My kid bombed HGC test

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There might in fact be some anxiety, but it's probably more centered around myself than my child's abilities. I try not to be an overly obsessive parent and so while we work on (what I assume are) some enriching things at home, I try not to push too hard if it seems all is going well. On the other hand I don't want to let my kid down if I should perhaps be doing a bit more to meet DCs potential. Sadly, I haven't gotten much from previous teacher conferences, other than "child is doing great, no concerns". Hard to know if this "great" report is because DC is not a struggling child, or is actually excelling. This test was eye opening. Again, I'm not freaking out about it, but just want to understand what it means. It sounds like 100 may be the average score, which would set my mind at ease. Before this thread, I wasn't sure if it was perhaps an unusually low score, which is what raised a flag for me.

If you don't have any concerns (other than the worry that maybe you should be having concerns), and the teachers all say that there are no concerns, then maybe that's because there is nothing to be concerned about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There might in fact be some anxiety, but it's probably more centered around myself than my child's abilities. I try not to be an overly obsessive parent and so while we work on (what I assume are) some enriching things at home, I try not to push too hard if it seems all is going well. On the other hand I don't want to let my kid down if I should perhaps be doing a bit more to meet DCs potential. Sadly, I haven't gotten much from previous teacher conferences, other than "child is doing great, no concerns". Hard to know if this "great" report is because DC is not a struggling child, or is actually excelling. This test was eye opening. Again, I'm not freaking out about it, but just want to understand what it means. It sounds like 100 may be the average score, which would set my mind at ease. Before this thread, I wasn't sure if it was perhaps an unusually low score, which is what raised a flag for me.

If you don't have any concerns (other than the worry that maybe you should be having concerns), and the teachers all say that there are no concerns, then maybe that's because there is nothing to be concerned about.

That may be. In fact that's what I'm hoping to hear. I just didn't know if the test scores were inconsistent with an otherwise well-performing kid.

[Anonymous]

OP, given how much more time-pressured the HGC test is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If DC is performing fine in class and on MAP tests, then DC is fine. Why care about this one test, which seems to be an anomaly?

[Anonymous]

I would 100% not worry about this, OP. Kids have on days and off days. It sounds like your DC was having an off day.

If you are really concerned and have the time and money you could get private testing. But that would be overkill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, given how much more time-pressured the HGC test is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If DC is performing fine in class and on MAP tests, then DC is fine. Why care about this one test, which seems to be an anomaly?

Just doing my due diligence. Unlike other tests, it's not clear upon receiving the results what the average range is. Also, I was unaware of the availability of MAP scores, so I'm grateful for the info I've received on the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, given how much more time-pressured the HGC test is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If DC is performing fine in class and on MAP tests, then DC is fine. Why care about this one test, which seems to be an anomaly?

Just doing my due diligence. Unlike other tests, it's not clear upon receiving the results what the average range is. Also, I was unaware of the availability of MAP scores, so I'm grateful for the info I've received on the thread.

NP here. I was also unaware that one can request her child's MAP scores (in fact, I didn't even know those were important).
Do they perform MAP testing once a year or more often?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, given how much more time-pressured the HGC test is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If DC is performing fine in class and on MAP tests, then DC is fine. Why care about this one test, which seems to be an anomaly?

Just doing my due diligence. Unlike other tests, it's not clear upon receiving the results what the average range is. Also, I was unaware of the availability of MAP scores, so I'm grateful for the info I've received on the thread.

NP here. I was also unaware that one can request her child's MAP scores (in fact, I didn't even know those were important).
Do they perform MAP testing once a year or more often?

There seems to be some variation in the number of MAP tests administered per year--some schools administer quarterly, others only twice per year. Teachers don't always volunteer these scores, but you can request.

[Anonymous]

I get it OP. I would like to know what the lowest scores in each category were for accepted students. So for instance how far below the median did kids who were admitted score. It's impossible to know. I can hypothesize that it probably wasn't much lower than 10 points below the median, but I really have no idea! For all I know children who bombed the test were admitted due to other factors! We don't know. You could call the MCPS department that administers this test...AFI or whatever. They may be able to give you some information. For instance, national averages for students who have taken the test. It would be interesting to see the range of scores in MCPS since this is a self selected group of kids, most of whom have presumably been doing above grade level work for a few years. There just isn't that much transparancy in the process. They aren't going to provide that much info if they can help it, because some of the selection is neccessarily subjective and inevitably it leaves out people who could benefit from the program.

Talk to your DC's teacher and call the division of accelerated instruction for more info. Maybe it's just a matter of a restless 8 or 9 year old not really into focusing on yet another adult driven way to catagorize him, kwim?

[Anonymous]

OP: This link provides info about the normative average, which is 100.

https://www3.rps205.com/programs/PublishingImages/Pages/Renaissance-Testing-/CogAT%20Information.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NP here. I was also unaware that one can request her child's MAP scores (in fact, I didn't even know those were important).
Do they perform MAP testing once a year or more often?

They're not important. They're potentially useful information, but important all by themselves? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP here. I was also unaware that one can request her child's MAP scores (in fact, I didn't even know those were important).
Do they perform MAP testing once a year or more often?

They're not important. They're potentially useful information, but important all by themselves? Nope.

Are they used for helping to determine compact math or other instruction?

[Anonymous]

I think the way the test (which MCPS tells us is above grade level, btw) is normed, an average score should be 100, so I'd hardly call getting above 100 "bombing" the test. Sounds like your child scored above average but possibly, because of time pressures or whatever, didn't score in the gifted range. That appeals case that gets into the nitty gritty of the scoring criteria might shed some light on how the testing population breaks down, if someone has that link. But I really wouldn't stress it, OP. School performance is waaay more important in the grand scheme of things.

Is this true? Is the HGC test an above-level test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP here. I was also unaware that one can request her child's MAP scores (in fact, I didn't even know those were important).
Do they perform MAP testing once a year or more often?

They're not important. They're potentially useful information, but important all by themselves? Nope.

Are they used for helping to determine compact math or other instruction?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: This link provides info about the normative average, which is 100.

https://www3.rps205.com/programs/PublishingImages/Pages/Renaissance-Testing-/CogAT%20Information.pdf

Interesting slide deck. Must be a little old since test scores go to 160 now but interesting nonetheless.

[Anonymous]

My 6th grader was in the last cohort who had scores up to 150.