ITBS - what level?

[kailuamom]

When you give your dc the Iowa tests, how do you choose the level? Do you test them at "grade level" -- the grade they would be in if they were in public school? Or do you test them at the level they are working? (If they are working ahead or behind?)

[Ellie]

I test them at the level they'd be in if they were in school, because that's what a standardized test does: compares children with the normed group of the same grade level. If you test below or above, it isn't a "fair" comparison.

[kailuamom]

I test them at the level they'd be in if they were in school, because that's what a standardized test does: compares children with the normed group of the same grade level. If you test below or above, it isn't a "fair" comparison.

 

That was my thinking, but I was just curious. :001_smile:

 

Thanks!

[Capt_Uhura]

If the child is working ahead, testing them at grade level tells you nothing really. On most of those tests, 95th% is the ceiling I've read. Of course, if you just want to please the state with high test scores, I'd test grade level. If you want to see if your child is progressing from year to year, you need to test where they are working at and maintain that for each test I would think.

[ldee]

I would test them at the grade they are working. If they were in ps, wouldn't they be in that grade anyway? It doesn't depend on age. There is a private school in my town that highly recommends that all of the children start 1 year later or be held back in early elementary.

[kalanamak]

The instructions I just used said to put that in the grade there were in in the fall but spring and summer, bump up to the next year. I read this part several times and that is what I did.

 

Made no never mind to me. In K the point is just to get him (and me) used to testing. Our state requires it from age 8 on, but you don't have to report it to anyone unless you then enroll in school. They want to have an idea of where a child "is" when they show up to be enrolled at, say, age 12.

HTH