Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Advice...repeating achievement testing

We plan to repeat achievement testing for my son. My questions are which one and when?

Our reason is to collect more information. He first tested last summer at 6.7 on WISC-IV and WJ-III. There was a wide discrepancy between ability and achievement pointing to a possible LD. Analyzing subtests and additional assessments hasn't define a LD but stealth dyslexia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia are all on the table. The tester suggested we retest after a tutor, a year of development and formal educatin in first grade.

So...my questions...

1). Should I use same test so I have equal comparison? Would WIAT give me more information? Should I do both?

2). Should I test feb/march so I have information to advocate at school for next grade or wait for summer to test exactly one year after initial test? I'm not sure recommend spacing for efficacy purposes.

I'm not sure I will use same tester...I'd like to she was wonderful but very expensive ($400 for the assessment and another $400 for the debrief and numbers and if II want a written narrative report well that is another few dollars ... Groan!

Hi N.,

In a previous post, you mentioned you were going to pursue a neuropsych eval (which is what I'd want to do at this point also based on the info and questions you've posted previously about concerns re a possible LD). If you're considering a neuropsych, I'd wait and go with whatever is included in the neuropsych.

Re WIAT vs WJ-III they are both fairly comprehensive and include mostly similar assessments. What I see as the strength of choosing one over the other is the potential for combining the achievement test results with ability test results when the ability and achievement assessments are given at the same time. If your ds is given the WISC, having the WIAT will allow grouping achievement vs ability subtests together in a way to illustrate strengths and challenges, same for WJ-III Tests of Cognitive Ability paired with WJ-III Tests of Achievement.

Re timing, I think you have to wait one year to test again, but there is a second version of the WJ-III Achievement tests (called something like a "Form A" vs "Form B") that can be used to get around the waiting-one-year requirement.

Are you hoping for higher scores for gifted advocacy or wanting info that will help further with understanding whether or not there is an LD? Or both?

polarbear

Ah yes the neuropsychologist may do achievement testing/I didn't consider as that appointment is next month!

Both! of course I'd like the scores to be even with his ability and be wrong about any LD!!! But if that is not his truth then I'd like the scores to show us improvement as we put some remediation in place...I'd like to know if there is improvement! Plus tease out the LD as he previous scores were not helpful . And finally I feel he has made big jumps in reading and perhaps math...I need to advocate as he is bored and complaining, thus I'd like accurate scores/updated.