Parents and Educators as Partners in Learning About Students’ Academic Capabilities

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The Belin-Blank Center helps educators and families work together to learn more about their students’ academic capabilities as well as to discover challenging educational opportunities for them.  Parents: Does your child need more challenges? Teachers: Are you looking for ways to systematically discover which students might need an additional stretch?

We provide I-Excel testing for 4^th-6^th graders as a means of discovering talent in math, science, English, and reading. Based on the student’s test profile, we recommend options such as enrichment in the regular classroom, curriculum compacting, extracurricular programs, competitions, honors courses, subject acceleration, and grade skipping. Parents receive information that helps them be better-informed advocates, and educators learn more about how they could more effectively group students for instruction.

Students may test at a school-sponsored group testing session, or parents can arrange individual testing with a local proctor. We have great news for Iowa students! Currently, funding is available for eligible Iowa 4^th-6^th graders to take I-Excel at no cost. The cost for students outside of Iowa is $49 for group testing (4 or more students). Individual testing is $90.  Reduced fees of $22 and $45 are available for students eligible for the free/reduced cost lunch program at school.

If testing occurs in school, a teacher sets up the testing using the online system. Alternatively, parents can schedule an individual testing session at a local school, library, or other suitable location. Parents are responsible for finding a licensed educator who is willing to proctor the test. Acceptable proctors include full-time teachers, tutors, and college professors.

Do you have additional questions? See our website or contact us at assessment@belinblank.org.

Resources

More information about I-Excel: https://belinblank.education.uiowa.edu/students/bests/

More information about above-level testing: https://belinblank.wordpress.com/2021/08/24/whats-the-best-kept-secret-in-gifted-education-above-level-testing/

Subject acceleration: https://belinblank.wordpress.com/2023/02/02/thinking-about-subject-acceleration/