I am wanting opinions on the correct assessment to have my child take to understand achievement levels and potentially use to advocate placement in school.
Here's some details.
Child completed 3rd grade in public school.
Child has tested in PG levels on WISC-IV; ceiling many of the subtest and going well within the extended norms. Child though had significant discrepancy between IQ and ACHIEVEMENT (WJ) leading to a diagnostic impression of SLD. The nature of the SLD is hard to pinpoint as further tests show weaknesses compared to ability but he does not fall below average for age or grade on any test or in any area (except motor planning). What I observe is he has more frequent careless errors than one might expect with math (usually reading a symbol wrong or doing the process correctly but getting the product incorrect.) He is slower and looser with his recall of math facts. His writing breaks down after a bit due to tiredness and he tires out quicker than expected when reading higher level books; but still at or above grade level in those weaker areas. His IQ predict he should be 4-5 grades above--when tested on achievement in second he was 1-2 grades above...at most.
He has received 2 years of OT/PT and 3 years of OG tutoring. He masters all curriculum at his grade level but is not a competitive overachiever in school--so he is not a model student in some ways. He is highly creative or at least drawn to creative projects. He is at risk of being labeled ADHD (and he may be) as teacher's frustrate with his disorganization; "doing the bare minimum"; reading during instruction; and picking and choosing where he gets highly engaged and where he tunes out. He will tell you he is bored during class and can't stand the repetition of math. He is a consummate learning it is just of higher level information and not of the rote skills that elementary school focuses on.
I do not have a good sense of his true achievement levels. Since there is a lot of asynchrony going on. I would like to better understand his true levels to monitor the impact of the SLD and also try and challenge/stretch him in areas he is accelerating. Whether by advocating through the school or looking at after school learning.
Our current school is opposed to any form of acceleration, thus, I'd like scores that speak more to his placement than general achievement (they do not look at WJ as speaking to placement potential)
He took our states version of MAPS this year (third grade) but we haven't received scores and I am uninformed of what those scores will tell us and how it reports.
I looked at SCAT to understand math levels and wondered if that is the best route?
What else should I consider?
Thank you.
