for differentiated work"... so I feel like I'm asking for differentiation by asking him to be considered. But I feel wrong asking for that when he's had only a week of K.
I know I'm all over the board here, but does any of this resonate? Maybe it is just a case of me not wanting to draw attention to him or to create more work for people?
Well... thanks for the input.
All of the students in the county are assessed in reading the first week. His teacher ran up to me today when I picked him up and was like "It took him two days to even complete the assessment because he got so far. He is reading CHAPTER books!" and seemed excited about it, so that is a great sign.
They will give us an official print out of his reading level and what he needs to work on. I think that would be a good conversation starter on his gifted testing...
