Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment DYS Application question re achievement testing

I'm considering applying for my 5yo DS. I'm trying to figure out if his Woodcock Johnson III Test of Achievement scores work for the minimum score. His highest eligible score on it was his Brief Achievement Total. Does anyone know if a Brief Achievement Total counts as a "Total Achievement" score? Or does it have to be a Broad Achievement Total (not sure if that even exists or not since we only had a few subtests administered).

Thanks!
E

The brief total won't work - it has to be the Total Reading Composite, Mathematics Composite, Written Expression Composite or Total Achievement Composite. If you only had a few subtests administered, you probably don't have a score for any of these, although it is possible.

Thanks for the info, ElizabethN. I may just have to wait until he's older to re-administer the test. He ran away from the tester during the timed portions. Maybe I should just go the portfolio route. Anyone have advice for what kinds of things to submit for a new five year old?

Do you have any of the required tests (IQ or achievement)? From what I have read here, it seems like many accepted with a portfolio had at least one of the required tests and a qualifying score.

Best wishes!

Yes, we have a WPPSI-IV score that qualifies. We have partial Woodcock Johnson III scores, but mostly brief scores because he refused to do two of the timed tests, so we couldn't get a total achievement other than brief total achievement. Despite losing credit during the timed tests, he still scored three to four grades above his age. Maybe I should submit the Woodcock-Johnson plus a portfolio? I don't even know what I could get him to do on camera or on paper to demonstrate his abilities.

We do have a qualifying IQ test score. We only got a brief total achievement because we missed several of the timed tests that he just refused to do. What do people submit for portfolios with young 5 year olds? Videos of them talking or reading? Sorry if this has been answered before, newbie here.

If it was my DD, I'd submit a video of her doing mental math, because it's a pretty impressive skill. With DS, I have no idea what I'd submit. I just had him tested last month and he likewise wouldn't really play along with the tester and spent parts of the test refusing to do anything, doing it his own way, or (alternately) giving overly complex answers that didn't fit what the test wanted from him. DD likewise didn't really play along with testing when she was 5, but a couple years later, she had better focus and interest in cooperating. So I'm just going to throw up my hands and try again when he's 6.