Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment NWEA test scores - should we seek private IQ test?

My son started Kindergarten this year knowing the entire curriculum. On the NWEA winter tests, he scored in the 99% percentile in math (190 Problem Solving and 178 in Measurement & Geometry; combined score 184)and in the 98th percentile in Reading (175 Reading & Phonics and 176 Vocab & Comprehension; combined score 175).

His score in Reading & Phonics actually decreased from the Fall and he didn't grow much in Measurement & Geometry. I have a feeling his scores would be even higher had he actually been exposed to more appropriate work at school and at home (He reads at home a lot and we also read together, but other than that I haven't worked with him much, feeling that he is still young and should be playing most of the time.). When I gently asked his teacher if I needed to give him more advanced phonics work at home, she said I shouldn't be "teaching to the test", but agreed that he hasn't been exposed to any new material this year in phonics or math.

His school has tried to provide "challenge" work for him to complete at home, but it has no structure or organization, and is not very challenging for him. They have assured me that there will be more differentiation next year in math for him, but I doubt it will be enough to keep his interest.

My question is: should I bother to seek out private IQ testing at this point? Are his NWEA scores even high enough to justify this? Should we ask about acceleration? Would an IQ test help us determine if this might be right for him?

I guess I should add that my son is currently happy to sit in school and practice his letters and color worksheets while the other students complete their work. He is mature, well-behaved, and focused. He will tell me that he doesn't learn anything new in school and doesn't seem bothered by it at this point.

I do think he' bright -- he was talking at nine months, walking at ten. Some of his first words were identifying the names of letters from magnets. He knew his alphabet by 18 months and all his sounds shortly after. He's been making jokes since he was two and has a pretty advanced sense of humor for a 5-year-old. He is very quick with math and passionate about it.

We live in Connecticut, and our city has few resources for gifted kids, if he is indeed considered that.

To test or not to test? Good school districts in CT for high ability kids? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you!