Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy New here, gifted 6 yr old

Hello,
I've been telling my son's schools since preschool that he is gifted. He is now in first grade, he is reading from the third / fourth grade shelf and spelling and vocabulary are third grade as well. I pushed to get him evaluated because his school work is leaving him stagnate. He was evaluated this past week, we have an IEP meeting on Thursday. What do I push for as far as his education? He really likes science and studies 4-5 grade science books at home. He loves to read, he doesn't struggle in math, but seems more on his grade level. I want to go into this meeting to get him the best possible education I can.

Have you gotten his test results? Did they do achievement testing which identifies his strengths and areas of need?

Well, I'm glad you spoke up for him, because if you don't, who will? I have no advice for you, just a pat on the back for getting the ball rolling.

I haven't gotten the Gifted Written report yet, I am supposed to get it monday. My biggest fear right now is they are going to try to say that they evaluated him and say he isn't gifted, so he'll be stuck doing first grade work when he is capable of so much more. I had to threaten a lawsuit to even get him evaluated. When I get the report and find out his strengths and weaknesses, what should my next step be?

I would go into the meeting ready to listen to what the school has learned from the report and what they see as reasonable options, but expect to need time to digest whatever they recommend.

It helps to be clear in your own mind about what options you think would work for him.
1) Do you need to homeschool him - full time? Part time? Which subjects?
2) Is there a private school nearby enough, affordable enough, that would allow him to stay with his agemates and get material that is at his 'readiness to learn' level?
3) Are there places within his current school that already are teaching material at his 'readiness to learn' level? Can he be placed, full time or part time, in those environments? Are their several agemates who are at a similar 'readiness to learn' level to your child and also not getting services who could all be serviced together?

The test scores in and of themselves don't mean too much, but what is key is 'how unusual are these test scores for kids of his age at this school?' Do they have 5 kids per one hundred agemates with same or higher IQ scores? Do they have 2 kids per one hundred agemates with the same or higher IQ scores? Do they have 5 kids in the whole school across with the same or higher IQ scores? Or 2 kids? Or have they gone 5 years without seeing the same or higher IQ score? Have then never seen a score this high in all of their years of testing?

That is going to give you some idea of LOG, level of giftedness, and help them focus on the idea that you kid is unusual and might need some unusual help from them.

Best Wishes,
Grinity