Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment How to Arrange Explore Testing?

If the Talent Search in your area does not adminster the Explore, how do you go about arranging testing? Is it a problem if the child in question is only a rising 3rd grader?
Thanks for any suggestions.

The Belin-Blank talent search (contact: belinblank@uiowa.edu ) is willing to have 4th-graders register for the EXPLORE . They only allowed my 3rd-grader to take the test when I showed them his excellent SCAT scores. You need to pay $70 for the test and to find a teacher who is willing to proctor the 2-hour test (who we paid about $80). The exam should be mailed to the teacher's school. In our case the teacher proctored the exam at the local public library, because doing so at the school after hours would have incurred a building rental fee of more than $200!

Actually, there was a typo on my original post. DS is a rising 3rd grader. He already took the SCAT as a second grader. How excellent would the SCAT scores have to be? DS qualified for the awards ceremony (same score of 451 in Verbal and in Quantitative).

Could it be any elementary school teacher even if she is not affiliated with DS' school? Thanks

Thanks for asking this question, Quantum! I've been wondering the same thing since there is no sense repeating the SCAT next year, right? I'm going to follow Bostonian's advice and contact the Belin-Blank center and provide them with DS's 2nd grade SCAT scores. Kate

My son scored 443 and 476 on the verbal and math sections of the SCAT as a 3rd grader. The proctor was not a teacher at his elementary school (and it may be easier that way, because payments to a teacher at your own school may be governed by a union contract).

You're welcome. I don't plan on repeating the SCAT, particularly since it will be the same test for 3rd graders. The Explorer looks much broader as well as a higher ceiling.

Bostonian, I am assuming that you are in the Boston area based on your name. I researched a few of the talent searches and found two that uses the Explorer and starts with 3rd graders. What made you decide to go with the Iowa-based talent search, especially since it starts with 4th graders? The Carnegie Mellon and the Northwestern talent searches start with 3rd graders.

I also found that the Explorer is mainly offered in January and February for the talent searches although there were limited opportunities to take it in October and in March or May. If you arrange testing privately, are you bound by the same test dates? For example, I am assuming that I would have to wait until October for the 2011-2012 version to come out although it would be easier to arrange testing during the summer even if DS won't technically start 3rd grade for another two months.

Thanks for your help!

Correct.


I had read earlier that Belin-Blank lets one arrange individual EXPLORE testing. When I wrote to CMITES saying that EXPLORE was not offered in MA, the director only mentioned that some families travel to PA to take the test.


No -- my son took the test in June.

I contacted CMITES and they already have several testing sites in Florida. Quantum, contact them to see what sites are near you for your 3rd grader. I received a response the same day I sent an email. Kate

Bostonian,

That makes sense. Thanks for the info.