SN/ Gifted testing

[Cadam]

Dd has some special needs (ADHD and unknown other stuff we haven't nailed down yet). She is also accelerated in math. She is working a year ahead at home, needs very little practice and has significant abilities in patterning and problem solving.

I would like to ask for testing so that we can get an idea of what is going on inside that little brain of hers, how to challenge her in math and help in other areas.

One of her doctors wanted a nuro-psyc eval but they don't do them, said that the school should.

What exactly should I be asking for?

[wapiti]

I do not have a whole lot of faith in the school district in this area. Special needs testing? Sure. Gifted? Maybe; it depends on the district. But twice-exceptional students are tricky to test, and having done both school testing and private testing for a 2E kid, it's no contest - private wins, hands down, as long as you have selected a tester who has extensive experience testing twice-exceptional kids (many testers of gifted kids do).

I might start here http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm and/or look into psychologists who test for local gifted schools - such info might be available on the website of a local private school for gifted kids, under the admissions section. Word of mouth is another good way, if you know any parents of gifted and/or 2E kids.

Also, the neuropsych department at a local university may do this - call and ask their receptionist. I would quiz them on how often they test gifted kids as opposed to just special needs.

Typically, this would involve IQ and achievement testing (for example, a WISC and a WIAT) along with your answering extensive questionairres re: adhd symptoms, etc.

[Cadam]

I do not have a whole lot of faith in the school district in this area. Special needs testing? Sure. Gifted? Maybe; it depends on the district. But twice-exceptional students are tricky to test, and having done both school testing and private testing for a 2E kid, it's no contest - private wins, hands down, as long as you have selected a tester who has extensive experience testing twice-exceptional kids (many testers of gifted kids do).

I might start here http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm and/or look into psychologists who test for local gifted schools - such info might be available on the website of a local private school for gifted kids, under the admissions section. Word of mouth is another good way, if you know any parents of gifted and/or 2E kids.

Also, the neuropsych department at a local university may do this - call and ask their receptionist. I would quiz them on how often they test gifted kids as opposed to just special needs.

Typically, this would involve IQ and achievement testing (for example, a WISC and a WIAT) along with your answering extensive questionairres re: adhd symptoms, etc.


There is no way for us to pay for the testing so using the SD is our only chance. It isn't super imperative that we get it done, it would just be nice to have a peek into her brain. I will supplement at home regardless of testing.

Her SN issues are mostly behavioral. I don't suspect any LD's so the testing shouldn't be super different than any other gifted child.

So I am looking for them to so the WISC and WIAT?

Her teacher said there is pre-screening paperwork and I have to fill that out and they will only test her if she qualifies through the pre-screen stuff. Is this really legal? Can they refuse testing if I make a formal written request?

[wapiti]

There is no way for us to pay for the testing so using the SD is our only chance. It isn't super imperative that we get it done, it would just be nice to have a peek into her brain. I will supplement at home regardless of testing.

Her SN issues are mostly behavioral. I don't suspect any LD's so the testing shouldn't be super different than any other gifted child.

So I am looking for them to so the WISC and WIAT?

Her teacher said there is pre-screening paperwork and I have to fill that out and they will only test her if she qualifies through the pre-screen stuff. Is this really legal? Can they refuse testing if I make a formal written request?

It depends on what you are asking them to do, exactly. Testing for learning disabilities is something they're much more likely to do than testing for giftedness. Most school districts will not do a one-on-one IQ test for giftedness - it's simply too expensive, and they're under no legal requirement to do so (some that will use an abbreviated version of an IQ tests, using fewer subtests, saving them $). My ds had a one-on-one IQ test as part of his special needs testing at school in K, and the results were not exactly noteworthy. They didn't tell me anything that I hadn't already known. Part of that had to do with the choice of the test (Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Assessment), and part of that had to do with the tester (special needs psych) and the reason for the testing (she was not looking for giftedness).

Many school districts use a group screening test for giftedness like the cogAT, which is not strictly an IQ test and will tell you nothing about LDs.

If you're not looking for LDs, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to do something along the lines of a WISC, though I guess you never know - maybe you're in one of those few districts that'll do it. While it can't hurt to do the group screening test, be aware that such tests are notorious for missing gifted kids, so if she comes out lower than you thought would be the case, it doesn't mean she isn't gifted. When you find out the name of the test(s) they're willing to do, you can read more about them from the links at Hoagies. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/tests.htm

I'd also consider carefully what this is going to get you - whether it might get your child into gifted programming at school, and what the value of that programming is to you (e.g., is it merely an hour a week pullout, or is it something more). Much of what you personally would gain from the exercise, in terms of understanding your child's brain, is something that I'm not optimistic that you'll get from the school district. Considerable expertise in analyzing results can yield a wealth of information about "complicated" kids, but often such expertise is either lacking or simply not brought to bear by the school district.

I'm sorry I'm so pessimistic, but while some districts pay much lip service to challenging bright students, it often doesn't amount to what it sounds.

Maybe you'll get better advice on the accelerated learning board? Good luck!! :)

[OrganicAnn]

Some school districts have a gifted coordinator and they can tell you what you need to know about gifted testing. I think most school districts are required to test for learning disabilities if the parents requests testing.

I think the difficulty is will they do the tests that will be the most useful for you. That is difficult to know. You get what you get. But even if it isn't the most optimal test, you may still learn something from the test.

[EmilyK]

It depends on what you are asking them to do, exactly. Testing for learning disabilities is something they're much more likely to do than testing for giftedness. Most school districts will not do a one-on-one IQ test for giftedness - it's simply too expensive, and they're under no legal requirement to do so (some that will use an abbreviated version of an IQ tests, using fewer subtests, saving them $).

Many school districts use a group screening test for giftedness like the cogAT, which is not strictly an IQ test and will tell you nothing about LDs.

If you're not looking for LDs, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to do something along the lines of a WISC, though I guess you never know - maybe you're in one of those few districts that'll do it. While it can't hurt to do the group screening test, be aware that such tests are notorious for missing gifted kids, so if she comes out lower than you thought would be the case, it doesn't mean she isn't gifted. When you find out the name of the test(s) they're willing to do, you can read more about them from the links at Hoagies. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/tests.htm

I'd also consider carefully what this is going to get you - whether it might get your child into gifted programming at school, and what the value of that programming is to you (e.g., is it merely an hour a week pullout, or is it something more). Much of what you personally would gain from the exercise, in terms of understanding your child's brain, is something that I'm not optimistic that you'll get from the school district. Considerable expertise in analyzing results can yield a wealth of information about "complicated" kids, but often such expertise is either lacking or simply not brought to bear by the school district.

I'm sorry I'm so pessimistic, but while some districts pay much lip service to challenging bright students, it often doesn't amount to what it sounds.

Maybe you'll get better advice on the accelerated learning board? Good luck!! :)

I was trying to edit this to only have the parts in it that I agreed with from my experience, and then I realize it is pretty much all the same story for us. It varies so much by locality and I'm not sure where you are. Where I live they do very cursory testing in my experience and not at parent request (one factor, but it isn't like you can just ask for it). The testing wasn't helpful for us.

if you have health insurance it won't pay for giftedness testing alone usually but might may for testing relating to LDs.

Good luck and hoping you have a school district that is tuned into these issues.

[Cadam]

Lucky for me, my coach at the running clinic I signed up for is another 4th grade teacher at dd's school! In the course of chatting about kids and then describing dd she asked if dd was in TAG and so we got to talk about that process a little bit.

She said that they usually do a woodcock-johnson and then maybe a WISC but it is up to the person in charge of TAG. They do have some pull out stuff but I am most interested in the Rosetta Stone stuff they have set up for TAG kids. When I suggested that what I would really like would be for her to simply be excused from their math program and do work that I send, but I knew that would never happen, she suggested that I talk to the teacher because "maybe she would".

I know it's not going to be perfect, but that conversation gives me a little bit of hope. Now to see if she qualifies!