Question about having my daughter tested

[nukeswife]

Hi all,

I'm very new here to this board and the search function on the boards isn't always cooperating for me.

 

I'm wondering about testing for my daughter.

 

We know she has issues with reading, she's 11 years old and only reading on a mid 2nd/low 3rd grade level. She's been through vision therapy, but has had no other testing done. We have gotten her an appointment with a neuropsych Dr. in April, due to this.

 

Now in our state we have to give her a standardized test (one of our choice as long as it's nationally normed) every year. She has to score in the 24%ile for her LA and math composite scores. She's been able to just squeak that out the past few years, but we're worried about if that will be possible this year.

 

So my question is, will the neuropsych exam be what we need to get for her in order to get her accommodations on testing if that is truly needed? Do we have to go through the school system? I'm very leery about going through our school district because of our experience taking her to the local school for speech therapy a couple years ago. We had to fight for it through every meeting and evaluation. The local school's VP is very anti-homeschooling and fought us every step of the way, even though her own employees keep reminding her that by law the school was required to offer my daughter these services.

 

Any help you can give me about this would be greatly appreciated. Oh, we're in Virginia if that helps or changes things at all.

[Tokyomarie]

The private neuropsych route is the best way to go to get the comprehensive testing you need. Since you are able to choose your test, I assume you don't need to interact with the school for the testing itself. What test have you given in the past; do you administer it yourself or does someone else do it?

 

One good test to consider using is the Stanford-10 (SAT-10), because it is untimed. Students are able to keep working on it, as long as it looks like they are working productively. I found that most helpful for my son, who needed extra time but didn't yet have his official designations of dyslexia and dysgraphia. There are some others who have experience administering or having these tests adminstered to their homeschooled student using offiicial accommodations. They can tell you more.

[nukeswife]

We've always given the CAT survey or the ITBS because my husband can give the ITBS since he has a bachelors degree and either of us can give the CAT.

[Tokyomarie]

Your husband would also be able to give the SAT-10. The Stanford test publishers require a bachelors degree. If a test administrator is not a teacher, they have to watch a training video. In either case, an application to be a tester has to be completed.

 

If extended time is the only accommodation required, the SAT-10 could be a good choice. If other accommodations are needed, it probably wouldn't matter which test was given. In any case, it would be good to contact the test provider to see what documentation they require for tests to be given with accommodations.

[nukeswife]

Thank you Marie for your input. I'll have my husband update his test administrator status with BJUP, so that we could use the SAT-10 for our daughter if we find that is the only accommodation that she needs.

[Tokyomarie]

Thank you Marie for your input. I'll have my husband update his test administrator status with BJUP, so that we could use the SAT-10 for our daughter if we find that is the only accommodation that she needs.

 

Good call. That way you'll have the option & can make a choice later.

[PeterPan]

Sounds like you're sorting through this. We have a similar law in our state, where you test or do a portfolio review. In our state the stakes are pretty serious, and given your level of concern I suggest you be very *careful* about how you approach this and get your ducks in a row. First, are there alternate options in the law? In our state it specifically says standardized testing, a portfolio review, or *other agreed upon*. So I'd check all your options within the law. 2nd, are you by chance a member of HSLDA? If so, then I'd just give them a buzz and chat and ask the best way to approach this. You're wanting to comply with the law, so it's a legal question. 3rd, when you notify or file your paperwork, is there a *grade level* assigned to the dc or only birthdates? It may be at the point where a grade reassignment, a transition year, would be in order frankly. It's just something to think about. Might smooth out things.

 

Just some ideas. And probably in your shoes I would do the CAT this spring. The cost is low ($25 with Seton or CLP) and you get results super-fast. Nothing says you have to TURN IN those results. It's a chance for you to see, with minimal cost, where she's at. Or of course the testing the np does will tell you that. And actually, if your np does the WJIII (some do) as part of the eval, then you can use that.

 

You were asking about accommodations. The idea of accommodations is that there's a disability preventing what's inside from coming out. In theory or as a general rule of thumb, if you give a dc who does NOT need the accommodations the accommodations anyway, their score will REMAIN THE SAME. So if the issue is writing or distractions or processing speed and you give an accommodation (someone doing the writing, limited distraction environment, more time), on a NT dc the score won't change. But on a dc who needs the accommodations, you may get a RADICAL difference. However, if her issue is that her real reading level or math level is low, it's still gonna be low, even with the extra time, limited distractions, etc.

 

BTW, do you have the McCall-Crabbs tests lying around? SWR and WRTR recommend them, so sometimes people do. You could try them with extra time and see what you get. The scores with those pretty much matched what we got on standardized testing.

 

When you do something like the WJIII (WoodcockJohnson III), there's no ceiling and no time limit. It's typically one on one, with minimal writing, and typically has no distractions (except for the time we did it and some dolt was SAWING WOOD outside the window, thanks). So a WJIII is a great test to pursue. I found a tutor who gave it locally for $75. It's just a couple hours, in/out, and you get results immediately. Works for your standardized testing, and you can take the papers to the psych to add to his pile.

 

If can't find that as an option or want something cheaper, I'd probably think about a grade adjustment and testing at that new grade level (with a different test from the one you did last year) and see if that helps. There's probably some psychology reason why that's all bad or not necessary, but it's an option to consider.

[nukeswife]

Elizabeth,

Thanks for the input. We could do a portfolio or I think some kind of eval by a psych dr would work. So now that I think of it I may even be able to use her evaluation with the np to satisfy this years requirement.

 

We aren't required to put a grade on our NOI, but my districts form likes to ask for it and every year I leave it blank and every year they call and argue with me on it. Last year I had my son repeat K because we didn't feel he was ready for 1st, and they accepted that as my explanation for turning in two years of K standardized tests. I was thinking that this year I would have my dd repeat her 4th grade tests since that seems to be where she is really at more so than 5th grade and again I would tell them that her father and I felt she needed that extra year. As long as she scores above that 23rd percentile we're ok.

 

Thanks again for all your help in this. I guess we'll just keep looking at our options and then see what happens with the np.

[PeterPan]

Wow, they call and argue with you? Are you a member of HSLDA? Maybe just a kindly little reminder from them to your district about the LAW?

 

You might like the portfolio review. I did that AND testing for several years, and I highly recommend it. Find someone to do it who actually has experience with the things you're dealing with. It will give you some fresh blood and new perspective. My lady was really generous and would let me just bring all our notebooks from the year and sit and talk. When someone physically looks through your stuff, they see patterns and things you weren't noticing. Just saying for us it was really good. Just need to find the right person, though, someone who's dealt with these issues.

[nukeswife]

Yeah, the lady that handles things in my district is a bit power hungry. I'm not an HSLDA member (there are things on their agenda that just don't jive for me) but I've never had her not back down when she clearly sees that I know the law and am not afraid to stand up for my rights.

 

I've looked into the portfolio review and when we lived in FL I did that instead, but here I haven't found anyone willing to do it or they are not comfortable doing it because of dd's issues. DD is also more comfortable with a test than with an interview type thing (which is more of what a portfolio review has been for us)