Annual testing: for better or worse, who will share results?

[IfIOnly]

I don't have any kids required to test this year, but my two oldest will do local group testing tomorrow anyways. I can't remember how long it takes to get results though.

 

I honestly have no idea how things will to this year. It's been a tough year with illnesses and other circumstances, and we're a bit behind. We aren't even done with this year's math (oldest has 1/4 of his book left and I can't remember where C is at) yet. Grammar has been finished at least.

 

Why do they do hs testing in May anyways? Is that typical for public school?

 

Anyone else willing to share?

Edited May 17, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[UnlikelyHomeschoolingMama]

I used Seton Testing for my kinder and BJU for my 2nd grader.  Both were back within 10 days of returning test to the center, but we tested in April, so perhaps the turnaround was faster.  Lots of people are testing now!!   

 

I hope your kiddos do well.  I was worried about my kinder since I didn't have to test my DD when she was in kinder (he was 6 before 9/30), but he did great.  And of course the 2nd grade test (we do Iowa) was a lot harder than last year and I was worried how she would do, but she also did fine.  Try not to worry!!  I'm sure they will do just fine!  :)

[theelfqueen]

NM Thought this was from a different board :)

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by theelfqueen

[alisoncooks]

We did our testing at the end of April and received the results about 2 weeks later. We used the ITBS.

The results were what I expected:

 

Oldest DD - finally on/above grade level on all language arts - except spelling (not a surprise).

Her math scores were fine, except computation (which was surprising) but we knew she didn't get far on that section (kind of froze even though she is good at math)

 

Youngest DD - did well on Listening and a few other sections. Mostly performed below grade level, which isn't a surprise since she's a struggling reader and couldn't read the test. This is basically where her sister was at this age, so I'm optimistic that she'll catch up.

[Guest]

Public schools here text April and May- so many tests they have to spread them out! Our homeschool group is doing testing next week. I'm actually glad because it let us get our whole year done and I didn't have to lesson plan around it.

[bethben]

I did Iowa Basics with my 8 year old and 11 year old.  They both did as expected.  My 11 year old scored high and my 8 year old's score was barely grade level.  This I totally expected since a lot of that test is oral (with the assumption that reading levels are not higher) and my daughter is ADD, so I knew that between the start of the oral question and actually having to write down anything would be a disaster.  I was right.  Her listening scores were barely above the level where the state feels the need to intervene.  BUT, I know her strengths and weaknesses and she's doing much better than a test would be able to tell me.  Everyone says not to really stress about these tests, but when you have a child who struggles, it becomes a little harder to ignore them.

[IfIOnly]

Sorry to give the wrong impression, I'm not stressed about testing, just grumpy about being a bit behind this year. We do not test in the early grades (before the required 3rd grade testing), but I like to test because it usually encourages me and helps me see where there needs to be reinforcement. I need that affirmation and evaluation because my own education was seriously lacking, and I'm learning right beside them usually.

 

My two oldest (7th and 6th) actually thanked me today for letting them test and shell out $120 even though it's not required. Ha! They love getting a special drink and snack, doing something different, and being with all the kids.

Edited May 17, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[cintinative]

Not sure if this is the question, but we tested a couple of weeks ago, it was just logged in today at Seton, and so it might be another week or so before I get results.  It took them well over a week to log in that they received it, which surprised me. This is our first year testing so all of it is new to me.

[RootAnn]

We test every two years after 3rd, so 4th, 6th, etc. This is not a testing year. I try to schedule it in April so I will have the results by the end of the school year.

 

Next year, I might see if the group wants to do it together. Then again, my kids like to go away for a few days when we do testing. . . so, there is that.

 

I like to see the growth between tests. The raw results are rarely surprising. My kids are late bloomers, so the change in numbers is what we look for.

 

We use the ITBS until 10th, when we switch over to the ACT. We've used BJU Testing and Abeka Testing. I think BJU's customer service and turn around time is better, but prefer the non-common core aligned version of the ITBS that Abeka deals with. So, I endure the 3-4 week delay of results.

 

End of the school year seems a good time to test.

[Cake and Pi]

My older two did optional NWEA MAP testing this morning through our umbrella charter.  DS#2 forgot to wear his glasses and I didn't even notice until after he came out!  Oops...  I asked the lady in charge about him possibly retaking it (this time WITH his glasses!), but it doesn't sound like that's something they will allow.  I have no idea when we get the results.  We do this testing every year so that I have evidence of yearly growth for DH.

[HeWillSoar]

My kids do the Woodcock Johnson, and I get the results that same day.  We do that one so I can compare with what one of my sons did in public school and I wanted to be sure we were making progress.  The kids have both had huge leaps in almost all of the items tested.  There are a couple we still need to work on but everything is going in the right direction!  The funny thing is that since we did the test in April, they keep asking why we still have so much work to do since they are done with testing.  In public school, at least where they went, the testing is done more towards the end of the year and then not much work is done after that. 

[cintinative]

We use the ITBS until 10th, when we switch over to the ACT. We've used BJU Testing and Abeka Testing. I think BJU's customer service and turn around time is better, but prefer the non-common core aligned version of the ITBS that Abeka deals with. So, I endure the 3-4 week delay of results.

 

 

How can I tell if the version of the ITBS being used is common core aligned or not? I got mine from Seton.  Thanks in advance.

[WIS0320]

We use the TerraNova and I get it from Brewer Testing.  We tested in early April - K. 2nd and 5th grades and my kids did beautifully even though we have not yet completed our school year.  

[RootAnn]

How can I tell if the version of the ITBS being used is common core aligned or not? I got mine from Seton.  Thanks in advance.

 

Form C measures your child's skills with the Common Core guidelines (in LA & Math). Form A is pre-Common Core. I can't tell which one Seton sells from the testing website. You'll have to call & ask.

[happypamama]

My fifth and eighth graders had to test this year, per our state law.  (Our public schools here test every year, as far as I can tell, and they do it April, I believe.)  Both did the online CAT, at different levels, and I got their results immediately.  Both did very well, about where we expected in some areas, and above where we expected in others.  Eighth grader: "I wasn't sure about one of the vocabulary words, but I could tell from Latin that it had a Latin root."  I know she ended up picking the correct answer because I had written down the number of questions on each section, and when I compared it to the raw correct score, I saw that she got a perfect score on vocabulary.  So, Latin for the win!!  (At the same time, she ran out of time on at least the one big math section, and that tells me that I should focus on test-taking strategies and speed over the next couple of years before she takes the PSAT/SAT/etc.)

 

Since we have to test in third and fifth grades, that's the same level of CAT, and literally the exact same questions.  I appreciate seeing where they improve in those two years.  Fifth grader got more vocabulary words and more spelling words correct this year, plus more correct math problems, and his reading comprehension score improved a lot!  In third grade, he was just starting to become a proficient reader, but a mere twenty-four months later, he's an excellent reader who happily pushes himself to read harder materials, even if they take him a long time; I really feel that his improvement in vocabulary and reading comprehension were a little due to Latin and almost entirely due to reading.  It also tells me that History Odyssey's literature recommendations have been right on point, because he's loved all of them, and they've clearly been at a good level for him, just challenging enough without being overwhelming.  For him, I want to focus a bit more on grammar and language mechanics; he uses words appropriately but is not automatic with punctuation and the like yet.

[73349]

We did the ITBS in April, but scores usually take about a month to get... any day now. I think DS did decently (I administered it) but not necessarily knock-your-socks-off well. His spelling score will look higher than his true spelling ability because of the design of the test (choosing the word that's wrong).

[IfIOnly]

Testing done. Results by mail in 2-3 weeks. Boys feel like they did fine on the TerraNova tests with only a few problems of uncovered material. We just go with what is offered locally btw. Got to visit with friends while waiting, which was great.

Edited May 17, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[SereneHome]

I haven't done it yet.  We are sooooo behind this year that I am "cheating" and am going to wait until end of June.  I just keep hoping that we'll catch up.

 

Did 1st grade testing last year and he did very well.  I am not expecting the same this year.  We do Seton full scope test.

[IfIOnly]

I haven't done it yet. We are sooooo behind this year that I am "cheating" and am going to wait until end of June. I just keep hoping that we'll catch up.

 

Did 1st grade testing last year and he did very well. I am not expecting the same this year. We do Seton full scope test.

I have been there.

 

Homeschool testing has been offered in August around here too, which is nice for those years when we've been schooling through summer.

[CelticHaiku]

The timing is pretty standard. When I taught PS (8th grade) we tested in April. The teachers then spent a month and a half fending off the "Why do we have to do work when we already took the test?" questions from students. I used to tell them that there was always more to learn but if results came back that any of them had received a 100% on the State Test I would personally write them a letter of apology for wasting their time as they clearly already knew everything. You can get away with occasionally being a little snarky with 8th graders because they either know your are being snarky and just roll their eyes or think you are serious and say things like "What good will an apology letter do me!" (And then you think in your head "Oh my, trust me you did not get 100%." but out loud say things like "It's the best I can offer.") It didn't help that two weeks before the end of the year 8th grade teachers had to turn in final grades so kids knew who was graduating and the library collected all textbooks and literature class sets, then the last week of school students couldn't bring back packs but teachers were required to have academic lessons every day until the last day. 

[skueppers]

Form C measures your child's skills with the Common Core guidelines (in LA & Math). Form A is pre-Common Core. I can't tell which one Seton sells from the testing website. You'll have to call & ask.

I'm confused by this.

 

My kids have taken BJU's form C of the ITBS for the last several years. Looking at last year's score report, it says the test was scored using the Spring 2005 norms -- meaning that the test cannot have been written after 2005.

 

Since the Common Core initiative wasn't founded until 2009, how can this version of the test have anything to do with the Common Core standards?

 

What am I missing?

[908874]

Our Charter had my K son take an end of year iReady assessment for Reading and for Math. I'm always a bit confused if it's really a test? Are the kids being trained for state tests?

 

I thought the amount of reading stamina required for the comprehension portion was not appropriate for his age. We stopped the test and started again the next day. Not that it matters, but I wanted to know if my child could answer not if he had enough stamina to read passage after passage. Can he read? Yes. Can he read 5 passages in a row? No. It was irritating.

[...................]

My kids test exactly how I think they would, for the most part.  One exception is whichever test is last on the last day. My dd will score terribly on that one.  Doesn't matter what subject.

 

At home my ds is consistent, focused, and pretty much 90-95th percentile except in Spelling and Grammar.  His tests reflect that.

 

My dd is unfocused, and struggles with sitting still but due to intelligence still performs about a 85th-90th percentile except in Spelling, and her test reflects that as well, with the added curve ball that she will get very poor results on whatever she took last.

 

We've never had any major surprises here.   :o)

 

PS this was the TerraNOva, and it's through a private school so they use the highest booklet recommended for the grade level.  Also, our scores take over 6 weeks to arrive.  We've long forgotten and ceased to care before they ever come. My son is always interested in the math scores, and my dd couldn't care less if she never saw them.  My husband however loves to see them.  For me, as I said, they reflect almost exactly what I already know about my kids so they're not that interesting to me.  :)

 

Edited May 18, 2016 by Calming Tea

[RootAnn]

I'm confused by this.

 

My kids have taken BJU's form C of the ITBS for the last several years. Looking at last year's score report, it says the test was scored using the Spring 2005 norms -- meaning that the test cannot have been written after 2005.

 

Since the Common Core initiative wasn't founded until 2009, how can this version of the test have anything to do with the Common Core standards?

 

What am I missing?

 

I only know this -- when people I know have taken Form C, they get results which show how their child's scores measured up to CC's goals.

 

This anti-CC site lists Form A as non-CC aligned, and Form C as CC-aligned. (I don't think I said it was CC aligned, just that it showed your child's skills measured against CC guidelines, yes?)

 

This PDF shows the "process used to complete the alignment between the CCSS and The Iowa Tests." (It is my understanding that The Iowa Tests = ITBS.)

 

I believe the ITBS has an even newer form, Form E. I know nothing about that one.

 

I don't really care about the Common Core aspect, but my kids have always taken Form A. As long as we continue to take Form A and they don't re-norm it, I can compare apples-to-apples between years & between kids. If we switched over, I wouldn't feel as comfortable comparing a child's progress from the previous test.

 

[Note that I also think that Iowa as a state is transitioning to the PARCC, a new "Common Core" test, instead of using the ITBS. I don't know many brick-and-mortar schools that use the ITBS anymore for standardized testing.]

[IfIOnly]

My kids test exactly how I think they would, for the most part. One exception is whichever test is last on the last day. My dd will score terribly on that one. Doesn't matter what subject.

 

At home my ds is consistent, focused, and pretty much 90-95th percentile except in Spelling and Grammar. His tests reflect that.

 

My dd is unfocused, and struggles with sitting still but due to intelligence still performs about a 85th-90th percentile except in Spelling, and her test reflects that as well, with the added curve ball that she will get very poor results on whatever she took last.

 

We've never had any major surprises here. :o)

 

PS this was the TerraNOva, and it's through a private school so they use the highest booklet recommended for the grade level. Also, our scores take over 6 weeks to arrive. We've long forgotten and ceased to care before they ever come. My son is always interested in the math scores, and my dd couldn't care less if she never saw them. My husband however loves to see them. For me, as I said, they reflect almost exactly what I already know about my kids so they're not that interesting to me. :)

I didn't know there were different levels of the TN. My kids find the test itself or maybe the level pretty easy. I'd like to find something more challenging, but I don't have a college degree, so many of our options are limited. Also, they really like the community testing with their friends. I will probably try to find something better in high school.

 

Dh likes the kids to test too. I even left it to him this year, since I wasn't all that thrilled about the costs and was thinking about all the garden supplies I would rather spend it on. :)

[skueppers]

I only know this -- when people I know have taken Form C, they get results which show how their child's scores measured up to CC's goals.

 

This anti-CC site lists Form A as non-CC aligned, and Form C as CC-aligned. (I don't think I said it was CC aligned, just that it showed your child's skills measured against CC guidelines, yes?)

 

This PDF shows the "process used to complete the alignment between the CCSS and The Iowa Tests." (It is my understanding that The Iowa Tests = ITBS.)

 

I believe the ITBS has an even newer form, Form E. I know nothing about that one.

 

I don't really care about the Common Core aspect, but my kids have always taken Form A. As long as we continue to take Form A and they don't re-norm it, I can compare apples-to-apples between years & between kids. If we switched over, I wouldn't feel as comfortable comparing a child's progress from the previous test.

 

[Note that I also think that Iowa as a state is transitioning to the PARCC, a new "Common Core" test, instead of using the ITBS. I don't know many brick-and-mortar schools that use the ITBS anymore for standardized testing.]

Oh! Now I understand what you were saying. Yes, you can *optionally request* from BJU a version of the Form C results that shows the results in terms of the Common Core. The standard score report you get from BJU for the ITBS is the traditional/original version, with no reference to the Common Core.

 

The test wasn't written based on the common core standards -- after the fact, they created a score report that shows how the existing ITBS test maps onto the common core standards. That's like when a textbook publisher prepares a chart showing how their existing textbook does and does not meet the common core standards -- without changing the textbook.

 

"The Iowa Tests" is the new name for the tests published by the University of Iowa in the last few years, once they started writing tests that were explicitly aligned with the common core. Those are no longer called the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

 

I am personally unhappy with the common core tests, and prefer a more traditional standardized test. I don't want to know if my child is "meeting standards," some of which I don't agree with; I want to know how they compare to other children nationwide who took the same test. It's a major philosophical difference.

[IfIOnly]

Due to crazy curiousity, I put in calls to the elementary and middle school my kids would be attending if in public school and ended up leaving voice mails with both the vice principals introducing myself and asking what standardized testing they used with their students. I shall see if they oblige. :)

Edited May 18, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[tm919]

Our Charter had my K son take an end of year iReady assessment for Reading and for Math. I'm always a bit confused if it's really a test? Are the kids being trained for state tests?

 

I thought the amount of reading stamina required for the comprehension portion was not appropriate for his age. We stopped the test and started again the next day. Not that it matters, but I wanted to know if my child could answer not if he had enough stamina to read passage after passage. Can he read? Yes. Can he read 5 passages in a row? No. It was irritating.

I think some of the adaptive ones are a huge pain the first time they take them. My daughters do DORA and ADAM, and the first year for both of them fatigue was a major issue because anywhere the child can continue to advance, it just keeps coming. Supposedly it avoids that by testing the waters with harder questions but especially with comprehension passages I didn't feel like that happened, at all... I think they saw every passage they could have, up to the point they "failed."

[OlgaLA]

I think some of the adaptive ones are a huge pain the first time they take them. My daughters do DORA and ADAM, and the first year for both of them fatigue was a major issue because anywhere the child can continue to advance, it just keeps coming. Supposedly it avoids that by testing the waters with harder questions but especially with comprehension passages I didn't feel like that happened, at all... I think they saw every passage they could have, up to the point they "failed."

 

My son took ADAM this year and I felt it skipped some of the easier topics that were later marked as mastered. Still, it was a very long test. We split it over three days, but 4 probably would have been better.

[fourisenough]

My DDs 11 & 6 took the Stanford 10 (Grades 6 & 1, respectively) last month with a group; results will be back in another week, I expect. We are not required to test by our state, but I like having the annual benchmark. My girls enjoy it and it signals the 'beginning of the end' of our academic year. The results don't really tell me anything I don't already know, but it is nice external validation of their strengths and confirmation of areas we need to work on.

[IfIOnly]

Due to crazy curiousity, I put in calls to the elementary and middle school my kids would be attending if in public school and ended up leaving voice mails with both the vice principals introducing myself and asking what standardized testing they used with their students. I shall see if they oblige. :)

They both used SmarterBalanced: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/

 

The elementary VP offered to check if participating in their testing would be an option for homeschoolers. Middle school VP have a contact number for the same reason. I don't see us going that route, but it's good to know our options.

 

ETA: SB actually sounds like a interesting, fresh approach to ST.

Edited May 18, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[J&JMom]

I test my kids using ITBS, ordered through Seton, in April for the three years we have been homeschooling. I also print out the published standardized state tests and make the kids take them, too, but the ITBS carries more weight, personally.  Here is a link to my blog on results, if anyone cares :)  https://kidblog.org/class/ZeyAcademy/posts/4k90391tim3piwkpzmys5fgn9   [Note - I created the graphs]. I haven't written the posts for final report cards or STAAR tests (they passed them all) as I am on vacation :)

 

Seton is very fast, I think. I order the tests 1 month in advance, am shipped the tests around a week prior to my requested date, and have the scores online within 5 business of mailing them back via USPS priority. 

 

In Texas, I am not required to test, but for my piece of mind, I do. I do both ITBS and STAAR to see how well they do against their cohorts - national (ITBS), state (STAAR), and themselves (ITBS annual GE improvement).

Edited May 18, 2016 by J&JMom

[cintinative]

Our first round of testing. I used ITBS via Seton. I shipped mine media mail (might try another method next time) and it took over a week for them to log in that they had received it (even though I had postal confirmation).  

 

Anyway--need to vent.   Because the kids did well (this is our FIRST testing ever) and husband said--"well, they only did well compared to other public school kids . . . "  I said, "way to encourage me honey!!"

[cintinative]

can someone explain to me the grade equivalent thing? How could a 4th grade test for reading comprehension identify if a kid is reading at a GE of 9 something?

 

 

[Arcadia]

They both used SmarterBalanced: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/.

The public schools here (California) use Smarter Balanced for state testing which is in April/May.

 

The AP exams are in May so 11th graders have both state testing and AP exams.

 

Both my kids will do testing in early June because one is taking ACT and the other is taking SAT. Previously we used Stanford 10 for testing. We don't need to test but results keep my in-laws and my dad from worrying. My mom doesn't worry.

[IfIOnly]

Our first round of testing. I used ITBS via Seton. I shipped mine media mail (might try another method next time) and it took over a week for them to log in that they had received it (even though I had postal confirmation).

 

Anyway--need to vent. Because the kids did well (this is our FIRST testing ever) and husband said--"well, they only did well compared to other public school kids . . . " I said, "way to encourage me honey!!"

Oh, man. Ya, not at what one would hope for. Is he supportive of homeschooling though? I'm sorry! Your kids did great!! There was much hard work and dillegence on all your parts, and it showed through testing (I know that isn't always the case though for a variety of reasons). Good job, Cintinative! 👠Edited May 19, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Jackie]

can someone explain to me the grade equivalent thing? How could a 4th grade test for reading comprehension identify if a kid is reading at a GE of 9 something?

My understanding is that GE is what a 50th percentile student of that grade would score on the same level of test. So if a 4th grader gets a GE of 9 on a 4th grade test, that is what a 50th percentile 9th grader would have scored if taking that same 4th grade test.

 

DD took the ITBS recently. Just mailed it in.

[Ausmumof3]

We did testing last year and ds tested above average for reading below average but above intervention line for math and right in the middle for general aptitude. Dd tested in the top percentile for math but below average for reading. A lot of it is just where they were at at the time of the test. A big part of the maths was statistics which was the next unit in the book so ds bombed that pretty badly. He also tends to make a lot of small errors even when he has good conceptual understanding - I suspect he is possibly borderline inattentive add or something. I had similar issues though I did well in maths overall.

[IfIOnly]

The elementary principal called back to let me know they won't open testing to homeschoolers but did give me names for several tests out there that are comparable, which I had already heard about here. :) Kind of fun for those two worlds to coincide for a moment though. He suggested the Iowa, ACT, and ITBS.

 

I will probably find a more challenging test than the CAT for next year. It's been on my to do list, but with the local testing being so conveinent and full of our friends, it was too easy to not make it a prority.

Edited May 20, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[73349]

Scores arrived! DS did well overall, with strengths especially in science and social studies (first year he's taken those tests), and a drastic improvement in listening over last year. Word analysis was a low point, along with capitalization; vocabulary was excellent. Math was fine as expected.

 

Overall, I'm satisfied.

[IfIOnly]

Well, somehow we got our scores today, which is only a bit over a week's wait. Huge surprise getting the results so soon.

 

DS11 in 6th got 26/31 in reading and vocab with 9.8 grade equivelant. 28/29 in language (grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure) with 13 GE. Go Hake Grammar! Math was 22/31 with 7.7 GE. Not as strong as when we did TT a year ahead, but good. I paid extra to get a break down of problems missed, and we'll be reviewing those through the summer. Same with the other sections.

 

DS12 7th got 27/33 for reading with 10.4 GE. 22/27 for language with 11.0 GE. Math wasn't that great. First, he didn't finish that portion and get to the last five problems. The problems he did miss, I can give him a similar problem and he gets it. I'm going to chalk up his score to being fatigued since it was the last test of the day plus using TT on grade level. He also missed quite a few story problems, and those aren't TT strengths. Next year we're switching to another program anyways, so that should help.

 

Please don't quote because I'll be deleting specific test info. later.

[RootAnn]

I honestly have no idea how things will to this year. It's been a tough year with illnesses and other circumstances, and we're a bit behind. We aren't even done with this year's math (oldest has 1/4 of his book left and I can't remember where C is at) yet. Grammar has been finished at least.

 

I quoted your OP instead of your testing results post. Remember what you typed in your OP? I think those results were great.  :hurray:

Remember not to fixate on standardized results. Look for improvement over time. It helps us to see where there might be things to work on (which I think you recognize), but don't freak out. One moment in time is a good marker to measure later results by. 

 

And thanks for starting this thread.  :grouphug:

[Janeway]

We used Form C. We did not alter anything to fit Common Core as I could not care less about Common Core. Oldest had 96th-99th percentile in everything. I expected that. Younger child had surprises. His math went from 73rd percentile to 99th in one year. But his reading went from 93rd to 80th percentile in a year.  Language went from 70th to 80th about this year. So, good. I just did not expect the drop in reading, but am thrilled with the rise in math.

[bfw0729]

Does anyone grade their children's testing? I had my kids take the ITBS and I sat and "graded" their subtests. I am curious how these raw scores translate into percentiles when I get the results. They had anywhere from 1 or 2 to 5 errors in each subtest.

 

Does 99thile mean the child must get all the answers correct in all the subtests for language/reading?

 

 

[73349]

Does anyone grade their children's testing? I had my kids take the ITBS and I sat and "graded" their subtests. I am curious how these raw scores translate into percentiles when I get the results. They had anywhere from 1 or 2 to 5 errors in each subtest.

 

Does 99thile mean the child must get all the answers correct in all the subtests for language/reading?

 

Percentile scores depend on how other test-takers did in the year it was normed. The harder the section is for students in general, the fewer you have to get right to hit 99th percentile.

 

DS's 99th percentile in social studies was with one wrong (and I know which one, and I think it was a stupid question; there was another ill-thought-out question he got right, but he could've gotten it wrong because he knows more than the question expected). He took form E this time.

[IfIOnly]

I quoted your OP instead of your testing results post. Remember what you typed in your OP? I think those results were great. :hurray:

Remember not to fixate on standardized results. Look for improvement over time. It helps us to see where there might be things to work on (which I think you recognize), but don't freak out. One moment in time is a good marker to measure later results by.

 

And thanks for starting this thread. :grouphug:

Thank you so much, RootAnn, for your encouragement.

 

I'm so glad we tested this year, as it was a wake up call about needing to find a better math curriculum. Also, using TT on grade level was a major mistake/mom fail on my part. The plan was always to switch to another math program come prealgebra, but the closer my oldest got, the more tempting it was to stay with TT. I will def. be switching him to something else this fall. Maybe all my school age children will be switching, as well, or at least, working through the summer to get end up a grade ahead next spring. We also need to get back to adding in word problem supplements if we do stay with TT. My kids were doing well in math previously, and I guess I didn't realize how much the TT tweaks and supplements they were using were actually necessary.

[luuknam]

Does anyone grade their children's testing? I had my kids take the ITBS and I sat and "graded" their subtests. I am curious how these raw scores translate into percentiles when I get the results. They had anywhere from 1 or 2 to 5 errors in each subtest.

 

We did the CAT (3rd grade), and getting just one question (out of 20) wrong on the math computation subtest dropped his percentile score for that section to 88th percentile, whereas one question wrong (also out of 20) on language mechanics only dropped it down to 92nd percentile. He got 0 to 5 questions wrong on each subtest, and his scores ranged from 71st percentile (missed 4 out of 20 on word analysis) to 99th percentile (on the vocabulary section, where he got 0 wrong). The two sections he got 5 questions wrong on had significantly more questions, fwiw. 

 

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the preciseness of the scores - getting one question wrong out of 20 is statistically significantly different from getting e.g. 10 wrong out of 20, but probably not from getting 0 or 2 wrong (I *know* he could've gotten that one question he missed on math computation right if he hadn't insisted on doing it in 1/5 of the allotted time without the allowed scratch paper etc etc etc - but I also know he could easily have been sloppier and messed up 2 questions instead of 1). So, for that one kid, I bet if I gave him a bunch of similar math computation tests, some days he'd score in the mid-80s and others at the 99th percentile, depending on how sloppy he was being (really, missing one question and dropping to 88th percentile is a big drop). But, unless he was seriously ill, he shouldn't score in e.g. the 50th percentile in math.

[luuknam]

Or, to think of it another way, if you grabbed 2 kids, one of which got 1 question wrong and another which got 0 questions wrong, and you were to give them a significantly harder test on the same subject, I wouldn't want to place bets who would do better. Sure, if we had a group of 1000 kids who got one question wrong, and 1000 kids who got zero questions wrong, and gave them all a harder test on the same subject, I'd predict that the 1000 kids with 0 questions wrong would outperform the group of 1000 kids with 1 question wrong each, but for a one on one... nope, not willing to bet money.