Seeking advice here: My son scored in the 99th percentile in both Quantitative reasoning and Math in 6th grade ERB/CTP4 for the independent school norm. Discussing with his DC independent school possible accelerated Math options, I was led to believe that this score is not as rare as it seems for this school (implying that there might be a dozen or so kids with same scores in his class). Does it sound right or were they trying to push me off? Anybody out there with some knowledge on the topic? Are the DC independent school students really so much better than their "norm"? How often do you think this double 99 is in such a school?

If your child needs and desires accelerated math options (with further confirmation from his scores) what does this have to do with the test scores of other kids (perhaps these other kids don't want math acceleration)? If his present math class and circumstances lack the appropriate math challenge and acceleration it seems immaterial the scores of the other kids in the class. What do you and your child want?

Seeking advice here: My son scored in the 99th percentile in both Quantitative reasoning and Math in 6th grade ERB/CTP4 for the independent school norm. Discussing with his DC independent school possible accelerated Math options, I was led to believe that this score is not as rare as it seems for this school (implying that there might be a dozen or so kids with same scores in his class). Does it sound right or were they trying to push me off? Anybody out there with some knowledge on the topic? Are the DC independent school students really so much better than their "norm"? How often do you think this double 99 is in such a school?

Good luck. Do not have great experience with either accountability or transparency of my kid's independent school. There is no leverage when there are dozens and dozens in the waiting line. Market economics, as simple as that.

I think parents need to demand more accountability. We need a concerted effort to have independent schools make public objective metrics of how their are doing.

I am not aware there is any evidence that, say, Sidwell or GDS are better than, for example, a good Fairfax County public school. Sidwell or GDS parents like to think that way, I am sure (myself included).
However, a good school ERB CTP result does not mean that these school are necessarily better (or worse). It may simply say that the students that the school accepts is above or below average. Whether the school "improves" these students is a whole different discussion.

Yes, some don't have the where with all to figure this out at the elementary and middle school level which is why the transparency would help them. My assessment and evaluation led me to put my children in HCG and magnet programs for these grades. Fortunately, my hunch paid off as the kids did the requisite work to earn spots. At the high school level, based on my evaluations, the private schools catch up and even exceed the public options...particularly in literature and writing.

How stupid would you feel if you spent all this money and you found out that sidwell or maret or beauvoir does a worse job teaching than your local public school which is free.

Parents need to team up and push for a more transparent system which should include at least the quartile performance on the ERBs or some other test. Parents are paying tens of thousands of dollas and dont know if the teaching is any good. Seems like we are all getting ripped off. Can you imagine buying a car and the dealer refuses to tell you what the fuel efficiency is. You just have to trust them.

Absolutely. This would force these schools out of complacency to get and stay better.

They are not open about them and afraid of publishing the results because parents will choose a school based off of the results and that the ERBs will become like the MSAs. Schools will eventually teach to the test. You can ask the school.

So what? Why are they afraid of this? Why can't parents decide to attend a school on their own criteria rather than someone else's? Why would this make their school teach to the test if this is not their goal? Sounds like very wishy washy logic if you ask me.

Parents need to team up and push for a more transparent system which should include at least the quartile performance on the ERBs or some other test. Parents are paying tens of thousands of dollas and dont know if the teaching is any good. Seems like we are all getting ripped off. Can you imagine buying a car and the dealer refuses to tell you what the fuel efficiency is. You just have to trust them.

They are not open about them and afraid of publishing the results because parents will choose a school based off of the results and that the ERBs will become like the MSAs. Schools will eventually teach to the test. You can ask the school.

Searching on the internet one can find that some schools publish their ERB / CTP test results. Of course my experience with my kid's school in DC is the exact opposite of transparency in such matters. Information is still power.

If the schools see the results of the pupils why can't the client (payors) see the results for the school --- if ERB is indeed a measure of how well the school teaches?

Is there any place we can see schools erb results to guage quality of curriculm?

ERB is an educational services organization offering assessments for both admission and achievement for independent and public schools for Pre K-grade 12. Most independent schools are using the CTP test which provides an assessment of a student's level English language arts and mathematics. Depending on the performance of the student, it provides his/her percentile ranking either in the general population or within a comparative population (for example between students of independent schools). In addition, it provides an assessment of the school on where the average is or in terms of a percentage of kids at a grade that were at a certain percentile or above.
My kid's school - on of the "big 3" in DC - provides the individual assessment but not any information regarding the class (average or percentage in x percentile) which I am sure they have. I was wondering if other private schools in DC are more "open".