Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment DYS app ? and grade skipping?

I posted a while back about my daughter, who is 8. I had the WISC IV and Woodcock Johnson test of achievement done by a private psychologist. Her GAI is at 143, which is 99.8%, just below the DYS cut-off. Her Broad Math for Woodcock Johnson was at 99.9%, which is in the cut-off. Would it be worth a shot to fill out an app with a portfolio or not?

Also, she is in a new school this year, and they are much better than her old school. This school sends her to TAG for reading, and are pulling her out to 4th grade math on a daily basis. So, that is wonderful. She is going to start the 4th grade spelling group this week. I am wondering if it is worth it for her to remain in third grade, or if we should discuss a grade skip with the school. The official TAG program starts in 4th grade. My only concern is that we are still struggling with my DD's lack or organization. That said, I don't know how much better off she will be in that department by next year!

I'd look at a grade skip definitely and maybe consider the DYS application with a portfolio. My dd13 was quite disorganized at that age as well, but we didn't find that the organization requirements were such that she really needed to step up to the plate until 6th or 7th grade. Your dd has time to develop organization even with a grade skip before it will be more critical.

My dd skipped 5th and had a few struggles with organization her first year in middle school (6th) but not so much so that she wasn't able to maintain her grades. The work still wasn't superbly hard. I'd expect that your dd will still find the work not particularly hard either.

Totally worth a shot!
I think it's wise to discuss it with the school and get their perspective. You can always decide to stay as you are, or make plans for next year.

I think that since she is being accomidated, that you can allow things like 'social fit' to play a role. Does she have intellectual peers where she is now? Is the current 4th grade class have a nice reputation for friendliness? Are there other kids going with her to her 4th grade classes? Does she get to do her 4th grade classes inside the 4th grade TAG program?

Since she is new at school, it might be nice to go to 4th grade full time so she can consentrate her social efforts on the group that she seems destined to join, one way or the other. I'd present it to the school that way.

Smiles,
Grinity

I agree, I'd talk the grade skip over with the Principal and teachers who seem very accomodating anyways (wish all were like yours!). It seems she's doing the majority at Grade 4 level anyways. As Grinity asked though, is it regular 4th grade or are they including her in their GT that starts at 4th? Would it cause her to have to change to new classes for 4th with the GT program if she were to just move up?
My DS8 is in 4th (skipped 2nd) and his organization skills are scattered at times but he gets by with little reminders from me, and the attempt to get him into patterns with homework, writing things in his journal, etc...At this level they still have time to work on those skills!

As for the DYS application, I say why not, its worth a shot. Do you have portfolio stuff that you could include? That way when you send in the Broad Math score over 145, and the just about there WISC score they have a little more of a picture with the portfolio.

My DD skipped 2nd, and didn't have any issues with the 3rd grade workload. However, we'd kind of assumed that she'd breeze through 4th, and she's had a difficult adjustment to the 4th grade workload. Fourth has a lot more writing volume, a lot more open-ended work, a lot more homework assigned as homework (rather than work that could be finished in spare time in class). The work itself isn't difficult (even her differentiated spelling isn't hard); it's the increased quantity of work and the need to be able to break a project down, leave appropriate amounts of time, etc.

I don't know much about the kids in the 4th grade class. I know my daughter really likes the teacher who she takes 4th grade math from, but I don't know if there would be room in that teacher's class, per se, for her to be in there full time. I have heard all three 4th grade teachers are outstanding. I love her current teacher, and she has nice kids in her class right now. It is a bit of a struggle for me. My daughter would like to skip to 4th theoretically, but she has already made friends in 3rd, so this makes me a little hesitant. She struggled a bit socially at her old school. She really likes the kids at her new school better.

The principal is a former TAG teacher, herself, and part of the reason why I chose this school is b/c I had heard from other parents that she was not afraid to accelerate by subject or grade skip. If my daughter went directly to 4th grade, I would imagine she would be moved into that TAG program. She LOVES the TAG teacher.

She is so much happier here than she was at her old school. Her current teacher even nominated her for a special science enrichment day where she gets to go to our local zoo for a behind the scenes day with the zookeepers. She gets to do all kinds of cool stuff and then has to report back to her class about it. My daughter wants to be a zoologist when she grows up, so this is just awesome. Anyway, very exciting stuff going on for her right now, and it makes me happy for her.

Obviously, I would have to discuss any of all of this with the school, the teacher, the principal. I just thought I would get some input from those of you who have been there.

Then, of course, I think about how she is my youngest and I hate to see her leave home a year early, like I did! That thought just makes me sad

As for the application, I know she is very borderline, but I thought it might be worth a shot. Yes, we have some stuff we could submit as part of a portfolio.

Interesting about the jump from 3rd to 4th, Alexsmom...for both of my kids, so far it has seemed that the jump from 2nd to 3rd has involved a big increase in writing requirements. My oldest is in 8th grade now, and I still remember 3rd being a transitional year for her. I'm finding that with my younger one now. Of course, it could be the expectations of the different school, also. Last year, most days she would be done her homework before I had even unpacked the rest of her "stuff" from her backpack!

Our DS11 has GAI like your DD. His WIAT Mathematics is 160. We submitted the test results, included portfolio and he got in. So go ahead and send it!

In regards to grade skip, we decided against it. Our DS was adamant about staying with his friends. His 5th grade teachers recommended he stayed with these group of kids. She thought they were closer to his level intellectually, than the students who were a year ahead.

As you are able to get accommodation right now, and your DD is happy socially, then she is in a good place. Maybe you can ask the teacher to allow her for some open-ended project / work independently that will allow her to go deep in a subject that she loves?

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the input, Coco. It is great that your son was accepted into DYS, and it helps to know what you chose to do in terms of skipping.

I guess one option would be to try my daughter in 4th for a period of time and see how she feels about it, if the school thinks it might be a good idea.