Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Tester/Assesment- Northwestern Louisiana area

I need to find a tester. We are on an island in the middle of the Bering Sea, but we will be going to my mom's in March/April for 2 weeks, I could extend my stay if needed. Alright so what I need....

A tester near Shreveport LA....that is in the Northwestern part of the state. 4 hours from Dallas, 5 from New Orleans.

DD is 3.10, when we go she will have just turned 4. She is doing 2nd grade math, reads on an almost 4th grade level, and loves all things science and has been identified PG by 3 peds. So I need someone who really gets HG or PG kids if I am going to spend the money on this....2E work would be even better since she has some issues we just dont know what they are about, and we would really like help with.

I can find a tester through my mom's contacts, but my concern is that something will be missed if they really don't work with these type of kids. In Dr. Ruf's book she is between a level 4 and level 5....all the level 4 are milestones she did way before, but not as much as the level 5. I know there's conservesy on Ruf's levels, but they help me see where she is.

So suggestions...I am willing to travel a couple of hours, but would prefer to be in the shreveport area so dd wont be tired from a car ride.

If we can't find anyone, I guess we will probably wait and make a trip off island just for assessment sometime in the next year or so.

Just wondering: she's kind of young. What are your goals for testing?

By this, I mean, most people here typically use test scores to gain entrance to various programs such as CTY, DYS, or school gifted programs. But your daughter is too young for these programs. So what do you hope to gain from testing? You already know that your daughter is very bright, pediatricians have also noted it, and you know what levels she's working at. What will testing add to that?

Not to mention that she could be too young. My understanding (could be wrong) is that testing before age 5 or 6 is unreliable, PG or not. Sometimes little kids just won't cooperate for the simple reason that they're little kids. I've read about this idea and have even heard about it happening from a couple local parents who got their preschoolers tested.

Have you considered contacting a couple centers that do testing (perhaps even Dr. Ruf) to ask about the benefits and downsides of testing a child who's so young?

Just my 2c...

I talked to the principal of the school here today and I was told they will consider early entrance plus grade skipping for DD....but they need testing, and they won't test till she is in enrolled in the school, so they need outside testing for early enterence next year....and then they have a contracted tester who comes out 2 times a year and she could be tested then for grade skip. Frusterating situation....although she did say she will talk to the super intendent this weekend and see if an exception can be made to test DD before she enters school when the testers come out. Early enternce next year would still be seriously boring for her, but it is half day and would give her some school experience and she misses kids while at home...so they would be a chance to get her in and get her accelerated. It would be worth a try, although I'm not sure how she would handle it. Part of me feels we should just keep homeschooling, and start homeschooling for real in a few years, my mom thinks we have no choice but to homeschool, Dh is ambivalent. I just had a good school experience, and want that for DD....but I am wondering if I should be concerned that the principal said "Well we know there is no way we ever have to worry about her falling behind, so our job will be dealing with the social and emotional aspects." Which I will need clarification on as in, do you plan on academically challenging her too, or up her a grade or to which they know wont be enough and then have her work on social skills....which I believe is a HUGE deal, but I want her to be challanged one day too.
Okay that was probably rambeling LOL.

The second thing, is DD's other issues we can't figure out, sensory, ADHD, Aspergers or just intense giftyness....I don't know, but it is driving DH and I nuts and she is harder to handle. So that is a huge thing since there are NO specialist on the island, no testers, no therapist or OT or anything. And DD and I next planned trip off will be an entire year from this March. So March 2012....so any info would help, even if we dont do testing till then.

Okay, makes more sense to me now.

Do they need achievement testing or IQ testing? When my daughter was being considered for grade skips, they gave her end-of-K and end-of-first tests.

Barring that, have you considered contacting Dr. Ruf's office? Sometimes experts have a list of other experts around the country.

Having no idea what you need, HTH.

Val

Just the right amount of rambling!
It would be good if the school's tester would test this spring of 2010 so that they can give the early enterance a try.

Believe me, being in a school environment that offers your daughter a chance to learn at her readiness level IS SO an emotional need for your daughter. Next time the principle says something like the above, you chime in something like
"I'm so glad you understand that my daughters emotional needs require her to be in a school environment that gives her a chance to learn new things and practice the skills she is developmentally ready to practice and not just looking at her birth certificate to determine what her educational needs are! I'm so glad that you really understand!"
You'll have to practice that in the mirror so you can say it with a genuine affect. Maybe a lot. Horrible but it works!


If your mom is willing - I vote for Lexington Kentucky. It's 12 hours away, but maybe your mom would be ok with it as there is so much to see on the way - Little Rock-Memphis -Nashville! Then you get the numbers the school need, plus parenting advice from a really gentle and thoughtful source to keep in phone contact with over the years plus as solid a 'rule out' for AS or ADHD as you'll ever get.

Best Wishes no matter what you decide to do!
Grinity

Alright so if our school here won't test yet, I have a lead. I heard through the grapevine (my mom's friend who is former head of admissions for a private school told my mom) that my old therapist who has definitly been around and knows gifted kids (hence why I saw her back in the day) LOL...is still practicing and does testing. So I may be putting a call in to her to see if we can set something up for DD while there and check out if the issues we are seeing are 2E or what.