Hi all,
My daughter is in second grade and often tells me how boring school is for her. She recently brought home her Fastbridge scores for math and reading, and she’s in the 99th percentile nationwide. I’m trying to understand if this is something special, as the worksheet just said she’s “on track.”
Do I need to ask for more challenging work? As far as I know, there isn’t a gifted program at her school, but I wonder if she needs more than what she’s currently getting. I would love any advice!
Totally normal for Fastbridge. It’s an adaptive test, so depending on that 99%, it could be country-wide, state, or just the classroom level.
In all honesty, asking for more advanced work for a second grader might not make much difference, and most teachers don’t have the time to create extra materials for one student.
Try some enrichment at home. Encourage her to read, and maybe help her classmates a bit. Teach her to speak up for herself when she feels the work is too easy. If she has creative ideas for assignments, support her in that!
From a teacher’s perspective, it’s tough to be asked to create more challenging lessons just for one kid. Often, teachers are already overloaded trying to get struggling students up to a basic level. It might not be fair to your daughter, but that’s unfortunately how the system is right now.
Thanks for the insight, KSH! I get what you’re saying. It sounds like a tough situation for everyone.
She’s scoring in the 99th percentile for both district and country, and she’s a big reader at home. We’ve been keeping her engaged, but I still feel the school should offer something for high performers. They do have math and reading specialists for students who need extra help, could they be an option? I know I should ask the school, but any other ideas or advice on approaching this would be great.
Usually, those math and reading specialists aren’t really set up for one-on-one sessions for high performers. They’re typically focusing on students who are behind, often in groups of three or more. A lot of schools have a good chunk of kids needing this extra help, so specialists are spread pretty thin.
Thanks for clarifying, CBK! I may have misunderstood how they work. Just curious if specialists could sometimes support students on the higher end too.
According to what I’ve read, around 32 states have some policies around gifted programs, so you might be able to find something. It depends on the state, though, some offer evaluations, some even have IEPs or specific programs.
But at this age, just being at 99% doesn’t always mean gifted. Gifted programs often look for creativity and problem-solving skills, things that aren’t always measured on standard tests.
Looked it up, seems like in NY, gifted programs aren’t funded or mandatory. Totally agree that test scores aren’t everything. She’s smart, and we’ll keep her motivated somehow. For context, she went to a forest/waldorf school for early years, so adjusting to a traditional classroom setup has been challenging for her.
Maybe check out Basis Independent Schools if you’re open to options, they might be a good fit for her.
Those specialists are usually only for students with an IEP or who are low-performing.
Back in the day, my school had a gifted coordinator, but those roles have mostly been cut. Teachers are often taking on multiple roles now, doing the work that used to be handled by several staff members.
Got it, KSH—thank you for the info! This has all been super helpful.
Realistically, there isn’t much the school is required to do here.
Public school systems are largely set up to keep kids engaged during the day so parents can work.
It wasn’t always like this, but it’s been shifting in that direction. It’s hard on parents and teachers alike.
On the family report, “On Track” is actually the highest designation they use, even though teacher reports also include a “College Pathway” designation for students who exceed expectations.
Your daughter did incredibly well if she’s in the 99th percentile. Letting the teacher know she’s feeling bored might help—they should try to add some challenging activities when possible. If the teacher says there’s nothing they can do, maybe ask if they have resources to suggest for home activities.
Thank you for this!
Would it help if the person who posted provided enrichment materials themselves? That way, it’s not extra work for the teacher?
99th percentile on national norms is pretty much as high as they go.
Encouraging a love for reading is the best thing you can do for her. Let her choose books that she enjoys.
Reading, even just for fun, is going to do more for her overall development than most school-based activities, and it will make her a more well-rounded person.
For some at-home enrichment, look into Beast Academy. It’s fun and very challenging!