ERB results - 99th percentile
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Anonymous
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Help me understand!
If child scores 99th percentile on ERB by national standards AND by independent school standards…. What percent of kids at an average private school in DC scores that high? (I understand statistics but I’m not sure if the DC area has 10x as many smart kids as nationally, or does ERB independent school stat only consider local area)? Also, what percent of kids would you guess score 99th percentile in independent school group (NOT just nationally which is obviously much easier) at a top top school like sidwell or NCS vs a more average DC private like Bullis, St Andrew’s, Maret, etc? For context: middle school child scored 99th nationally and 99th independent school in several areas including math and I’m annoyed our private school isn’t challenging this kid but I’m wondering if there ought to be 10+ kids per grade like that in this area, or if there truly is 1-3 kids per 100 per grade testing that high. |
Anonymous
| Most kids in this area score 100%. |
Anonymous
Scoring in the 100th percentile isn't possible. |
Anonymous
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I thought ERBs just gave stanines.
It’s been years since DC was taking them though, so I don’t remember the details. ERBs are pretty irrelevant. |
Anonymous
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I think in this area 99 and 98 percent is pretty common at that age. Don’t expect that to mean much of anything in high school.
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Anonymous
How do you know your school isn't challenging your kid? 99% in math means that their math skills (things they've been taught by the school) are better than 99% of their same grade peers. That's great! ERBs aren't intelligence tests like WPPSI or WISC. They are achievement tests. It means the math curriculum at your school is very strong and your child is doing great. |
Anonymous
| OP, I’m confused both your question and thought process. Kid scored very well by any standard and seems to be learning. What are you trying to understand here, or is this an humble brag post? |
Anonymous
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OP here.
I actually know, separate from ERBs, that my kid does not feel challenged in several different subjects, and it has been that way for a couple years now. I also know ERBs are just one measurement and NOT any kind of legitimate ranking, it’s just the only data I have to compare kids across schools. But before I try to push the school to challenge DC more, or even consider moving them to a school with a reputation for being more rigorous, I’m trying to understand what a reasonable expectation would be. Here are the possibilities: 1. If a “good” (but not top tier) private in the DC area would have 10+ kids at DCs level (say, 97-99th percentile NN and IN, which is a stanine of 9 but you can have a 9 stanine at a lower percentile too) , I think I should push the school to provide more (because surely my DC is not the only one feeling this way). 2. If DC is actually 1 out of 100 at a “good” but not “exceptional” DC area private, would moving them to a more rigorous private put them in a group of 10+ out of 100? (Which would be a good thing, since I assume school would be more able to challenge these kids) 3. OR the final option is that even if DCs good school has 1 or 2 out of 100 kids at their level, if a more rigorous school would still only have 4 or 5 kids at that level, perhaps I should try to challenge DC through activities and interests outside school and just be happy it feels easy (no need to disrupt their life and move them if a top tier / big three school would still not be super challenging in terms of content - I do think the top schools around here are always challenging in terms of workload). I’m genuinely interested in thoughts here because it’s just impossible to know how to compare schools! |
Anonymous
| No one is going to be able to answer your question about erb scores across schools. If your kid is bored with the score to back up that claim, go talk to your school. How they respond will likely determine whether you stay or start looking for a more challenging option. |
Anonymous
| ^ OP again, and re-reading my original post I can see it made it sound like the ERB score was somehow proof my kid wasn’t challenged. Not at all!!! Kid has always scored quite high and was happy and felt challenged and engaged in elementary but now in middle school doesn’t feel challenged or engaged, and we’re trying to figure out how to fix that problem - by moving schools, engaging with the school to provide more challenge (we’ve tried this a bit already but could be more forceful), or by providing challenge outside of school. |
Anonymous
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If you feel your child is not challenged, consider switching schools. The ERB score doesn't indicate anything other than he is doing well relative to his private school peers and will likely score in the highest stanines on the ISEE, giving him an edge if he applies out.
The ERB is meant to test the school's performance so it can evaluate its curriculum and methods. While ERB scores give an idea of individual students' aptitude, the ISEE is a more difficult test that evaluates a different pool of test-takers . . . i.e., those who are applying to competitive private schools vs. those who are taking a test in which they have no stake and for which they do not prep extensively. |
Anonymous
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Is this school a k-12? Are you planning to be there through high school? What grade is he in now?
I’m not sure what you’re thinking you can push the school to do here? Are you concerned about his math placement? Are you looking for more work in other subjects? |
Anonymous
| You sound like an annoying parent that is convinced your kid is more special than the others. |
Anonymous
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OP again.
Kid is in 7th at a K-12, we were planning to stay through 12th but kid is unhappy because they are bored. They did a great STEM camp over the summer and seemed happy again, now we’re into the school year and they complain that school is mostly memorizing with no deep engagement. I don’t know what I’d push the school to do. Last year they at least let them finish math work in advance (they’d do 2 weeks of work in 1 day) and then do challenge problems, but Dc says it was boring and I think it was lonely. I almost want to hear that DC is exceptional and might not be deeply engaged at most schools (depending on class and teacher of course), not because I need or want an exceptional kid but because I don’t want to change schools. But it seems silly to keep them at a place where they are bored. Everyone talks about Sidwell or STA being so rigorous, and I wish I knew what that meant. I don’t necessarily want the extra workload or pressure for my DC, but they obviously aren’t happy with the current situation. Ugh. |
Anonymous
OP again. I know I do!!!! I can’t have these conversations in person with anyone I know!!!! But if my kid isn’t that special, it’s a school problem. If kid is special, it’s a me problem. |