ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the measurement issues most closely connected to mathematically talented students. An academic assessment can help in the placement of and programming for the mathematically gifted student. Assessment is a way of understanding a child in order to make informed decisions about the child. Group ability tests are most appropriately used for initial screening purposes, and the results should not be used in isolation to make a programming decision about an individual student. A percentile ranking allows educators and parents to understand the position of the student's score relative to the scores from the other students who were part of the testing sample; this is important information. Achievement tests differ from aptitude and intelligence tests by specifically measuring what a student has learned. The law mandates formulation of an Individual Education Program for students who qualify for special educational services.
