ELaurie Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I would like to do some standardized testing with ds 10 this year, primarily to give him some experience with testing so that he will be comfortable taking standardized tests later on. I introduced him to the ISAT (used in Illinois) and the CAT last year, allowing him to ask questions as needed, and to take as much time as he needed to work through the questions. This year, I plan to administer the test at home, following the printed instructions, in a timed testing format. I may or may not send them off to be scored. I have a master's degree, so if a BA is required to administer the test, that won't be an issue. How do I evaluate each of these tests, in order to decide which one to administer? And what would I do with out this board? :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Personally, I choose ITBS for a few reasons... It's more complete than the CAT. The CAT that's available to home schoolers is older (and the norms used to score it are older as well). The regulations surrounding administration make it easier for home schoolers to use the ITBS with their own kids than Stanford. I also like using the CogAT together with the ITBS for a more complete picture of strengths and weaknesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handmaiden Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Personally, I choose ITBS for a few reasons... It's more complete than the CAT. The CAT that's available to home schoolers is older (and the norms used to score it are older as well). The regulations surrounding administration make it easier for home schoolers to use the ITBS with their own kids than Stanford. I also like using the CogAT together with the ITBS for a more complete picture of strengths and weaknesses. This is an interesting observation. What does ITBS measure that CAT doesn't? And where do you order it from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Definitely not the CAT. The standards are the ITBS and the SAT (Stanford.) Of those, I prefer the Stanford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 I also like using the CogAT together with the ITBS for a more complete picture of strengths and weaknesses. Thank you Abbey. I'm not very familiar with the CogAT - is that the one designed to measure cognitive reasoning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 Of those, I prefer the Stanford. Angela, would you mind elaborating on this? I also understand that there are some requirements in addition to a BA for administering the Stanford - but I'm not sure what they are. Where can I find out more about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handmaiden Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 How about for younger kids (4-6th grades)? Do you still recommend the SAT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Angela, would you mind elaborating on this? I also understand that there are some requirements in addition to a BA for administering the Stanford - but I'm not sure what they are. Where can I find out more about them? To administer the Stanford, you must also test two non-relatives in the same grade level as your child at the same time. I get my info from BJU (I'm qualified for both, but as of yet not administered the SAT). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 To administer the Stanford, you must also test two non-relatives in the same grade level as your child at the same time. I get my info from BJU . Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in GA Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Definitely not the CAT. Why not CAT? This will be my first year testing and that was the one I was thinking of going with. What's the difference between CAT and the other two? Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 If your primary goal is test-taking, frankly I'd go with the CAT-E from Seton. Your statement that you may not send it in gives me pause, because most of the test cost is in the grading. You pay for grading whether you send it back or not. So if you mostly want just test-taking of a real test that you might or might not send in, I'd do the CAT-E. It's short and sweet, but fine as a first standardized test. I use it for 1st and 2nd grade in our family. If you are pretty sure that you want results, I'm going with the ITBS this year for mine. I'm certified through BJUP to give both the ITBS and SAT, but I prefer giving the test when I want to give it without the logistics of helping out with my co-op testing (which uses the SAT) or finding others to test at the same time. You can give the ITBS to your own after a very easy application process via BJUP or through other providers. I'd like the CogAt too, but I don't think I can swing the ITBS + CogAt this year financially even with me as the test-giver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 To administer the Stanford, you must also test two non-relatives in the same grade level as your child at the same time. I get my info from BJU . Thank you! I just received the BJU testing catalog, and SAT no longer requires non-relatives to test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renai Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I just received the BJU testing catalog, and SAT no longer requires non-relatives to test. It's updated on the website http://www.bjupress.com/testing/stanford.php. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia On My Mind Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I have administered and discussed the outcomes of the Stanford with parents and teachers for years and highly recommend it. I recommend that you also administer the Olsat with the Stanford. It costs a bit more but will give a good idea of IQ(called SAI on test sheet) for your child. It only has to be administered about every three to four years with the Stanford. You can be certified to administer the Stanford and ITBS by filling out an appliction with BJU and taking their training course on DVD. You also must have a Bachelor's Degree. You can also sign up with them to administer the test to individuals in your area who buy the testing from BJU and request a test administrator referral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Georgia On My Mind, Is there a good online source for understanding the advantages of the SAT over the ITBS? Thanks, yvonne I have administered and discussed the outcomes of the Stanford with parents and teachers for years and highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia On My Mind Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Georgia On My Mind, Is there a good online source for understanding the advantages of the SAT over the ITBS? Thanks, yvonne Yvonne, I don't personally know an internet site that compares or discusses the benefits of one over the other. When I home schooled my oldest daughter 25 years ago I administered the ITBS to her and it was scored by BJU. I still have the scores but my comparison after teaching for the last 20+ years with the Stanford would never make me use the ITBS. It doesn't seem as comprehensive. You want to know as much as you can about how and why your child received the scores and for my money Stanford is head and shoulders above all the others. I also give the Woodcock Johnson III Achievement and Cognitive so I do have other comparisons. For our purposes as home schoolers, Stanford is great. You get a wealth of information about interpreting the test scores on the back of the test. I hope this was helpful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Thank you so much, Georgia. If I'm going to test, I really do want to get as much useful information from it as possible, so it sounds like the SAT is the way to go for us. Thanks! yvonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I am going to respond to several different posts here.... forgive me!;) If you aren't sure if you want to have it graded (:confused:) why not buy a test prep book and give it at timed intervals and evaluate it yourself? They get the practice and you save $$. I have done both CAT and IOWA... they are not very dissimilar. The CAT seems to have a few less subject categories... The CAT is a nationally normed test, just like IOWA and Stanford. There are several different companies that offer testing services other than BJU. They are generally cheaper, a small business, and without all the red tape (e.g. photocopying your college diploma and other hoops). I prefer to support those types of businesses. From what I know in my state... if you pay for a test yourself, you can choose to do whatever you want to do with scores. They do not get "recorded" anywhere (other than as stats, not linked to name). IF you arrange it in advance, your public school must let you test with them, for free, but the scores are not yours exclusively, they will keep it in the school records. I am by no means a testing expert. I just did some research and have done them twice. I also think they are almost useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 There are several different companies that offer testing services other than BJU. They are generally cheaper, a small business, and without all the red tape (e.g. photocopying your college diploma and other hoops). I prefer to support those types of businesses. Radiobrain, can you point me to one or more? I'm not having success with google. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Here's one for the ITBS. http://www.brewertesting.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Radiobrain, can you point me to one or more? I'm not having success with google. :001_huh: For the CAT (both survey and full): Bayside School Services - owned & run by former homeschooling family (kids are grown now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison in KY Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 One more option is to use the PASS test. They claim it's more homeschooling friendly. I used this test a few years ago and found it just had less stress (maybe not timed?) than the CAT test we'd done. I think Hewitt is the organization where you can buy it from. http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/test/tmain.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Kolbe Academy offers the CAT/5 Complete Battery. I believe it is $50.00 for non-registered families. I have used the SAT and CAT both. My main purpose in testing is to find weak areas to address, and both have given me that information. Of those two, I found them very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 We have used the ITBS w/CogAt through BJU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Radiobrain, can you point me to one or more? I'm not having success with google. :001_huh: here's one... http://www.familylearning.org/ http://www.triangleeducationassessments.com/ http://www.thurbers.net/ http://www.pesdirect.com/ I am sure there are more.... a good thing to do is find out which states require yearly testing and google within that state... a few might pop up. good luck! Korin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Thanks to all the links! You are the best! (Can you tell I am in a non-mandatory testing state?!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfarm Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 BJU's most recent testing booklet (came in my mail yesterday) says, "Stanford no longer requires non-relatives to test." and "New! Parents as Proctors The publisher now allows qualified, pre-approved parents to administer the Stanford test one-on-one." HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Thanks to all the links! You are the best! (Can you tell I am in a non-mandatory testing state?!) No problem.... I am in a non-mandatory state also, although it is an acceptable form of assessment, but my husband wants me to test every other year. Although, when he looked at the IOWA last year he couldn't believe what it was like. He was like, "This is ridiculous!". I then re-explained my personal feelings about testing and he finally understood my point of view. I doubt we'll be doing it again anytime soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazymom4 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I know this is an older thread...but thankful for the information I needed today....you ladies are amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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