Question: What tests do you recommend for us to advocate for math acceleration with the public school?
We live on the borderline of Vermont and New Hampshire, both of which states do not have mandated gifted programs in public schools. We have a 4th grader who is learning algebra with me on his homeschooling days (we do one day homeschooling every week). He has been sitting in all the classes in the other four days of school including math, which he gets disengaged half of the time. I checked out the school district's information on math curriculum for 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades, and have a feeling that he might be between 8th and 9th grade levels. I'd like to advocate for allowing him to take the math classes at the 8th grade (the middle school) or the 9th grade (the high school) starting in the fall. My son seems to be excited about the idea of acceleration this way. I read the book Developing Math Talent, which suggested taking the EXPLORE test as a measure of the grade level in the process of advocacy. I just found out that the EXPLORE test was discontinued. Are there other above-grade-level tests you can recommend for this purpose? We've already taken the WISC-V test so I'm really looking for an above-grade-level skill test.
Dear Young Scholars Parent,
Thank you for your question. Thank you for your question. Based on what you’ve shared, it sounds like you are thoughtfully walking the path of advocacy, carefully considering your Young Scholar's unique needs and profile. Advocating for acceleration is a journey many Young Scholar families have navigated and is certainly not for the faint of heart.
To start, if you are looking for a test that is similar to the EXPLORE test, you might consider having your Young Scholar take a PSAT 8/9 or PreACT. These assessments are recognized for evaluating students beyond their current grade level. If this is something you are interested in, the Davidson Institute collaborates with Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development (CTD) to provide remote eligibility assessments such as the PSTA8/9 and PreACT for students in grades 3 through 10.
Before we dive deeper into this, I want to emphasize that schools may not always be open to accepting assessments conducted outside of their standard curriculum. Many families in our community have navigated similar advocacy situations by centering their efforts on curriculum-based assessments. Typically, schools show greater receptiveness to testing that is directly aligned with their own curriculum, while they may be less inclined to consider external assessments that do not mirror the specific academic frameworks they use.
When advocating for your child’s placement in an 8th or 9th-grade math class, the key is to present evidence that demonstrates your Young Scholar’s proficiency at the 8th or 9th-grade level, but within the context of the school’s specific curriculum. This approach is more likely to resonate with educators, as it ties your child’s abilities directly to the content they will encounter in those higher-grade classes, helping to build a stronger, more convincing case for acceleration.
One approach to this is to gather midterm and final exams from the relevant grade-level math courses and arrange for your child to complete them in a proctored setting. This allows you to provide concrete, curriculum-specific data on your child’s abilities. Schools may request that your Young Scholar take assessments from these lower grade levels, in addition to the 8th or 9th grade exams, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their readiness and fit for accelerated coursework. Though this may not be the fastest course of action, by gathering data across multiple grade levels, you can present a clear and well-rounded case for your child’s ability to meet the demands of higher-level math.
Alongside curriculum-based assessments you might consider utilizing state-level assessments, such as those administered by the Vermont Department of Education for grades 5 through 8. These assessments are the benchmark by which the school district measures academic proficiency for all students in those grades, making them an important tool for aligning your child’s abilities with the standards expected at that grade level.
By demonstrating your child’s performance on these state-mandated tests, you can provide a compelling, standardized measure of their academic readiness. Schools are often more receptive to assessments that are directly tied to state standards, as they reflect the curriculum and educational goals that the district is already using to guide all students’ progress. This creates a stronger, more objective case for acceleration, as it shows that your child’s performance is not only above grade level but also in alignment with what is expected of students at the higher grade level within the district’s academic framework.
Moreover, when advocating for your Young Scholar’s placement in an 8th or 9th-grade math class, showing that they have already mastered concepts at the state-required level can make a powerful argument that they are ready for more advanced coursework. This data-driven approach helps build a bridge between your child’s current academic performance and the higher-level material they would encounter in accelerated classes, reinforcing the idea that the acceleration is not just appropriate but necessary for their continued academic growth.
While this process may require a degree of patience and thoroughness, it is one of the most coherent means by which to establish your Young Scholars suitability for acceleration within the context of the school’s curriculum and state standards. By presenting a case grounded in direct academic evidence, you are positioning your child as an academically ready candidate for more advanced coursework, allowing the school to consider the matter through a lens that is both pragmatic and aligned with their own educational framework.
We hope this conversation has provided you with a few places to start. If you have another question or you want to dive deeper into something we discussed today, you can always submit another Ask a Family Consultant. Otherwise, we will see you at another virtual event or on DMC.
Warm Regards,
Your Family Consultant