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Homeschooling in Virginia
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Question:
I'm interested as to why you think there was such a discrepancy in the NACD and
CAT scores i.e. the NACD were much higher. Is there much difference in the
testing
methods?
Answer:
There is a difference in the testing methods. The California
Achievement Test that Jackie used at home, as well as SRA, or the
Iowa Achievement Test, are all tests that are used to test groups of
students. Public schools usually use these types of tests to test
whole groups of students. NACD uses two types of tests, the Wide
Range Achievement Test, which measures word recognition and math
computation and, the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, which measures
reading comprehension. The WRAT and the PIAT are INDIVIDUAL tests as
opposed to the group tests.
Group tests are not recommended for special needs children. These types
of tests will end up assessing their ability to focus and follow
directions. The individual tests will give a more accurate picture of
the specific reading and math skills that the child has actually
mastered. This will tell the evaluator whethor or not the particular
reading/math materials that are prescribed on the child's home program
are appropriate for this individual's skill level. The test also tells
the evaluator whethor or not the child is advancing and how quickly this
is taking place.
When public schools test individuals as opposed to groups or when
individuals are tested by private psychologists, individual tests are
used. Many times it is the WRAT or the PIAT that is chosen. Both of
these tests are standardized. This means that the test is given to a
cross section of students around the country so that the developers
could establish their grade equivalents. For example, if the child
tests 3.1 in math, this means that the test developer has found this to
be an accurate picture of what the average third grader knows during his
first month of this grade level.
I hope that this answers any questions you may have about the types
of tests that NACD uses and why they are used. I have to add here that
both of my children love to be tested and do quite well on these tests
during their evaluations. They look forward to them and come away
feeling extremely proud of themselves. I remember being tested in
school. As a second grader, I remember thinking that coloring in dots
was the most boring waste of time. I was always a high achiever in
school and got good grades, yet I always tested very low. I never did
tell my parents that I colored in any old dot just to get the tests over
with. I remember my mother telling her friends that "Melissa just
doesn't test well...".
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