Don't they change the test every few months? Are the tests all of equal difficulty, or do they try to counteract the additional growth and learning by using gradually harder tests?
This is what I though they did, as kids testing in the spring had a separate awards ceremony in the fall. I know the cut-offs were the same, but I thought they scaled the tests against the population taking the test at that time (or maybe having read all these posts, that time the year before).
But I really don't know. In fact, I tend to agree with this:
thought everyone was held to the same cut levels, regardless of when they test. If that's the case, obviously award levels will be more attainable with that much more growth and learing.
In that I see the SCAT as more of an achievement test, not an ability test. For example, a highly talented child might be able to figure out multiplication, division and fractions not having seen them before, but another child advanced in math would be able to do well on the test based upon his or her knowledge of the subject matter. I like hearing that the SCAT is an ability test, but it does seem to be closely tied to academic achievement, too.
Honestly, though, I don't have a clue. I might have misread the materials and never really bothered to look at what they sent out. I was focused on the scores and qualifying for CTY courses. Once the scores came in, I put everything in a file and only recently dug it out in response to NJMom's SCAT post. So I'm learning along with the rest of you.
