TX doesn't require testing, but mom (a.k.a. ME!) does. I like to know exactly where progress is or isn't happening, and I like to know what to buy well ahead of time so I can get lower prices. Can you suggest one or more tests that fit all or most of these needs: 1. Timed or untimed doesn't matter, but I'd prefer untimed. 2. Preferably no writing (other than bubble blanks) 3. Preferably doesn't have to be administered somewhere else and/or by someone else. 4. Preferably allows breaks (since I'm dealing with the attention span of an average 6-7 year old). 5. Doesn't make you choose a grade level before ordering the test (biggest issue!!!), or at the very least, doesn't make you choose both a grade and age at the same time 6. Tests more areas than just reading and math skills 7. Preferably adjusts to the child (like a computerized test that keeps going until you mess up) 8. A test that gives you a grade level score rather than a percentage of questions right score 9. A test that ranks your score in comparison to others at the same age or grade level Does such a beast actually exist? We've used LetsGoLearn for the past two years, but my son already maxed out 3 of the 6 reading sections, and I want something much more in depth. I basically just use that test to get him into a gifted summer camp since we haven't done IQ testing yet. :roll:
I'm assuming that you're talking about standardized achievement tests. I think all of them besides Hewitt and Stanford are timed. All of them are grade-leveled, which means that you have to choose a grade level when ordering the test. (Only individualized tests - like the IQ tests - are "open-ended" and scored by age - that I know of.) All of them include items that no one at that level is supposed to get -- that's how they determine "giftedness" with these tests, if a child scores super high on standardized tests where no one at the level of that test is supposed to get them all right. All of them I know of are grade-leveled, not age-leveled. I think most of them allow you to indicate that the student is "non-graded" (which allows testing outside of a certain age-span for that grade-level) but you still have to choose a certain grade-level of test. Example: a 12yo taking a 3rd grade test would be out of the age-range for 3rd grade and might be shown as "NG" if taking such a test in a special ed setting at ps. For your child, you will probably want to choose the grade level that most of his work is (like a 2nd or 3rd grade-level test?) - his age should be automatically recorded on the report sheet, so it will be there for comparison by whoever is evaluating his application for camp. That is, you might choose a 3rd grade test, indicate his correct birthdate, and indicate that he is "non-graded". You can order tests that you can give at home to your own children, but you'll have to follow certain guidelines according to where you order your tests from. For example, Stanford requires a college degree. ALL of them require the tests to be sent in to be scored, and you'll receive results in a couple of weeks' time. There ARE now, however, online versions of some - Christian Liberty has the 1970 CAT and a new test called TestPoint which are available online and give immediate results. ACE has a version of the Stanford available online which also gives immediate results, but it must be taken at an ACE school. Most achievement tests have subtests in reading, language, math, science, and social studies, but some - like the CAT (1970) test only reading, language, and math. The usual suggestion is to choose science, social studies, or other materials according to reading level. Some tests have a "basic" and a "complete" form you can choose from. The pricing may be different. All achievement tests will give you a grade level score, but it doesn't mean they can do that grade level of work in any particular curriculum. What it means is that IF a ps kid in that grade/month took the same test, they would have gotten the same number correct that your child did. Example: your child takes a 3rd grade test and scores at 5.9 grade equivalent -- it means that IF an average kid who was in grade 5.9 took the same test your child did, they would have gotten the same number right. I don't know any tests that give you a percent correct score. They will give you a percentile score, which means that if your child and 99 others took the same test, your child would have scored equal to or better than X-number of them.
Hmm... that helps. Tell me about science & social studies, though. Do they ask specific questions, or do they give you information (passage or a table) and ask you to pull information from it? The reason I ask is that we're doing Apologia. We're not following what typical students would learn in science. We've done astronomy, and we're finishing the 3rd zoology book, so all he really knows right now is space and animals! :lol: We haven't done botany or anatomy yet, and other than a little here and there that he's picked up in other areas, we really haven't done ANY general science or pre-physics or anything like that. Do you know how much prices vary on these tests? Do you know how long it takes to get results on the ones that are sent off (because registration is March 1st... although, hopefully we'll have IQ scores by next year)? Let's say this time next year, I decide to give him the 3rd grade test. How far above or below would it generally test? Thank you for taking the time to talk me through this. I'm really clueless here! :lol:
For science and social studies they usually give a reading passage or table/graph or description of some kind, then ask questions about that. Tests usually cost between $25 (CAT 1970 on paper) and $45 (newer stuff, with more subtests and complete report). They usually take between 2 and 6 weeks to get a report back, depending on where you get it from. At BJU http://www.bjupress.com/testing/, you have to be pre-approved [BA or BS degree AND experience in testing OR view the instructional dvd] to get the Stanford or Stanford with OLSAT (a measure of learning ability but not an IQ test exactly). The Stanford is $44, the combination is $63.50. The Iowa also requires pre-approval [BA or BS degree OR teacher certification OR verification of full-time teaching experience not in a homeschool], and the prices are the same, $44 and $63.50. The preapproval takes about ten days. Here's somebody I have used in the past: Crosspointe Educational Services. https://www.cestesting.com/home They now use the CAT/5 (1991) and the TerraNova (2005). CAT/5 is $45 and TerraNova is $55. If you want the CAT back in 21 days instead of 6-8 weeks, it's an extra $10. I've used these in the past too http://www.baysideschoolservices.com/ but I see now that they are a little higher than Crosspointe for the same tests. I have not used these people, but my homeschooling mom of 7 friend has: https://www.familylearning.org/tests_cat.php Their CAT/5 Complete Battery is $37. Return the completed test within two weeks. Scoring may take 1-3 weeks. I've never used Hewitt http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/test/tmain.asp, but they've written their own untimed tests for grades 3-8, which are $36. They're not a complete battery (no science or social studies). Hey! This one looks totally interesting! http://www.kidtest.com/store.html?section=tests for like $10! They're grade-leveled, it seems, but the third grade test includes second through fourth, and the other levels seem to do the same. Check this one out! I'm a little confused now -- registration for camp was March 1st?? You missed it!
No... for next year. We used LetsGoLearn this year, but he's already maxed out 3 of the 6 DORA sections (he's on an adult reading level and 8th grade comprehension level ... math is only 3rd, although I think their assessment was too high... he's not that hot with math, and he usually dreads it). I want to use something a little more detailed next year. Ideally, we'll do IQ testing and all that in Sept, but the testing we plan to do will cost around $2500 (we actually HAVE done a lot of research on that type of testing... just not the little yearly assessments to track progress). Not sure yet if we'll be able to afford it by then. I'm looking at other options. (... and for future use for the little one. He'll be old enough for camp next year, I believe.) This info is like gold to me. THANK YOU a million times!!! Bookmarking this thread, for sure!
You should check out the TAKS. Texas' standardized tests (old tests) The kids can take them online or you can print out. They are all fill in the bubble. I can't remember if it told how you did compared to other children, but it did show you if they met the standard. And what range the standard is so you would know just how close to the edge they might be. They are old ones and they are free online at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=44&menu_id=793 You may need to save this for later sorry but I just saw how old your child is in your post!
I've already looked at those, and the gifted camp doesn't accept TAKS tests. Says they're too easy (which... they are.) Thank you, though!
I don't know if it meets your requirements, but I'd check out the Stanford or Iowa. I'm still trying to decide between the two, but think I'm going with the Stanford and the OLSAT.
Is the Stanford the same thing as the SB-5? I know that's one of the tests he's supposed to do for IQ testing.
No I think they are different. The Stanford 10 is an achievement test. I think you are referring to the Stanford Binet 5.
Ok, so if I do the Stanford/Olsat combo, should I keep him at his age level, or perhaps within a year of it? Seems like they cover a lot. I don't know.
The OLSAT is only available for grade 2 and up. I would go with the age if you wanted a comparison by age and grade if you wanted a comparison by grade. If the test will qualify you for something I might go with the age level test. If you want more information regarding grade level I might go with the grade level test. This is my first year so I am starting with the age level as a baseline measurement. The results of that will help me determine if going with a different level would be more useful the next time around.
Ah! That makes sense. *sigh* I just want to come up with the money for comprehensive testing in Sept. Get it over with! LOL!
I understand. I looked into that myself and the $$$ aren't justifiable here. I did do some testing on my oldest son when he was in Kindergarten. The 3 hours I spent testing him (used an older version of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities) gave me valuable information on how he learned. But it was free. I borrowed the test from my old university department. I don't live there anymore or I'd be stopping by to do it again.
Oooh! That would be nice! I checked the universities around here, but none offer any type of testing. We'll be flying out to GDC in Denver. Actually, the woman who runs the gifted camp trained at GDC. Small world. (I'd planned on going there before I knew that.)
I've given my students the Stanford 10 for awhile now, and the OLSAT comes with it (under the arrangement I have) at grade 2, 5, and 8, so I've given that too, at those levels. In order for the OLSAT to be scored properly, the child's age needs to be within a certain range for that age -- I know that because the Pearson test people (not the people I got the test from) called me about it one year when my student was too old for second grade but I had given him the second grade test because that's where he was academically. So they scored him as a second grader with an unknown birthday... This year I'm going to use the third grade test but mark him as "ungraded". So I would suggest that if you want to use the Stanford/OLSAT combination, or the Iowa/CogAt combination, you might should go with the test level closest to his age (like giving it now, he'd be six, right? so I'd choose not higher than the second grade test). Blowing the top off it, he'll simply look MORE gifted compared with others his own age, which is what IQ tests do anyway, compare with others of the same age. Incidentally, the Stanford at second grade level combines science and social studies concepts into "environment" - and I think I remember lots of recognition of pictures to answer questions like "Who did ..." or "Which is ..." rather than interpretation of reading passages or graphics, but I might not be remembering accurately.
I might be tempted to go with getting the school's multidisciplinary team to give a Wechsler IQ and a Woodcock-Johnson academic, for free, just to have something. I gave the W-J, both cognitive and academic, a lot at work and annually to my hs'ing son. Both are "open-ended" like you'd want, keep going until you miss a certain number on each subtest, then compare that with same-age kids in the norm group. But then, you wouldn't be able to give that at home yourself, you'd have to go to their offices or an office in a school, and they'll get around to you whenever they have time...
If you are in Texas - check University of North Texas in Denton. They have a large gifted education department. Dr. Tandra Tyler Wood does testing - generally WISC-IV and WIAT-2. It cost $300 about 5 years ago. http://faculty.coe.unt.edu/tandra-tyler-wood
