A M Tuba, I would look at the subtest scores on *both* tests - if you haven't requested the full set of scores for both, do so and request that you have them before the meeting. There are all sorts of reasons that one test may look lower than another. My kids haven't taken the KBIT, but since it is used as a first-round screener, I wonder if it contains as many subtests as the WISC - if it doesn't, that could be the first thing that's significantly different - it might not have tested the same range/type of abilities. How a child feels about the tester, whether or not he is feeling well or distracted etc might cause overall scores to be lower - so if you look at both sets of scores and see that they are relatively "even" for both tests but the test averages are different, I would wonder about the testing environment etc. Also talk to your ds about what he remembers - were the tests fun? Did he hear other things going on, distractions, etc? What was the person who was giving the test like?
The other possibility with the WISC is variability in scores could be lowering the score averages. Like Amy mentioned, I really value having the wide range of subtests on the WISC because it illustrates areas of strength and weakness. If you look at the subtest scores and find that PRI & VIQ are significantly higher than PSI and WM, you can request that the GAI be calculated in place of FSIQ.
Lastly, I would probably ask the school for more specifics on why they said it's harder to qualify for the gifted program in 1st than in 3rd? It is true that in most school districts (or at least in many) testing for gifted doesn't take place until 2nd and programs aren't offered until 3rd grade (and there is a parallel re testing and accommodating for LDs not really happening during K-1 either)... but that's logistics and planning. An intellectually gifted child is not going to happen overnight in 2nd grade... he/she will have been an intellectually gifted child when they are younger too! So why would it be harder to achieve a qualifying score on an IQ test? If anything, our schools always try to discount early scores that are high-IQ, feeling that the later scores are more reliable and indicative of a child's true ability... but that's not the same as saying it's harder to get a qualifying score before 3rd grade. So I'm just curious! Maybe you could ask for me
Best wishes,
polarbear
