Moving to Fairfax County from out of state -- just WISC enough or more individual tests?

[Anonymous]

We are moving to Fairfax County this summer from a small but very good township-based public school system in NJ. I have a rising sixth-grade DS and a rising third-grade DD. There aren't any AAP/G-T programs available in our current school system, although the kids are differentiated into basic-intermediate-advanced for subjects such as math starting in elementary. DS had a WISC-IV as part of a comprehensive set of tests for attention issues three years ago, and is extremely good at math, so we have some basis for thinking that his scores on the WISC-IV would be quite high if he scores as well this time around as he did last time. No idea how DD will do -- she too is very good at math.

Question: is it worthwhile doing any of the other individual tests besides the WISC-IV such as the Stanford-Binet, or should we just stick with the WISC-IV? We are going through a private psychologist, so it's probably more cost-effective just to go ahead and get any and all tests done at once.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I believe the WISC is a more classic standard; not sure what the Stanford Binet is used for, other than the higher ceiling. You might consider adding in the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement. I think it is pretty common to do them in tandem with the WISC, as you then get one test of ability and one of achievement, which between then shows a pretty good profile.

We moved here with just WISC and WJ and DC was admitted right away with very high scores.

[Anonymous]

Thank you! Where did you get the Woodcock Johnson tests done -- through your school, a psychologist, other?

[Anonymous]

One think to realize is, according to the FCPS AAP documentation, the WISC needs to be from a Virginia Licensed Psychologist. I am not sure if there is an exception for people that transfer from out of state. I have wondered that, though.

[Anonymous]

Huh. That is a very good point if true -- I haven't been able to find anything other than a statement about the test must be administered by a "state-licensed psychologist," but nothing on the form or on the website specifies that the state must be VA as opposed to any other state. I will have to call and find out! Thanks for flagging that issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh. That is a very good point if true -- I haven't been able to find anything other than a statement about the test must be administered by a "state-licensed psychologist," but nothing on the form or on the website specifies that the state must be VA as opposed to any other state. I will have to call and find out! Thanks for flagging that issue.

no, thank-you for flagging that issue. And the rest of the thread.

[Anonymous]

23:49 here. The Woodcock-Johnson was done by the same psychologist who did the WISC.

We moved from out of state so our psychologist was licensed in that state but not Virginia. That was not a problem for us.

[Anonymous]

OP, it can be hit or miss with AAP. You may get in, or you may have to appeal. Do not be afraid to appeal if you need to. I found that they are somewhat prejudiced against other states (because they do not have space in the classrooms).

[Anonymous]

OP here. I just confirmed via phone call with the AAP office that it is not necessary that the state-licensed psychologist be licensed in VA -- any state is fine so long as a copy of the license is attached to the testing results. This may be helpful for someone else -- certainly the AAP site didn't have the answer, nor was it readily findable through a search of this forum.

[Anonymous]

OP, was your DS's previously WISC-IV high despite any effect of the attention issues you mention? From your post it sounds like the FSIQ must have been high and no subsections too much of a concern. But sometimes with attention issues if the working memory and processing speed are low enough to significantly bring down the WISC FSIQ, people may prefer the Stanford Binet, which apparently does not have the emphasis on speed. Also it seems that for math whizzes Stanford Binet may better capture their strengths, versus WISC-IV which is said to be more verbally weighted. But it does sound from your post like the previous WISC-IV was high anyway.

[Anonymous]

We switched from private to public and DD was accepted into AAP. WJ was not submitted. WISC was submitted with standardized testing done at her school 1 1/2 yrs prior.