Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment LAUSD says DS ineligible for GATE :(

He said he had so much fun taking the test, and he thought he did well on it. Considering the difference between his GATE score (I don't have exact score yet but you needed a 95%) and the private assessor's determination of FSIQ of 138 (with a GAI of 159) I'm frankly shocked.

I understood that the OLSAT might not pick him up, but this was IQ testing for HG which he is. He finished the test, he answered all the questions, he said he loved taking it and thought he did great on it. It was a group test though-but based on his experience it didn't sound like he zoned out or couldn't figure out the answer.

I don't understand.

What instrument did they use? Was it a nonverbal-only assessment, like the NNAT? (Not too many verbal IQ tests can be group-administered.) Was his individually-administered GAI slanted toward verbal? If the answers to the last two questions were both "yes", it may be that this instrument didn't pick up his area of greatest strength. Options for appealing with alternative assessment instruments?

If it was a group test, be sure his results weren't confused with someone else's results. I have had the school tell me stuff about DS which turned out to be some other child's issue and nothing to do with my son at all.

I think you can ask to see the test or test results.

Hi Minx-

Thanks- I asked her twice and confirmed with birthday etc. I am going to request the results today by fax, but I asked her twice ARE YOU SURE? And she said yes.

I will still pray that you are correct, but I'm not getting my hopes up... I did send you a PM about something else, but based on today it's likely a moot point. Good news is, he has the Murderous Maths series now, thanks for the tip

He went to camp today with a book on the solar system and planets....I think I'm going to go cry now.

Is there an appeals process? Will they take into consideration the individually administered scores in your original post (WISC?)?

From what I've heard they don't accept outside testing and appeals are pretty much impossible.. I am going to request an actual copy of his test-I still can't believe it...

Aeh sorry I didn't see your answer til just now.. They wouldn't tell me what test it was but traditionally they use the raven. I will push to get them to give me a copy, I'm not sure they will but I don't think I can believe it unless I see his test with his name on it in his handwriting

I looked back at your earlier post with his WISC scores in it, which reminded me that he does indeed have a large verbal/perceptual split, in the direction which would be greatly to his disadvantage on the Raven's, which is purely nonverbal in nature (well, except insofar as individuals use verbal mediation to solve perceptual reasoning problems).

Actually, his Matrix Reasoning subtest score runs right around that 95-97%ile mark, which means it is not inconceivable that he scored just below the 95%ile cutoff on the Raven's.

LAUSD likely uses the Raven's or NNAT (very similar, but decades newer test) because they have had legal issues in the past with verbally-laden tests, which tend to have more of a cultural bias, usually to the disadvantage of cultural/linguistic minority populations. Since certain ethnicities are already overrepresented in GATE programs, they have to use an instrument which is generally held to be among the more culture-fair out there.

Do you have options for GATE support for specific areas of academic talent?

Aeh thank you so much for all your help -to me and to all the other people confused by testing, truly your time and expertise is very much appreciated... you are really helpful and thank you. What you say makes sense, and because of his FSIQ I wasn't sure he would test as HG, but at least if he got into the gifted program I could show them the other testing to support the HG with his GAI. Since he isn't even gifted by their standards, and they won't likely let me talk to the psychologist, I'm not sure what I can do about it.

Right now I am having a really hard time because I just don't know what to do for my DS. Maybe the right thing is not to do anything. Both my kids have all the gifted characteristics of over excitability and deep thoughts and serious interests that are their own - but without the need or even apparently the desire for accelerated academic advancement. Maybe if my son was in the gate program he would just be taking space from some child who really needed it.

And unfortunately I don't know that he has a specific area of academic talent. Maybe this will all be clearer as he grows up - at least I hope so.

His GAI would actually qualify him for Davidson Young Scholars. Do you have other scores or can you put together a portfolio for Young Scholars? Has anyone had Davidson help them with advocacy? Perhaps that would help your case.