How did your child score on ITBS? I was wondering because Highlands Latin School has SUCH high scores....

[HappyGrace]

If you look on their site, they have very high ITBS scores (average of 3.1 grades above their grade, then by 6th grade they are 5 grade levels above, by 7th/8th grade they are more than 6 grade levels above).

 

Is the ITBS considered "easy", that it's common to score high on it? I don't know anything about it.

 

This whole thing got me wondering how homeschooled kids (and especially classically educated homeschooled kids) are scoring on the ITBS.

 

I didn't think the Highlands Latin School's curriculum looks like it's much different than what classical homeschoolers are doing.

 

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Renee in NC]

No it isn't easy.  However, remember that Highlands Latin School can be selective in its admissions.

[alef]

One thing to remember about this test: when it says three grade levels above, it does not mean the student is performing competently on material that is three grade levels ahead (i.e., long division in first grade), but rather that their performance with grade level material is that of a student three grades ahead (i.e., a second grader doing two digit addition as competently as an average fifth grader). It means they are very competent on material at their grade level.

[Mrs Mungo]

I agree with alef. It also maxes out. My kids have had sections where they didn't miss any questions. Most advanced kids do above grade level testing at some point. That tells you more about their abilities.

[Murphy101]

Mine do very well on it for the most part. I guess. I mean, I'm happy enough with it. They have several categories above grade level by several degrees. But like alef pointed out, it's important to know how to read this test feedback sheets.

 

Are you happy with their progress? Then keep doing what you're doing. Don't fix what isn't broken. Did the exam point out weak areas?

 

Don't make this about what other kids are doing.

 

All that matters is how your child is doing because that is the child you can focus on.

[KungFuPanda]

Another thing to remember is that standardized tests are multiple choice. My kid who was rather lousy in spelling once got every question correct on the spelling portion of a standardized test. I was not amused :-/

[SKL]

Miss E scored 99th %ile on each of math, reading, and language in KG Level 6 (the last time she took it).  She is academically gifted.  Her highest subtest score (in reading) said grade 3.1 (she had just turned 5).

 

Miss A scored 50th %ile in math and a little above average in reading and language.  That's roughly consistent with how she scored on individual testing a year later, and how she has scored on a couple of other reading tests.

 

When I was in school I used to consistently score a couple of years ahead on the ITBS.

[mom31257]

My kids normally score in the 95th percentile or higher and score more than 3 grade levels ahead of where they actually are. I only use a few classical elements here and there in our education. They do a lot of traditional school stuff, too, so I think it's more about the kid than the way they are educated. Some kids learn well and test well. Some kids learn well, but don't do well on testing. My kids are used to testing because I do it every other year and still use some practice test books on the alternate years. 

 

 

 

[Lolly]

It isn't an easy test. It is normal. It is accurate. My kids scores on it have lined up with what they have scored on college entrance tests. I have a wide variety of testing abilities in my home. 

[MIch elle]

I had my dc take it in grade 7 and I thought it was an easy test.

[Tiramisu]

The ITBS is a nationally-normed standardized test, from what I understand. I've read that in studies homeschoolers generally get around the 85th percentile, compared with the 50th percentile average (which is obviously mostly public school students). Our public school district also averages around the 85th percentile. This doesn't say anything about grade levels, though.

 

I think when one of mine was in second grade, she scored high school level in some areas and she is bright but not gifted.

[HappyGrace]

My kids have never taken the ITBS.....my only one who has tested has gotten a perfect score on the CAT (but the one that just tests math and language arts) the last two times she has taken it, and we felt the CAT was very basic and easy (no kidding-one of the questions on the 5th grade test was how many sides a triangle has!) so I wondered if the ITBS was too. I basically just am wondering about how Highlands is getting these consistently high scores across the board, and if their scores were comparable with classical homeschoolers' scores.I thought their curriculum seems similar to what I see others on here using, so that also got me wondering what is working so well for them-is it the curriculum, the teachers, the expectations, etc.

 

Alef's explanation was helpful-I didn't realize that.

[HappyGrace]

Interesting, Tiramisu! I was wondering if there were any broad studies of hs'ed vs. ps on the ITBS.

[EKS]

FWIW, depending on the subtest those grade equivalents translate roughly to the 90th percentile (with a range of about 80th-95th percentile).  This is what you'd expect for a selective school.  90th percentile indicates mastery of grade level material. 

 

 

 

[Tiramisu]

Interesting, Tiramisu! I was wondering if there were any broad studies of hs'ed vs. ps on the ITBS.

 

I don't know if there are any studies for the ITBS alone. I think they've used a combination of nationally-normed tests. I haven't looked at any of those studies in a while.

[HappyGrace]

Oh, I see-the 85% you referenced was for a combo of nationally normed tests, not just the ITBS-thanks for clarifying!

[justasque]

Some private schools have entrance exams, and they only take students who score very, very well.  
So from the beginning they are teaching the kids who are most likely to continue to score well on standardized tests.  

[Mrs Mungo]

The CAT is much easier than the ITBS, IMO.

 

If your kids regularly score in the 95th percentile in most categories on the ITBS, then you might benefit from doing above grade level testing.