Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Above-level assessment options

My ds took the EXPLORE in 3rd grade at a local private school for gifted kids. There were only 3 3rd grade kids there and they had their own room. They made them feel very much at ease. The proctor told them they were very brave and she was very proud of them for taking the test. She explained how it was separate from school and there is no real grade. She explained everything to them.

She also showed them another room full of bigger kids and said they are taking the same test as you, instead of you are taking the same test they are.

DS took the act last year in 6th grade and it was like being in a penitentiary.

That sounds like a nice experience!

It might be worth noting that I believe the EXPLORE was technically discontinued a couple years ago. I've heard the talent searches that use it are also discontinuing this year. It seems like this will make it harder to measure year-over-year growth, if you ever want to do that. I'm thinking of having DD repeat the SCAT this year since it's been 2 years since she took it the first time, just to make sure she'd keeping up with herself.

My understanding is that EXPLORE will be replaced next fall (winter 2017?) with iExplore. I was hoping our school would be a pilot site for that, but it doesn't seem they will. What's the difference between the SCAT and EXPLORE?

We're less concerned about year-over-year growth and more concerned with having some measure of where he is currently "at" academically.

DS seems completely unfazed by the notion of returning to old school for taking the test. He also seems fine with taking it! He did ask if he could just take the SAT next year (fifth grade) "to get it out of the way." lol. Seems he read about it in a book or magazine, as we've never mentioned it to him. Just had him try the sample questions for EXPLORE and he's doing well.

He's not used to using a calculator and was pretty excited to hear that he could do so. I mentioned that he might want to do the work first and use that to check his work.... since he was able to do the first few pages in his head.