Reply to Wide variation in standardized tests (STAR)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thank you for your input. Can you help me here--do you think I am realistic that a kid who mainly gets As/Bs, is really curious about the world (in an intellectual sense) and has at least average intelligence is not suited for college or a business or creative type of job (ideally some combo).

We are not against vocational skills, but I'd say his fine motor skills are fairly weak so I don't think that welding or plumbing or most other trades are in his future. [/quote]

That’s very hard to answer without additional info so I’ll give you some things to think about. I think where the strengths and deficits, and interests, are is more important than the grades. He’s only 13 so there’s still some time left before college/trade school so I wouldn’t rule out either one. An otherwise average student can do just fine in college if they’re motivated and have the foundational skills (writing, critical thinking, reading & comprehension, etc) to be successful.

It also takes more than just academic skills to get through college and basic adulthood. So in that sense you may want to think from a perspective of EF & functional living abilities. What’s your/his ultimate goal? Just getting through college or building a foundation for a successful life regardless of career? If it’s the latter you may consider some interest and skills based assessments and put more focus on creating independence with activities of daily living. You could also focus on those and push back college for a year or two or start in a community college if the academics or other skills are still lacking. If it’s ADHD they tend to average 30% behind their peers from a social skills perspective, so it’s ok to take things a bit slower. NC used to have some of the best transitional and adult services I’ve seen, not sure if that’s still the case or not, but worth looking into.

If it were my child I’d want to start with more answers. Why the discrepancies in standardized testing, where are the deficits, can they be addressed? What supports could help him achieve success? Would an IEP be useful? What other curriculum could be utilized? Why are his grades not representative of his IQ/abilities? Are there foundational skills that were missed or are behind that are holding him back from learning more advanced concepts (this is much too common, and often overlooked). Do you have money to throw at the problem? How would that money best be utilized? Testing, tutor, 1:1 to address other skills? Are there any other outside resources you might qualify for? Would a tutor be useful?

What about some tests for general interests, or just spending some time exploring more interests that could be turned into a decent career? I don’t think all trade school type careers are necessarily fine motor based- what about being a firefighter or EMT or dental assistant or CNA? All fine careers that would fit the non-college track.

I’d start with a general review of the standardized tests then narrow it to identify academic skill areas for additional testing- such as reading and math. I’d then think whole child vs just academics and maybe do some functional living/interest based assessments. Then ensure I’m using the next 5 years wisely to create an adult that has the skills to succeed regardless of the career (can they cook, clean, take care of their own needs, apply first aid, follow through with making appointments, troubleshoot using multiple sources, that kind of thing).

Sorry it’s not a more definitive answer but hope it helps you think through some things.[/quote]

Thank you so much for this detailed response! [/quote]

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