DS and DD were 7 when they took the Gates-MacGinitie during the spring of 2nd grade. I think that nationally 7 is the normal age for 2nd grade. In any event, this test is grade-normed and not age-normed, which makes sense, since teachers don't usually differentiate based on age in the classroom. However, your DS actually took an above-level test since he took the 3rd grade version rather than the 2nd grade version. Wouldn't the public school program be based on at-level test scores?