Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Above-grade-level testing.

What type of above-grade-level testing would you recommend for an 8 year old boy who does high school math and reads college level books, as well as classic literature? He has skipped one grade but going to 4th grade in 3 weeks in September will be torture for a boy who knows most material already. He has taken a few SAT practice tests and scores with high accuracy for his age – around 660 in math and 450 in English, but we do not necessarily want to put him through SAT for hours with kids much, much older than him. His school does not administer any group tests like ACT Explore or PSAT. Any advice would be tremendously helpful, particularly if you may have had similar experience with your child. Our goal would be to have him tested by a reputable and popular, and wholly recognizable test, to be able to show the school that he will easily manage one more grade skip. Emotionally and academically, the first skip was smooth and easy for him and the school, so we would like to do it again, but we need a good reason to ask for the skip, which can only be supported by a reputable test. We are looking for group tests, not individually administered private tests. Thank you in advance.

Given that you have already had one skip with this school, would they instead consider administering an end-of-year test for each subject? I know that's not quite what you asked, but perhaps it is an alternative. It's what the school did for our 8-year-old a few years ago. He's accelerated two years now in math and language arts, although still with his "age mates" (entering fourth) for the music, science, art, lunch and recess.

You've received great advice already. I'll just add a question - Would the test results be part of the data and information entered into the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) for parent(s) & school team to discuss acceleration?

The IAS has places to record IQ and achievement test results. School-administered individual IQ tests, CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test), WJ-ACH (Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement) and an above-grade-level ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) are among the tests mentioned. As these scores are just a few of the many factors considered for a grade skip, and as the school is already familiar with your child, I agree with ConnectingDots that requesting end-of-grade-level tests may provide meaningful alternative scores for considering a grade skip.

If interested in the Explore test, you may wish to look at the website of the Duke TIP academic talent search, to consider registering your son for the Explore test. The current list of Test Center Locations does not show any in New York, however several locations are shown for Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, have you read the threads on possible downside or trade-offs to grade skipping. This is not to dissuade you or cause you to second-guess the decision, but to remain prepared for the differences this may make in your child's journey.