Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Gifted or not?

I didn't mean to pick at you, Dazey. But given that I knew Jool HAD faced a 90% situation IRL, I think 90% is a real possibility and is also too high.

I think 75% is probably plenty high enough. Though I agree with Dottie that more than anything, it ought to be a case-by-case basis.

I wasn't feeling picked on. 8-) When I put that number I thought "That's high...I really should double check that number." ha ha ha

Hi all,
Thanks so much for all the feedback. It is really helpful. I do have the breakup for the components of the Cogat. His percentile rank is 86 (verbal), 92 (quantitative), 91 (nonquantitative). How that averages out to a 92 composite score I am not sure - can anyone tell me how that is possible? Or is the composite score something else? His standard age score is 123, if that helps.
In WISC IV he scored superior overall but has his highest individual score in the perceptual reasoning index. don't have the actual scores on me right now. His verbal score is quite low but I think this is where the language issue comes in. In the Woodcock Johnson he has an overall score of 138 in the 99th percentile.
So much about the scores. I went and talked to the teacher today, and she still did not seem open to let him jump a grade level in math. Her reasoning is that (1) he did not test as gifted (2) results of an achievement test called MAPS where he also did not score highly enough. What's interesting is that afterwards I ran into another parent of a child in his class that often helps out in the classroom. The parent told me that he had observed my son knowing all the math covered and actually talked to the gifted coordinator about having him attend a higher grade level in math (his son is accelerated in math).

At this point I will bring the issue up again with the teacher, there must be a way where they could assess his knowledge in math to determine whether he is ready to move up. I'll think about the private testing, but since the outcome will likely have little effect on instruction I am not sure. Since we moved here recently I would also hate to make him switch schools again. He has to switch after 5th so it would be only for one grade, and being the sensitive boy he is, I am not sure that is the way to go.
But again, you all have been very helpful.

This got my attention. When I asked about gifted services for DD6, I was told she didn't test high enough on the MAP test. When I looked into it further, it turned out they'd renormed her scores using preliminary data that I was later told shouldn't have been used. When the correct data showed she was clearly in the gifted range, I was told MAP was not designed to determine placement in any sort of school program.

If they're using his 3rd grade scores, the preliminary norms shouldn't be a factor since they were for K and 1st.

I'd ask specifically for a copy of his NWEA Student Progress Report. This has lots of good information including RIT score, Student %ile range, student growth and typical growth. It will also break down his scores by reading, math and language use. This may give you information to help with math acceleration. Here's an example:
http://www.usd320.com/Map_Site/progress.pdf

And I would hothouse his little self until the next MAP testing. (When is that going to be?) The test isn't perfect, and neither are the humans who read the results, but it has very attractive features. In some ways it's up to us to make sure that kid has been exposed to the 'language' of the test, so that his achievement can shine through!

Best Wishes,
Grinity