Our district requires either a portfolio review with a teacher from the school system OR a standardized test. Passing on the test is something like the 28th percentile.
As I am not very organized and I like to make sure we're not falling behind on anything, I prefer the standardized test. The ITBS (aka the Iowa)is an easy one to buy and administer, so it's the one I use.
If I didn't have to submit test results to my district, I would do above-level testing. No question! Actually, I will probably choose to use the Explore next year. I thought about using it this year, but I wimped out. The thought of a 2nd grader taking an 8th grade test just plain freaked me out!
What if he didn't make that low percentile? I didn't think remediating him because he took a test 6 grades above level was really right!!!
But I'm kind of regretting that choice now, actually, and wishing we had gone with the Explore, especially as I see that he's doing pre-algebra, managing good scores on junior-high level CyberEd, and reading high-school level books with comprehension. I think he'd have done well enough to pass muster at least.
One Saturday above-level test that's administered by someone else sounds a lot better than a week-long grade-level test!
