knit247 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 (edited) We just had Dd tested this past spring with our local hs co-op. We used the Stanford (not IOWA as I stated earlier) and OLSAT tests for 3rd grade. What, exactly, should I be most concerned with (besides the fact that DD did nowhere near as well as we expected)? Do the percentiles mean about the same as the stanines and AAC scores? It seems like I get more info by looking at the cluster scores, since that breaks everything down... Ok, so assuming that I half-way understand the results, I am a wreck. I know that I have fallen way short over the past year. We moved from the US to Germany in the late spring of 2009 and in total honesty I haven't done much of anything but the 3Rs (sporadically) since then. We believe that DD is very bright... She read as a young 3 yo, is amazing at puzzles and mazes, and understood mathematical concepts early on. She was tested when she was 5 and did very well - especially in spatial reasoning. Her IQ was in the superior range as best I remember - I believe in the high 130s. So - the fact that she scored 43rd percentile for the complete battery really freaks me out. She also had below average scores in several of the clusters. Her total OLSAT scores were "slightly below average". Am I failing my daughter??? Is this a wake up call for me - do I need to really crack the whip? Or are these results somehow skewed because she is a very VSL child and may just be a bad test-taker (grasping at straws here...)? Any thoughts? Edited July 20, 2010 by Laurie in Germany changed test name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 http://www.education.uiowa.edu/itp/itbs/itbs_interp_score.aspx http://jcacardinals.org/Test%20score%20Explanation.pdf These might give you some help in interpreting the results. Is this the first time she's been tested? Was she a bad test-taker in the past? Did she seem nervous or apathetic (two extremes) about taking the test? Honestly if she is going into 4th grade, I think she needs more than just the 3 Rs. But I wouldn't worry about the past. I would focus on what you are going to do next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 http://www.education.uiowa.edu/itp/itbs/itbs_interp_score.aspx http://jcacardinals.org/Test%20score%20Explanation.pdf These might give you some help in interpreting the results. Is this the first time she's been tested? Was she a bad test-taker in the past? Did she seem nervous or apathetic (two extremes) about taking the test? Honestly if she is going into 4th grade, I think she needs more than just the 3 Rs. But I wouldn't worry about the past. I would focus on what you are going to do next year. :iagree: I cracked the whip with my third grade twins -- and I understand the challenges of moving, homeschooling, etc. I would focus, as Jean said, on fourth grade - which is a pivotal year in terms of work load and information. You can make up for alot of lost time in fourth grade if you have a plan and are able to stick with it. And, imo, I would go for quality and not quantity, kwim? Strong math program, strong language arts program, strong spelling program, strong history program, strong literature program, strong writing program - good, solid work in those areas should speak for themselves when you next test. A suggestion - History Odyssey or another literature based History curriculum so that you basically kill two birds with one stone. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knit247 Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Is this the first time she's been tested? Was she a bad test-taker in the past? Did she seem nervous or apathetic (two extremes) about taking the test? Honestly if she is going into 4th grade, I think she needs more than just the 3 R... focus on what you are going to do next year. This was her 1st time testing in a group - and her 1st time since she was 5 yo. She wasn't nervous or exceptionally apathetic, but she did finish the tests early each day and did not go back to recheck her work. ...I would focus, as Jean said, on fourth grade - which is a pivotal year in terms of work load and information. You can make up for alot of lost time in fourth grade if you have a plan and are able to stick with it. And, imo, I would go for quality and not quantity... TY. I think part of the problem I have is that I piece everything together and I need something more "complete" to help me teach. Although I have purchased everything for next year, I am rethinking all of it and trying to decide where to go from here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 We just had Dd tested this past spring with our local hs co-op. We used the Stanford (not IOWA as I stated earlier) and OLSAT tests for 3rd grade. So - the fact that she scored 43rd percentile for the complete battery really freaks me out. She also had below average scores in several of the clusters. Her total OLSAT scores were "slightly below average". Am I failing my daughter??? Is this a wake up call for me - do I need to really crack the whip? Or are these results somehow skewed because she is a very VSL child and may just be a bad test-taker (grasping at straws here...)? Any thoughts? 43rd percentile is in the average range, not below average. The answers to your questions would be clearer if you had your daughter tested with an individual achievement test like the Woodcock Johnson. It will cost about $50- 75. I feel like I type this all the time, but the group administered tests are not sensitive enough to give statistically valid info on an individual child; they are designed to give statistically valid info on groups of children (school A vs. School B) and only screening level info on individual kids. The individually adminsitered tests, like the W-J are designed to give statistically valid info on a particular child; additionally, the test administrator will often be able to share observations which would enable you to interpret the test results so as to better answer your questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 TY. I think part of the problem I have is that I piece everything together and I need something more "complete" to help me teach. Although I have purchased everything for next year, I am rethinking all of it and trying to decide where to go from here... :tongue_smilie:I thought that was a requirement to post on this board.:lol: Hope it all works out for you - I'm sure it will.:001_smile::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 My DD~7 has not taken the Stanford test, but she did take a music exam this past winter. This is a serious exam with a written, auditory, performance and technical components. Her music teacher and I prepped DD on not just making sure she knew the material and why it was important, but more important we worked with DD on the skill of how to take a test. We did many practice tests to ensure DD was familiar with the testing format and how the test was structured. All of the test prep took place on a weekly basis one month before the actual exam. She scored in the low 90s on the written part of the exam. DD told me she felt confident about how take the test. There is an art to knowing how to take a test. The only reason I participate in state testing is I want my children to know how to take a test. Above and beyond school, we all need to take a test to get a drivers license, become a beautician, or contractor. I wouldn't focus on the test results if you feel the score does not reflect your DD's abilities. That said, I wouldn't ignore the results either. Why not take the information the test provides and examine the individual clusters. Maybe you do need to reexamine what you are teaching and how you are teaching. This is how I use test results with my kids, particularly if I see a pattern emerging over several years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I was reading about homeschoolers and standardized testing recently... I think they said the first time they test, they usually don't do as well as they could. A lot of it has to do with not being used to the format and questions. Isn't the material from the Critical Thinking Co supposed to be standards-based? Reading Detective, Science Detective and Editor in Chief - I think those workbooks were specifically created to up kids' testing scores. Also, Study Island...you could use that to get your kids ready for testing. I would definitely prep before they test next time. She'll probably do better the second time she takes one of these tests. I'm actually thinking about giving my kids the TAKS just for fun - so they are used to standardized testing formats. Good luck! And crack the whip! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Also, do you look at the state educational benchmarks for each grade level? I do that before the school year starts and it helps me focus and figure out what the ps kids are doin'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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