Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment How do you get the "tests"?

Exactly. You don't know whether she has a disability, and no one could really tell you conclusively without further testing. The point of getting an evaluation from someone who is familiar with highly gifted children and with children who are highly gifted with disabilities is that that kind of evaluator is much more likely to understand whether what they are seeing in the testing and in the child's history is typical for gifted children or whether it is an indication of a problem than someone who doesn't have much experience with either group.

It is also just dawning on me how, even though I think the standards are absysmaly low, my kid scores at the top of the charts (for the state test, 100% across the board except for probabilities and that is more likely due to a new math cirr. last year) but her classwork and behavior don't match. There is a disconnect between testing and production and that huge gap says alot in itself. If the gap was the other way, like she tested low but performed high, the school would be falling all over themselves to help me. It's also obvious that I am going to have to be "that parent" this year...oh well

Yup! Get testing done by someone who 'really' knows how disabilities present in gifted girls and set your mind at ease.

It still may not give you a complete picture, but it has a very high likelyhood of getting you moving in the right direction. These kids are tough!

Grinity

omg...so not on the testing part yet, but we also got this big packet from the ped...one for me and one for the teacher (we actually gave one to last year's teacher as well). Also, it turns out this year's teacher does know her a little from reading buddies last year...but anyway, looking over the packet the teacher filled out and I'm like "WHO is this kid?!?!?" Some things I see, but mostly, it's like she is talking about some totally different kid.
I am also slightly pissed to see a counseling report when she was in kinder...I was never actually shown the report, though did discuss the incident. It is SO ONE SIDED! Another kid told his mom what PA said and I think it was totally blown out of proportion.
GRRRRR!

Frustrating! Do I hear the wagons circling?
But if she is acting like the description says, then -wow- she must be suffering, yes?

You have to remember that what's 'normal' in my family, and maybe yours, and what's normal in the teacher's range of experience are quite different.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

update...grrrrr!

So the school psych called and we had a chat. I am aggrivated to learn that they will not do LD testing at this time...they say the protocol is to do a "behavior plan" first. WTH? So, if it turns out it IS a disability or something else, like ADD or ODD, you are going to make HER responsible for her behavior, when it might be something she needs HELP with? It seems to me they should rule out LD or other things first. I also want to know why, if my kid is such a problem, has this avenue not been explored before?

Monday will obviously be dedicated to at least finding a child psychologist...

Weeellll... I get your frustration, but... even if she does have a disability, she's still going to have to be responsible for her behaviour. A good, well-run behaviour plan ought to *be* helpful. It's not as though if she has a disability, someone's going to pull out a magic wand.

That does sound like a good idea, if you can find a good one as discussed.

maybe I didn't word that correctly...but I do agree that any kids can't just run amuck of course.

It just seems kind of counter productive to not rule out other issues that can be with testing, etc first. Plus, this behavior is not new. It actually started in kinder...why wasn't it addressed before? I feel like we have wasted all this time...

If you are in the US, the school can not refuse to do a learning disability evaluation if you request one in writing. The evaluation must be completed within a reasonable time.

Data from her response to a behavior plan can be included as part of the information the evaluation team considers, but a behavior plan is not a substitute for an evaluation. The rest of the process should be going ahead at the same time.

See this page from Wrightslaw.com for more information and resources.

TY aculady! I am actually a little surprised they are not pushing for an ADD evaluation, as that is the seemingly favorite dx of schools for kids who don't cooperate with the plan..

Oh here is the wording they used...
"A has concictently demonstrated Basic to Advanced academic proficiency within the general education classroom. Current CST (District wide test teachers use for report card) scores indicate Advanced proficiency. The District is required to utilize a Response to Intervention (RTI) approach in order to address any (eg behavioral) factors which may be interfering with her academic performance before proceeding with a Special Education assessment. The District will also offer to hold a parent conference/team meeting in order to address any concerns."

I guess my problem here is the way they make the assumption that just because she tests well, she must be just fine in there...but my concern is the disparity between the expected intellectual results (which she scores higher than) and the behavioral expectations (which she is at the lower end of). To me, this huge divide itself suggests that SOMETHING (or more accurately, the NOTHING) that has happened for 3 years is not meeting her needs.

Again, luckily I have insurance, so I guess I can pursue this along that front. But also, I think the first thing I'm asking when we have this meeting is "If, according to YOUR measure, my kid is UNLIKE 98% of the kids, WHY are you trying to treat her like she is LIKE that 98%"?

Can you say frustration?!?!?!