The objective of the test is to determine if the school's instruction is sufficient to ensure that a child is making enough progress to master the minimal grade level skills. It is not designed to determine if a child is mastering skills beyond grade level. The purpose is very narrow.
I don't believe that giving a grade level test to a gifted child is an action that stems from "administrative convenience". I believe that it is an indication that the school is following state law. The law is written around the idea of tracking minimum acceptable performance. It is not a diagnostic test to that is aimed at identifying maximum performance. Even those students that score advanced, are demonstrating advanced skill and knowledge of grade level curriculum as defined by the state frameworks. For gifted kids this may be a waste of time - but for those that struggle or for gifted kids with LD, the test can be revealing.
The test is an accountability measure, and not much more.
