Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment All of this for naught?

My DS6 was in a wonderful program this year, most of you know the story, Accelerated through 4 different grades etc... He has been telling me for awhile that he'd like to know how much longer he needs to "do this school thing" because he hasn't learned anything. Surely a K in 5th grade math is learning something, I poo pooed and sort of dismissed his comments.

Today I was given his NWEA test scores for his year end testing. He had exactly yhe same scores that he had at the beginning of the year. No growth at all! Reading 208, Math 217. They don't give him the LA part. How is it possible for a child to get exactly the same scores twice in a row?

So even with radical acceleration, how am I going to know if he's actually learning something? This is getting a little ridiculous at this point. I'm beginning to feel like it doesn't matter what we do for him.

Could it be a test ceiling issue? Did he take the primary test both times?

My theory is the ceiling is somewhere around 210 for the NWEA primary MAP. If his score was from the primary test, he may not have had a chance to show the higher level math he's learned.

Can you describe the program? Maybe it isn't a good fit after all.

oh Shari! huggs....so sorry he isnt happy. Perhaps he really will need homeschooling for the next few years...or to work individually on a few subjects as part of his school day. Ruf says that the level 5s can learn all of elementary in a year so you arent crazy. pherhaps a phone consult would do you some good. love and more love grinity

The scores are exactly the same numbers, correct? Not even a one-point difference? If the answer is yes....I have a really, really dumb question, but just in case: are you sure they gave you the year-end scores? Could someone have accidentally read the scores from the beginning of the year?

Val

Val,

I had the same question. I just don't want to say it out loud.

My child took the MAP and from one year to the next, dropped 6 points! It was wacky! She was still in the 99th percentile. The teacher said sometimes they just don't test well that day, or that particular set of questions was something they didn't know. In any case, we never really understood it, but the next year she jumped 12 points. I don't think the scores tell the whole story. I'm sure he's learned something! Most of the items that DD is tested on at her level no one has ever taught her anyway and we aren't even sure how she gets them right!

Shari, so wierd I had a similar conversation with my DD6 yesterday. After skipping a grade and the teacher giving her accelerated work, she is complaining about not learning anything this year and the school year is almost over. So I feel your pain on that issue. My DH wants to homeschool, and I think he's right if were going to keep her interested in learning that may be our only option at least that way we can find her level and move at her pace. The same score on that test is strange, don't know what to say on that issue.

IMHO you got the scores from the previous tests.

Unless that is the ceiling, then you should see movement.

marieg,
What grade was she in when she had the drop from one year to the next and then the 12 point jump?
P.S. Were her scores around the 210 RIT for the drop/jump?