Standardized Test Results

The kids took the Iowa test a few weeks ago and, due to the wonders of technology, their results whizzed my way via email last night.  Now I'm stuck with the dilemma of trying to balance simply recording results vs. bragging.  N.B. I know this post will be of no interest to anyone other than my family ;-) The twins tested in 2nd grade since that is the grade they would be in in school.  They both came in in the top 25%.  I'm happy.  That means that they are where they should be.  Surprisingly, even though we do very little formal science, they both did awesomely in science.  Charlotte Mason would be proud! Her method works perfectly!

Nicky's results were my favorite to read for several reasons.  First, they exactly mirror his results on the WISC-IV.  Dr. P. (his tester on the WISC) told us what to expect of him and his ITBS results bear her out.  His overall score puts him in the top 10%, but it is his CogAT scores that are so revealing.  His verbal puts him in the top 25%, but his quantitative puts him in the top 1%.  His stanine scores are, respectively, 6, 9, and 7 for an average of 8, yielding an ability profile of 8E(Q+).  That profile is so unusual that the first thing the writeup tells you is to be sure that there is no mistake in scoring.  Essentially, it bears out his WISC results which show that his subtest scores vary within multiple standard deviations of each other.  Basically, it confirms what I have thought for many years: he a twice exceptional kid.  His SAS score of 127 marks him as gifted, but his other issues definitely mark him as some version of special needs (we're just trying to find his label, other than OCD).

What surprised but gladdened me is that Nicky qualified for the Duke TIP 4th-6th graders program.   I am vexed that I didn't know about it sooner for Therese.  I find it ironic, but not unexpected given what we know about his brain, that Nicky doesn't qualify based on his ITBS scores (he needs to be top 5%), but he does based on his CogAT.

So...Therese.  Therese's CogAT profile is 8A.  Basically, she's consistently strong across all three subtests.   Agewise, her national stanine is 9 (the highest), but gradewise, she drops to an 8 (slacker).  Her SAS is 128.  The similarity between Nicky's and her numbers is so funny, considering how completely different they are in every respect!

As to Therese's ITBS scores, she is in the top 1% of all 6th graders.  Her grade equivalency for almost every single thing tested is 13+ (or post high school).  The sole exceptions are capitalization and math (she is my daughter!).

So, I'm proud.  My kids are all smarties.  Yum.

Seriously, though, homeschooling is working and my kids are thriving.  I am able to work with all of their particular needs and am able to cater to their likes and dislikes.  That has turned out to be very important with Nicky (crucial even) and a real treat with Therese (history, history, and more history anyone?).  The twins are, so far, very normal students.  I suspect that they would do very well in a brick and mortar school setting.  I love that I get to have them with me, though!

If you've made it this far, wow! If you think this was boring, just wait until I start writing about speech and debate! ;-)