Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Advocating for IAS - Test Questions

I know the IAS is a survey of sorts, but to get an accurate picture of whether acceleration is a good option, students should have certain test scores in ability, aptitude, and Achievement.

He took the SBV over two years ago, but I'm fine with that and plan to use that score. IAS asks that it be a test within the last 3 years. We're good there.

He is scheduled to take the WJ Achievement test next Wednesday, which meets the achievement portion of the IAS.

My question is what about aptitude? My school does not offer above-level testing. He is 6, and we're looking at accelerating into 2nd grade, skipping 1st grade. Do I need to seek out a tester for the ITBS? Obviously, he's too young for EXPLORE, SAT or ACT.

Will not having these scores hurt his chances greatly? I really need to get this done before school starts, and while I started advocating early (February of K year), they continue to push me off. Last meeting was in May. They said wait until we have WJ scores, but then they won't be available until the end of JULY! School starts in August.

Perhaps tricky to do over the summer, but our son's school administered year-end tests for the next two grade levels and used those results. (This was in math and reading, he has double-subject acceleration.)

I asked about doing that. They wouldn't. They just said, "we don't have above-level testing." I explained. They refused. Apparently, according to them, I'm "blazing the trail" and they want to be very cautious.

On a side note, I did get my hands on IAS forms, and it says some people will use WJ-Ach for aptitude. Can it be used for aptitude AND achievement?

Sigh. I should have had his IQ re-administered. He was barely 4 when he took it, and he was not a very focused test taker. I have no doubt it will come out higher now. He's a bit on the psychomotor overexcitability side, so at 4, it was a lot to ask of him. BUT, they'll give him an IQ test for the gifted program that starts in 2nd grade. All these tests begin to get expensive!

My little guy has some anxiety issues. He's fine with moving ahead. He does not have social anxiety. It's internal, but I don't want to over-test him.

Oh boy. You get to blaze a trail and they are cautious! I saw your other thread -- good thing you are "on it" from a background standpoint.

I can't speak to the WJ-Ach, but would think that, depending upon what the testing next week shows, only missing the achievement piece shouldn't necessarily stop acceleration. JMO. Every school is different, fortunately or unfortunately. Do you already have articles printed on the benefits of acceleration and the harm of letting gifted children languish educationally? Maybe a few highlighted excerpts from the Nation Deceived and or Nation Empowered reports would help the school administration understand that they are truly not blazing a trail, but are following appropriate practices, by allowing the acceleration?

Is your son being tested somewhere you could ask what they suggest re: the aptitude portion?

I brought A Nation Deceived and Empowered with me to the last meeting. The newest member of the team (a new instructional coach) was the only person familiar with either document.

When the district representative stated "it will seem like we're moving slow to you, but we will feel like we're moving very fast," I discussed the benefits of acceleration earlier rather than later.

There are people at the table that are not opposed; however, the resistance is really coming from the district rep. We already have issues with her not taking us seriously regarding anxiety during transitions. Basically, she does not have a gifted education background, yet she is the Director of Gifted Programs and Curriculum. She wants a "wait and see" approach to try out a new assessment tool in 1st grade for math that they can't even show me because it isn't developed yet. They plan to start it this fall!! I basically told them my son is not a guinea pig and the longer we wait, the harder it will be for him to transition.

I have explained that I want to use the IAS because it is an objective tool that will tell us if acceleration would be a good fit. I'm not asking them to just move him because I think that's what is best. I am cautious, too. I don't want to make the wrong move, but doing nothing is the wrong move.

It is SO frustrating. In our first meeting, they said they haven't really dealt with this situation and I could become a resource for them moving forward. In the second, the district rep said she knows with 5 elementary schools, they'll have this situation come up again, so they want to be careful about the steps they take. It'll set a precedence.

What I want to know....because I know students have been accelerated....is what in the world is happening to these kids! He's not the only gifted child. He's not even profoundly gifted. Are the parents just listening to lip service?

UGH!

Yes, I am going to ask the neuropsych administering the test what his thoughts are about the aptitude portion. Thanks!

Just a quick suggestion re above level testing for aptitude - do you have any local homeschool groups? We found an inexpensive test resource (retired SPED teacher) through our ped who primarily works with our local homeschool community. Parents in the homeschool community need to test their children, so there's most likely someone out there somewhere providing end-of-year curriculum testing to the homeschool community who might be able to provide the same to you. Another way around it might be to go to a place like Sylvan and use achievement testing (they give a test up front to determine placement). For math, you could either pay for a one month subscription to Alex or sign up for a 48-hour trial and have your ds take the assessments for each progressive grade level until he reaches an abundance of material he hasn't mastered yet. The Aleks report can be printed out referencing each state's specific curriculum, so it's an easy piece of data to advocate with.

I also wonder if you had to, would you be able to find a test you could administer yourself at home? While it might not be seen as a viable test by the school (since it wasn't professionally administered), having the results would at least (maybe) put them in the position of having to administer their own test.

If you know students have been accelerated previously - do you know any of the families? Do you know the details of how their accelerations happened? I'd bring up specific details (not names, but circumstances) when you hear a comment about "this is new, we need to move slow" etc as examples that it's not new. This may be indicating that the district is in need of a policy because more families will come along and ask for acceleration, but it doesn't mean they have to slow down your ds just because they don't have a policy at the moment.

Has the neuropscyh testing already happened? The WJ-III report will give a "grade equivalent" which doesn't really mean the same thing as "grade achievement" and shouldn't be used for placement, but it will help with showing how far out your ds is.

Best wishes,

polarbear

The situation coming up again is precisely why they should adopt the IAS. It sets a very high bar for full acceleration. Using it will safeguard the SD from accusations of Croneyism or favouritism and allows them to use an 'industry proven' tool to make data not emotion driven decisions.

What I did was that I bought two extra copies that I gave to DD's teacher (who was very supportive) and the principal/superintendent. I asked them to review it - after reading it they were very supportive with the superintendent getting the board to adopt the IAS as the official gauge for all kids going forwards too :-)

That's a great idea. I have the first psychologist, who also works with our local private university's gifted program, he saw looking into it. The city's public school administers the test, but the school we are at (rural) does not.

He is in the open enrollment math course through Stanford. I could possibly pull info from that. He's also taking an online reading class this summer and has already been moved up, as the material was too easy for him.

The school has a policy on acceleration, but I don't think they've seen it at this age or even in the elementary. Most likely in the intermediate level, which starts at 5th grade.

We do the WJ next week. I think they all agree he's advanced. They've tried to tell me in the past, "We know he needs more, but we don't have the resources." I've explained I'm not asking for more resources. I have noticed in Board Meetings and through discussions on a professional level (I write grants for a community college) that the Superintendent is a very cautious person. I think that culture is integrated into the system and I think that's where the resistance is coming from.

I'm familiar with ALEKS. I'll look into that option as well. Thanks!

They do have the IAS, but apparently, they haven't used it often. I think the blazing the trail thing comes from the grade level he is at. I don't think they're used to kids being identified until the later grades.

Sounds familiar.

Great point made upthread that the IAS is NOT blazing a trail. It is based on research and has been in use for over a decade. It's well past time for this school to come out of the dark age, stop GUESSING, and "trust the process."