Advanced Learning Appeals Testing FAQ

We encourage you to carefully read the school district website about advanced learning before seeking private testing. Many families find the process of appeals confusing and overwhelming. Here is a list of common questions that come up about appeals testing. 

How do I know which tests to request in order to complete the appeals process?
The school district requirements have been in flux. Historically, there have been three areas used by the district to determine advanced learning placement:  cognitive ability, math achievement, and reading achievement.  Please note that it is your responsibility to have up-to-date information on score criteria from the school district.  

Which tests are used in private testing?
In private appeals testing, tests are individually administered and are different than what your child may have been given through the public school.  

If you are requesting cognitive testing, we will use the Wechsler tests. In most cases, the test will be the WISC-V (for Kindergarten students, we may use the WPPSI-IV).  The Wechsler tests assess a fairly wide range of abilities, including verbal, nonverbal, processing speed, and memory.  For reading and math achievement, we use the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Fourth Edition (WIAT-4). 

When is the best time to complete private testing?
It is probably most efficient to seek private testing after receiving results from the school district, to avoid unnecessary testing.  However, some families prefer to seek private testing in all three areas before they receive the school district results.  Scores on the Wechsler can be used for three years from the date of testing.  However, achievement testing needs to be recent.  

Can private testing be used instead of the public school testing?
Again, we don’t claim to know how the district operates. The district has historically required that the application and testing process is completed initially through the school district (in early fall) even if you decide to seek private testing.  There may be exceptions made for families that are new to the area, so please be sure to clarify what is needed directly from the school district.  

My child recently missed the cut-off in private testing.  Can we re-take the tests?
Due to concerns about practice effects, professional guidelines recommend a one-year interval before repeating Wechsler tests.  

For achievement testing, the answer is more complicated.  If the time interval is too brief to repeat a given test version, there are several other forms of achievement testing that can be used.  Different providers may have access to different achievement tests.  

Even though you can have your child re-take achievement testing, it’s important to consider the potential stress and impact of repeated testing on your child.  Unless you have reason to believe that the results may not be valid from a test, we discourage achievement retesting after a short time interval.  

How can I prepare my child for private testing?
The validity of the Wechsler results is based on a child having not received coaching or test preparation.  If it becomes apparent that the child has recently been exposed to the material, the test results will be considered invalid.  

Achievement testing covers a broad range of skills, so it is unlikely that a crash course in any area will significantly impact your child’s scores.

How should I explain the testing to my child?
It depends on your child’s age and how they cope with new situations.  For older children (approximately fifth grade and up), parents may wish to be transparent about the purpose of the testing.  Younger children typically do well with a simple explanation such as that they are going to do some “learning activities.”  Every effort should be made to minimize any stress or pressure around testing.  I am happy to discuss specifics with you that consider the needs of your child.  

Can you bill my insurance for private testing?
No.   Insurance does not cover testing for giftedness. Please inquire about current fees.

Do you work for the Seattle Public School District?
No.  We are in private practice and have no connection to the school district.  

Who else does this kind of testing?
The school district no longer publishes a list of providers, but some of the private schools in the area that require testing have provider lists on their websites.