We used it to help decide whether our son should skip kindergarten. It was very helpful as it makes you look at many variables. The scale should be completed by the "team" at school, including parents, teachers, principal, etc. I understand there is a newly revised version of the scale. The manual can be purchased fairly cheaply and you don't have to have the official forms for scoring. There are samples of the form in the manual and you can just work off those. At least with the older version we used it was that way.
The IAS can be used at any time during a child's education to determine if acceleration would be an appropriate option, not just for skipping K. In fact, it can be used every time you think a grade or subject acceleration might be warranted. I would highly recommend it as a tool if you are trying to advocate for skipping or wondering if it's right for your child. But ultimately that choice to accelerate is highly unique to each child.
