Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment New here and would love input. WISC and WIAT?

Help � new to this and not sure how to proceed!

I've been reading this forum for the past few months as my husband and I have been considering what might be the best educational path for our 2nd grade DD who recently turned 8. We are now at the point of pursuing independent testing and both the WISC and WIAT were recommended. As this is a rather pricey endeavor, are both necessary or would the WISC alone be sufficient for helping us decide if her traditional private schooling is the appropriate fit?

We�ve always believed DD is rather bright (I feel silly saying this aloud � who doesn�t see their children as bright?!) but as we�ve been observing her more closely over the course of the last year we�re concerned she�s underachieving and shows little intrinsic and/or extrinsic motivation. Her OLSAT scores in 1st grade were very high and this year's test result was an SAI of 150. Her SAT scores revealed she performed in the middle and high end for most content areas but we feel those scores may not be commensurate with her ability. Our only comparison is her brother, who in 3rd grade scored a 128 on the OLSAT (147 non-verbal, 116 verbal) and SAT scores predominantly at the 99-9 range. He�s a high achiever, very outgoing and happens to be motivated by getting good grades.

Our primary concern is that DD is languishing and she�s at a point where additional challenge in certain areas would be beneficial, if not critical. She�s currently in pullout programs for critical thinking and problem solving in Reading, Math & Writing (although these are not true G/T programs). In 3rd grade, she will be grouped by ability in a higher math, spelling, reading (Jr. Great Books) and writing. Our teacher has tested her reading ability to the max ceiling of 4th grade but doesn�t have the materials to go futher. Her lexile measurement is 960L and reading has always been one of her strong suits. She also has a wicked memory (wish I could say the same) and took 1st place at the regional spelling bee this year.

We are considering alternative schooling options or perhaps simply providing her with extra-curricular academic activities and partnering more closely with her teacher next year (armed with independent testing data) to ensure her educational needs are being met. Our school doesn�t offer a gifted program although it does provide the aforementioned programs and options for kids operating at a different level than their peers.

By pursuing independent testing, I�m hopeful the Dr. can gather enough information to let us know what the appropriate course of action may be for DD so that she doesn�t �give up� on school. Do we need to invest in both the WISC and WIAT or will the IQ data be enough to determine her needs without the Achievement portion of the test conducted as well?

Thank you in advance for any advice on necessary testing! We are rather clueless in this space and really want to make decisions for our children that will enable opportunity & success based on their unique abilities!