out of level testing

[naturalmom]

I'm required to do standardized testing each year. I will be using the ITBS with my 6 yo who is about to start 3rd grade Singapore math using the textbook and Intensive Practice and skipping the workbooks. Does anyone have good information on out of level testing? I don't feel I'd gain any helpful information from the results of a 1st grade test. At the same time, I realize these tests aren't specifically designed for out of level testing. Is there anything that would give me tips on how to choose a level, and also how to adjust score interpretation? Thanks!

[Sue in TX]

:lurk5:

I'm really interested too.

I chose to test my 6 yr old with the 2nd grade test b/c the third grade & up test requires the student to complete a "scan-tron" sheet - but the 2nd grade test is completed in the test booklet. My 6 yr old would not be able to complete a "scan-tron" without my assistance and supervision. She just doesn't pay attention to the details and I really wanted her to complete the test without my involvement. Otherwise, I would have had her test on the 4, 5, or 6th grade tests- not sure which one. She is doing at least 5th grade work in all areas so the ITBS was not very informative at the 2nd grade level.

[WendyK]

I have a similar dilemma. I don't have to test until 4th grade though. My son is 6 and doing close to 4th grade work in some subjects already. So what will it be like when he is actually in 4th?

But after thinking about it, I have decided I will most likely just give him the test that would match his grade level (based on his age). If my only purpose is to use the exam to satisfy a requirement for the homeschool regulation, then why bother worrying about it? It wouldn't be any different if he were in school. And if they use the scores to qualify one to get into gifted programming, again, they would compare him to others his age/grade level. They wouldn't say...he qualifies if he can get XYZ score on an exam 3 grade levels past his age grade level (hopefully that makes sense).

I personally don't put much stock into standardized tests though.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

Dd7 took a 3rd grade Terra Nova last year and had a WJIII done. This year she will be taking a 4th grade test, but that's just because it's what "grade" she's in. I might also give her a higher level CAT test (the old version) and we are going to look into the EXPLORE.

I wouldn't waste my time with a 1st grade level test if my kid wasn't doing 1st grade level work. JMO.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Maybe it's worth thinking of testing as three different assessments.

1) An assessment that would help you determine your son's ability, strengths and weaknesses

2) Subject assessments that might help you better place him in his curriculum to a place that is challenging but not frustrating

3) An assessment to submit to the state that will fulfill their requirement of demonstrating adequate annual progress

Even if you did an out of level test, you wouldn't necessarily get a better measure of #1 or #2. I did have both ability and achievement tests done on my older kids when they were 1st and 2nd grade. It told me that they were in fact in the gifted range. It told me that I should go ahead and give them complicated, high level work at a pretty fast pace. But it didn't help me place them within a specific program. To do that I had to give them placement tests from a curriculum publisher or just have them do sample chapters until I found a level that was a good fit.

I've always wondered what would happen if I gave a higher level test, say the fifth grade test for third grade, then had their work level out. What if two years later they weren't ready to test at a seventh grade level? Would some evaluator at a school decide that in that year we'd failed to make progress?

I have just stuck with the grade level test for state purposes, even when it didn't give me the best picture of where the kids really were. You could always go ahead and give a higher grade sample test from a practice book to give you an idea of how they did at higher levels.

[angela in ohio]

Generally you give an at-level test at first, and then if they score in the 98th or 99th percentile (making the test less-than-helpful for assessment purposes) you give them the next level test the next time. We do out-of-level testing with MATS (a talent seach program,) and it is very helpful.