Most useful testing

[cmac]

I am required to test to fulfill state requirements. Which tests have you found the most useful and why? Which tests are more rigorous and which ones are less rigorous, though I know that doesn't always make a test better. I am considering the CAT online and the Stanford 10 online through CC. I know he would prefer online and I would prefer the quick results. Thanks!

[mom@shiloh]

We're using the CAT right now -- the paper version. I chose it because we could do it at home and it's quite inexpensive. I'm only doing the testing because my state requires it for 3rd, 5th and 8th grade.

 

Some things to be aware of with the CAT: You are supposed to order the test for the grade that your child will be entering next and there are only four levels of tests. That means that my just-finishing 3rd grade dd, who is a bit less enthusiastic academically, is doing the same test as her brother who is 2.5 years older than her and much more academic. This makes a huge leap from test level 2 to test level 3 and it's quite intimidating for her. Now, she can skip questions AND she will be graded at her level, but seeing so many questions that she doesn't know is demoralizing. The level two test which my 2nd grader is doing would be way too easy for the 3rd grader and wouldn't reflect an accurate test score. Given all that, I'd choose to do it again, but it was just something that I didn't expect.

[MinivanMom]

We use the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. This year dd9 will be doing the Cogat along with it (an IQ screener). We originally began using it, because it is the test our local public schools use. I figured that if we ever had to put the kids in school it would be the test a principal would be most familiar with. I have been very pleased with the thoroughness and feedback, but I'm not sure it tells me anything that I don't already know. We continue to test, because annual testing is required in our state.

 

Really you can't go wrong if you use one of the 3 big standardized tests: ITBS, Stanford-10, or CAT. The advantage to the ITBS and Stanford-10 are that you can do an IQ screener along with them (Cogat or OLSAT respectively). All three tests are standardized and well-respected. All give thorough feedback and will give your child experience with a testing atmosphere. ITBS is timed, but I believe the other two are untimed. If you really want something with more information, then the Woodcock-Johnson another possibility. It is individually administered so it is more trouble and more expensive, but it will give you a real grade level for your child. There are lots of good choices; what you choose will depend on your purpose for testing.

[cmac]

Thanks for the replies! I didn't know the CAT covered many levels at the same time. Or maybe that's just the CAT summary? And I'm glad to hear there are lots of good choices, depending on the purpose of the testing. I will probably do something easy for me this year and plan on something more time-consuming in the future. I have a testing deadline coming up. I already feel I know his weaknesses and strengths, but I guess a subjective opinion could be helpful. MinivanMom, what do you mean by real grade level?

[Mrs Twain]

For an achievement test, people generally test at the current grade level of the student. For example, if you are doing a standardized test to comply with your state law, you would test your 3rd grade student with a 3rd grade test. This would show that your 3rd grade student was competent in the basic skills and content for 3rd grade, which is what your state wants to know. At least that is my understanding, and that is what we do for our state. I use the CAT (complete battery) for 1st and 2nd grade because it is a fairly simple test. You can order the CAT/5 for every grade from K-12. This gives my kids confidence and familiarity doing standardized tests. From 3rd grade and above, I use the ITBS (complete battery) because I believe it is more rigorous and gives more information. I have found the tests to be quite helpful. They emphasize points on which my kids need improvement. Each year I have added a couple of things to our curriculum where I have found weaknesses on the tests. From my research, the ITBS and the Stanford seem to be regarded as the most rigorous tests (though personally I have not done the Stanford at all nor the CAT at any grade higher than 2nd).

[MinivanMom]

Thanks for the replies! I didn't know the CAT covered many levels at the same time. Or maybe that's just the CAT summary? And I'm glad to hear there are lots of good choices, depending on the purpose of the testing. I will probably do something easy for me this year and plan on something more time-consuming in the future. I have a testing deadline coming up. I already feel I know his weaknesses and strengths, but I guess a subjective opinion could be helpful. MinivanMom, what do you mean by real grade level?

 

I've been out of town, so I missed this. It's been a little while since you posted, but I'll answer in case it's still helpful to you or anyone else reading along.

 

The Woodcock-Johnson is an individually administered achievement test. It is designed to be given individually in order to pinpoint the child's actual current academic ability (grade level). This is why it is frequently used for testing children for special ed services or for gifted services. It can tell you that a 3rd grader is only reading at a 1st grade level or that a 3rd grader is working at a 6th grade level in math. The test includes questions at all grade levels and it gets progressively harder as it goes along. In overly simplified terms your son would start out with questions that were a little below grade level for him. If he gets them correct then he moves onto grade level questions. If he gets those correct then he moves onto above grade level questions. As long as he is still getting questions correct, then the tester will continue with the test. The questions will be getting progressively more difficult. Your son would hit the "ceiling" when he gets a certain number of incorrect problems in a row. At that point the tester would discontinue that section of the test and move onto the next section. This gives you a fairly accurate grade equivilency.

 

In contrast, the ITBS, SAT-10, and CAT are group achievement tests, so they are designed to be given in a group setting to children who are all at the same grade level. You purchase an achievement test for a particular grade level. If you purchased a 3rd grade level test then there are mainly 3rd grade questions. There will be a few questions that are below grade level and a few questions above grade level, but nothing that is very far out of that range. It will give you a grade equivilency, but it isn't a true grade equivilency. It's just telling you that your 3rd grader scored the same on a 3rd grade test as a child in x grade would have scored on a 3rd grade test. Your child isn't really working at that grade level.

 

For example, imagine you have 3rd grade twins. Twin A is working at a 5th grade level in math and twin B just finished algebra. If you give both twins the 3rd grade ITBS (or SAT-10 or CAT) then they may both get almost every problem correct and score at the 99th percentile. It might list a GE of 7.2 (7th grade, 2nd month) for both of them. They both scored better than 99% of 3rd graders, but there is nothing to distinguish between them since there were only 3rd grade questions on the test. The GE only means that both twins scored the same on the 3rd grade math section as a 7th grader would score on the 3rd grade math questions. It isn't the same as working at a 7th grade level. Now imagine that the twins take the Woodcock-Johnson. Twin A does great on the math section through about a 5th grade level, he misses some problems at a 6th grade level, and then ceilings out at around a 7th grade level. He still scores at the 99th percentile (compared to other 3rd graders or children his age), but now you have a real grade equivilency somewhere between high 5th or low 6th grade. Twin B takes the same math section, but doesn't ceiling out until about the 10th grade level. He scores at the 99th percentile also, but gets a grade equivilency at the high 9th or low 10th grade. You now have a lot more information and a true grade level for each child.

 

That was a long-winded explanation, but hopefully it makes sense. Obviously, an individual achievement test is going to be most useful for a child working above grade level (or below grade level) in one or more areas.

[kohlby]

I had my oldest do the PASS test in 3rd grade. (Can't remember what it stands for, but starts with Personal Assessment, not Palmetto etc). It's for grades 3-8. I love it because I don't have to test him on his grade level. I put grade level in there since that who he was compared to. But then you decide which level to test your child on based on pre-tests - there's one pre-test for each of the three sections. It was an at-home test, untimed, and parent administered. We're not required to do testing though so I had my oldest do SCAT this year as part of a talent search. That was at a testing center but was only 22 minutes long for each section, and only 2 sections. SInce it was through a talent search, he was given a test two grades above his grade. The results would be mailed 2-3 weeks later - but were actually online only a few days after he took it - and he took it on a Sat, so that's super fast!

[twinmami01]

 

 

I've been out of town, so I missed this. It's been a little while since you posted, but I'll answer in case it's still helpful to you or anyone else reading along.

 

The Woodcock-Johnson is an individually administered achievement test. It is designed to be given individually in order to pinpoint the child's actual current academic ability (grade level). This is why it is frequently used for testing children for special ed services or for gifted services. It can tell you that a 3rd grader is only reading at a 1st grade level or that a 3rd grader is working at a 6th grade level in math. The test includes questions at all grade levels and it gets progressively harder as it goes along. In overly simplified terms your son would start out with questions that were a little below grade level for him. If he gets them correct then he moves onto grade level questions. If he gets those correct then he moves onto above grade level questions. As long as he is still getting questions correct, then the tester will continue with the test. The questions will be getting progressively more difficult. Your son would hit the "ceiling" when he gets a certain number of incorrect problems in a row. At that point the tester would discontinue that section of the test and move onto the next section. This gives you a fairly accurate grade equivilency.

 

In contrast, the ITBS, SAT-10, and CAT are group achievement tests, so they are designed to be given in a group setting to children who are all at the same grade level. You purchase an achievement test for a particular grade level. If you purchased a 3rd grade level test then there are mainly 3rd grade questions. There will be a few questions that are below grade level and a few questions above grade level, but nothing that is very far out of that range. It will give you a grade equivilency, but it isn't a true grade equivilency. It's just telling you that your 3rd grader scored the same on a 3rd grade test as a child in x grade would have scored on a 3rd grade test. Your child isn't really working at that grade level.

 

For example, imagine you have 3rd grade twins. Twin A is working at a 5th grade level in math and twin B just finished algebra. If you give both twins the 3rd grade ITBS (or SAT-10 or CAT) then they may both get almost every problem correct and score at the 99th percentile. It might list a GE of 7.2 (7th grade, 2nd month) for both of them. They both scored better than 99% of 3rd graders, but there is nothing to distinguish between them since there were only 3rd grade questions on the test. The GE only means that both twins scored the same on the 3rd grade math section as a 7th grader would score on the 3rd grade math questions. It isn't the same as working at a 7th grade level. Now imagine that the twins take the Woodcock-Johnson. Twin A does great on the math section through about a 5th grade level, he misses some problems at a 6th grade level, and then ceilings out at around a 7th grade level. He still scores at the 99th percentile (compared to other 3rd graders or children his age), but now you have a real grade equivilency somewhere between high 5th or low 6th grade. Twin B takes the same math section, but doesn't ceiling out until about the 10th grade level. He scores at the 99th percentile also, but gets a grade equivilency at the high 9th or low 10th grade. You now have a lot more information and a true grade level for each child.

 

That was a long-winded explanation, but hopefully it makes sense. Obviously, an individual achievement test is going to be most useful for a child working above grade level (or below grade level) in one or more areas.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. Not to hijack this thread, but is it possible to administer the Woodcock-Johnson test ourselves? I was under the impression that you had to be certified to administer this test and not sure how to have that done.

[MinivanMom]

Thanks for the info. Not to hijack this thread, but is it possible to administer the Woodcock-Johnson test ourselves? I was under the impression that you had to be certified to administer this test and not sure how to have that done.

 

 

No, this is not a test you can do at home or on your own. You will need to find someone who is qualified to administer the test. In most states that would mean either a psychometrist or a psychologist who does educational testing. Usually the Woodcock-Johnson is offered as part of a total educational testing package so it can cost major $$$. In our area a testing package with a psychologist (for WJ-III plus an individual IQ test) costs around $1000. If you get it done at the local university with one of the doctoral students (professors supervise), then you can get the testing package for around $400-500. If you don't want the individual IQ test, then you need to find a psychologist that is willing to do just the WJ-III on its own. Since homeschoolers are required to do annual testing in our state, we have lots of qualified testers who will give just the WJ-III. Offering educational testing has become a cottage industry here due to the homeschool testing requirement. For testing with a tester who is not a psychologist, it usually costs around $100. I know it isn't always easy to find a qualified tester in some states, though, so you would have to test with a psychologist.

 

For the record, I have never gotten my own children tested with the WJ-III. I have a very high opinion of it and strongly recommend it for those with children who are working far above (or below) grade level, but we have always used the Iowa for annual testing. Our primary reasons for testing are to fulfill the state requirement and to give our children experience with a testing environment. The testing environment with a group achievement test like the Iowa (or CAT or Stanford-10) is much more similar to what you will encounter later for the ACT, SAT, or AP exams versus the oral, open-ended nature of the WJ-III. I also like that the Iowa is cheap and can be given at home. If we were testing because we needed information on our children's academic needs or grade level then we would use the Woodcock-Johnson instead.