Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment SCAT questions

My dd said she had extra time and was able to go back and check her answers on the verbal sections. On the math it wasn't relevant since she ran out of time at question #40. :-)

Thanks, Dottie. I will sure use that blurb when I discuss the results with the teacher. Thanks again.

Hi everyone,
We were very excited to receive our son's SCAT scores today. I did have to fib about his age and grade to qualify him for the second grade test (he turned 6 in October and is technically Kindergarten although we home school) but his scores are awesome and I know a little bragging is accepted here.

Since he only finished 35/55 math questions, I didn't expect him to do too well, but he finished with a 431..so close to the magic 435 he needed but still 50% to all fourth graders.

He did score a 450 in Verbal - 96th percentile!

I hope he will enjoy the online programs for the verbal and I will re-test him probably in six months to see if he can qualify for math.

Thanks to Dottie and Ianfan for providing info about the test while I anxiously awaited the results.

Mine takes it on Friday, so I'll be the one waiting. I'm just doing it out of curiosity - won't make any difference as to programs or services. We'll see . . .

Squirt,
My two cents, especially if your child isn't too familiar with standardized tests is to let them know it is a timed test.
I didn't tell him and do regret it. I would also insist that my child take the full time break between tests. My son only took a minute or two since he was anxious to finish.

Yeah! WOW! Congrats!

Zia, that's great! That verbal score is phenomenal!

I thought about fibbing for ds6, but he's at his dad's both weekends, worse luck. Did anyone say anything, or notice? My conscience worries me a bit!

Thanks Dottie,
It was a nice experience for all of us. I wish I didn't have to fib though to participate. Any idea why younger homeschool kids can't test even when they can show advanced grade level work but traditional grade-accelerated kids can, regardless of age?
I know the program has been around for many, many years so I suspect they have their reasons.
I never was a great rule follower.

Hi Mia,
I was a little worried, too, but when we arrived no one said anything. I was very relieved. About half way through the testing our son was "noticed" basically because he was so small and stood out in a room full of adults. Then we got friendly questions about how old he was, etc.
I justified it by telling myself and my husband (who needed a little more convincing) that if we had enrolled him in school he would be skipped to second this year anyway and then he could have tested legally. So, same kid, same age, shouldn't really matter.

Good points Dottie. That is why the awards for SCAT are nice, I wish our state had them. Recognition is hard to get when accelerated. As I have mentioned in other posts, my son is a chess player. Even though he was 4 and 5 he played in tournaments against much older kids. When he went to his first tournament this fall after a long summer break of no play (still only 5), he wanted to play "down" against kids K-3. The parents of those kids actually were angry that he wasn't playing in a higher division. That was one of the last tournaments he played in. That line of age-appropriate and talent-appropriate recognition is hard to straddle. I think these kids need a little of both to stay well-balanced.