Looking at the RIT score tables, a fall score of 220 equates to just under the 90th percentile (89th, actually) in fall of 4th grade, so if she had been placed in a 4th grade math class in the fall, it would have been appropriate.
Ok, but her winter score of 221 drops her to 82%. Doesn't this mean she's not receiving the right material in class and is going the wrong way?
As far as 4th grade math goes, I don't know that I would quantify what they are doing as really teaching 4th grade math.
DD uses IXL and the number of topics covered in 4th grade explodes compared to the earlier grades. Her teacher so far has taught 7 topics. Most I would consider either 3rd or 4th grade:
* Rounding
* Multiplication (3 digit x 2 digit max)
* Division (3 digit divided by 1 digit)
* Area and Perimeter (of basic squares and compound rectangles)
* Measuring Angles
* Quadrilaterals
* Lastly, they are just now moving into fractions
When I look at IXL, a lot of these skills are covered in earlier grades so I feel they are not really an acceleration. For instance, the class took 1 1/2 months to cover area and perimeter. Not triangles or trapezoids, just squares and rectangles. IXL has this popping up in 2nd grade skills. Alot of time wasted. Where they are starting just now at the end of the year is where I feel DD should have started at the beginning of the year. If she had done so, I believe we would have seen growth.
What bothers me more is that these skills don't match up with NWEA's flier which shows examples of math problems by RIT band. For 221-230 DD needs to know operations of integers, consumer math (percents, interest, etc.), algebraic expressions, calculating means, etc. When I look at IXL, these are all more 5th/6th grade problems. They don't show up in 4th grade.
I saw the same when I looked at a detailed report that some awesome person in New Jersey posted from DesCartes as well and I feel they simply will not be covered in 4th grade math.
I felt like printing a copy, highlighting it and putting a big question mark because I don't feel that DD could have answered any of the questions without outside help. How is she supposed to know like and unlike integers with what's been taught? Or averages or percents?
I have done a lot of research on this and I do feel my only stumbling block at this point is a teacher who is teaching to a mostly lower level class (many of the kids can't get elapsed time and she's been working with a lot of them). I thought earlier it was more of a math class but now that DD explains what's happening, I see it is not. She is pulling a small group of students and teaching them at a higher level, DD is not included (a whole other story), everything they are doing she already knows (they are just now working with decimals at a 5th grade level). Some of the kids in the group were having trouble. They didn't even cover decimals in their "4th grade math" this year.
The teacher has said DD needs a solid grasp of 4th grade material as "it's her first year in the program". Yet everyone can see what she is teaching has tons of gaps. When we asked about why DD was not included in any enrichment groups we were told "while DD's scores are good, she did not meet the norms". We wondered who decides the norms, we just feel there is alot of bias. DD says her teacher ignores her most of the time and plays favorites.
As far as enriching at home we do the best we can but this teacher piles on the busywork at night and it is hard for DD to find time. They get a spelling list and have to create 4 copies of the words each week and make them artistic, etc. DD enjoys this and could easily spend hours making hers the most elaborate to try and impress the teacher. Same with endless worksheets. I tell DD to hurry up because I don't feel these activities have value and it's been a challenge. With only a few hours each evening, it is really not pleasant. We all have MAP test fatigue.
Also, I have trust issues with this teacher. She did not want to provide us a copy of DD's winter score. DH had to send a threatening e-mail. She has stated that math groups were not meeting (when DD said they clearly were and that's how we found out about it). For some materials, she has asked students not to show their parents. She is an OK person, but I don't know if it is pressure from the district to keep students out of the high ability track (DH says it saves them money) or what. I trust very little of what she actually says.
We have considered moving. My neighbor whose son was in DD's class last year did not return for this year. The district has alot of financial issues and each year has seen more and more cuts. Now they are talking about eliminating music and art which DD said is the only thing that keeps her going at school. DH is not convinced. He believes HS is the most important and has stated he does not want DD going to this high school. If that's the case, is it better to get out at elementary level or wait until after middle school?
As for this year, I am waiting just a bit to see where this will all end up in the next couple of months as we comb through DesCartes and work with IXL and Khan Academy. DD is quick to catch on and she is getting faster with the busywork. I have captured the "Improvement Plan" and have screenshots. As Indigo said, DH thinks they will remove it too. Perhaps even after this years MAP test results come back. If DD does fall below the cutoff, and we end up staying, we will most likely advocate based upon what Loy58 said about being underchallenged. DD's grades are good.
