Standardized Testing in Kindergarten

[keirin]

Is anyone doing standardized testing of their kindergarten student? I'm considering doing one with my twins since it's one of the ways that my state allows me to turn in an end of year evaluation. I'd also like to get a sense of how I'm doing with them and what areas they are doing well or not so well in. But... I'm also leery of sitting down my 5 year olds to do a long fill in the bubble sort of test. I don't think it's developmentally appropriate for them to do so. I looked at the Iowa Assessments and there was over 100 questions for the kindergarten level.

 

Does anyone have any experience giving this test to this age? Recommendations on another test that might not be so intensive or administered differently?

 

XPOST on Pre-K/K

[purpleowl]

I have used the Iowa test with my oldest in K and 1st. They recommend spreading the testing out over several days - I think they may even say not more than one subtest per day. My particular kid was okay with more than that (with breaks between subtests), so we completed the testing more quickly.

 

Also, just so you know, at that level the student fills in bubbles in the test book itself; there's not the added skill of looking for the right space to mark on a separate answer sheet. And the questions are entirely (or almost entirely, can't recall for sure) read aloud to the students. Many (most?) of the answer choices are pictures.

[Free Indeed]

Nope, never felt the need.

[EKS]

I used the ITBS with my son when he was in K.  It is untimed and read aloud by the teacher.  You take breaks as necessary--so they don't do 100 questions in one shot.  I think we did one or two sections per day until it was done.  I remember it being a reasonably pleasant experience.

Edited January 19, 2017 by EKS

[redsquirrel]

I have the option to test in some years rather than write the evaluation, and other years we must test. I would first check to see what tests my state accepts and then see if those tests are offered for kindergartners.  I know in my state the tests most parents used are PASS and CAP and I'm not sure they have kindergarten tests..but they might.  Just before you commit to a particular test make sure it is a test your state allows parents to administer.

[BooksandBoys]

OP, is K required in your state? It's not required in most, and, by extension, that year end evaluation wouldn't be required in the K year either. Just a suggestion to check your laws if you haven't looked st that particular detail.

 

We will test for the first time this year, likely with the ITBS.

[Jackie]

I did ITBS with DD around her 6th birthday. She actually loved it because it's so far out of what we normally do. We broke it up and did just a couple sections a day over about two weeks. It adds up to a lot of time but can be done in small increments easily.

[keirin]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, kindergarten is required in my state, and I should be able to administer the test since I hold a teaching certificate. I'm just not sure I want to, since I have the option to do a portfolio review instead. But I'd kind of like to see an assessment done that could give me more information on how my kids are progressing.... Again, thanks for the first hand experiences shared. :)

[redsquirrel]

In my experience with standardized testing my younger son, and we did our first test in either first or second grade, was that it told me a whole lot more about how well he could take a test than anything else.  He had trouble understanding a particular type of question, one I knew he knew, but the wording confused him.  That was the biggest takeaway I got. I learned nothing I didn't already know about his abilities.

[Jackie]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, kindergarten is required in my state, and I should be able to administer the test since I hold a teaching certificate. I'm just not sure I want to, since I have the option to do a portfolio review instead. But I'd kind of like to see an assessment done that could give me more information on how my kids are progressing.... Again, thanks for the first hand experiences shared. :)

I have a kid with very asynchronous abilities. Her testing would meet the requirements anywhere, but a portfolio would be a serious pain to put together because her output abilities are low.

 

Im always amazed/impressed when people say the testing results provided no surprises to them. Even though I always think I know about where testing will come out, in the two tests I've given, I've been *far* off in my estimates. Since I've administered the testing, I know that it's not an anomaly; I really didn't assess correctly even though I work with her every darn day. I have gained actual knowledge from testing.

[PeachyDoodle]

I'm not planning on testing my k-er this year (we're not required to test by law until age 7). But for young kids, I really like the Woodcock-Johnson. It's administered by a professional and takes about an hour. Most is oral in the early grades. Much less stressful than the bubble tests, IMHO. Around here, the cost is about the same as any of the other testing options.

[MeganW]

I really like the Woodcock-Johnson. It's administered by a professional and takes about an hour. Most is oral in the early grades. Much less stressful than the bubble tests, IMHO. Around here, the cost is about the same as any of the other testing options.

Ditto.  I really like the information I get from WJ.  In the past, there were no surprises and I wondered whether or not it was really worth it.  This year, I was a bit caught off guard by low scores in one section - reading comprehension.  My kids have very strong basic reading skills, but I discovered that I need to do more work in the next level of reading - understanding inference, figuring out vocabulary based on context, etc.  I am so glad I figured it out now, and am really focusing hard on that before it becomes a big issue.