How to appeal CES decision

[Anonymous]

Kid met all the criteria for CES in 3rd grade but was not entered into lottery. All As, Above Avg reading, 95% MAP-R (but don't know how this converted to local norm percentile).
2 other kids from the same class who didn't meet all the criterial were accepted into the CES program. I was wondering if this also disqualifies my kid from receiving ELC at home school and is it worth to appeal the decision? How to appeal if there is no new information or hardship or unique circumstance per the appeal form ?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

2 other kids may be receiving services (IEP, 504, EML or individual FARMS) that lowered the MAP local norm threshold for them. I think they still would need to have the grades & reading level, though.

It wouldn't disqualify your kid from ELC but it may not guarantee it for them.

Appeals are shrouded by MCPS on purpose to discourage more appeals. They only say that an error in the data they have for your child would be grounds, not questioning the paradigm.

[Anonymous]

You might be in a higher SES school where the MAP-R bar is 98%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid met all the criteria for CES in 3rd grade but was not entered into lottery. All As, Above Avg reading, 95% MAP-R (but don't know how this converted to local norm percentile).
2 other kids from the same class who didn't meet all the criterial were accepted into the CES program. I was wondering if this also disqualifies my kid from receiving ELC at home school and is it worth to appeal the decision? How to appeal if there is no new information or hardship or unique circumstance per the appeal form ?

Thanks.

Hire a lawyer, find what level MAP-R test they use for your kid. Search old NYT news re: mCPS ces/gifted program.

[Anonymous]

That MAP-R is not that high. Not sure what the bar is these days but most CES kids are over 98%.

It's 4th grade, your kid will be fine.

[Anonymous]

This was pre covid, so take it with a grain of salt, but I filed an appeal and wrote a letter explaining my child’s traits that made the CES a good fit for them, and I included a writing sample my child had written for fun. It really showcased DC’s creativity, vocabulary and passion for writing. The appeal was successful and DC was then placed in the waitpool. IMO, the writing sample probably had more sway than my letter, but I guess I’ll never know for sure. DC’s number was later randomly chosen and DC was admitted to the CES and did well there. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That MAP-R is not that high. Not sure what the bar is these days but most CES kids are over 98%.

It's 4th grade, your kid will be fine.

Its not about getting into CES school rather not being placed into the lottery at all despite meeting the MCPS criteria. I wouldn't have given the CES process a second thought if I didn't learn about the other kids who were accepted (<90% MAP, On Level reading, not FARMS...).

[Anonymous]

Email [e-mail] for the localized norm. To be honest 95 map is not high there are probably plenty of 99s in your grade that bumped your kid out of the running.

You don’t know if your kid met the criteria because map R doesn’t mean localized map R. Again, 95 map is not high at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid met all the criteria for CES in 3rd grade but was not entered into lottery. All As, Above Avg reading, 95% MAP-R (but don't know how this converted to local norm percentile).
2 other kids from the same class who didn't meet all the criterial were accepted into the CES program. I was wondering if this also disqualifies my kid from receiving ELC at home school and is it worth to appeal the decision? How to appeal if there is no new information or hardship or unique circumstance per the appeal form ?

Thanks.

Your kid didn’t meet the criteria so there’s nothing to appeal unless MCPS made a mistake in the data it used for your DC. It would be great if MCPS explained better how locally norming MAP scores works so parents like you aren’t surprised that a 95% doesn’t make the cut, but that would mean more transparency which is never something MCPS does willingly

[Anonymous]

Call or email DCCAPS and find out what the locally normed percentile is. They will tell you. If it is at least 85th percentile, appeal. If not, and you don't qualify for services/FARMs, no point in appealing - just talk to home school to request that your child receive ELC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That MAP-R is not that high. Not sure what the bar is these days but most CES kids are over 98%.

It's 4th grade, your kid will be fine.

Its not about getting into CES school rather not being placed into the lottery at all despite meeting the MCPS criteria. I wouldn't have given the CES process a second thought if I didn't learn about the other kids who were accepted (<90% MAP, On Level reading, not FARMS...).

They probably get services - 504 for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was pre covid, so take it with a grain of salt, but I filed an appeal and wrote a letter explaining my child’s traits that made the CES a good fit for them, and I included a writing sample my child had written for fun. It really showcased DC’s creativity, vocabulary and passion for writing. The appeal was successful and DC was then placed in the waitpool. IMO, the writing sample probably had more sway than my letter, but I guess I’ll never know for sure. DC’s number was later randomly chosen and DC was admitted to the CES and did well there. Good luck.

Had a similar experience where dc should have been in the pool but was not. His test scores were all well within the range. I believe he was blackballed by administration. Wrote a letter of appeal. He was moved to wait list and accepted. It made an enormous difference in his subsequent academic career.

[Anonymous]

At a low-farms school 95% is around the bottom of the 15% cut-off. Kids with ESOL, IEP, FARMS etc have a lower bar more like 70% regardless of school.

[Anonymous]

Are you looking at the correct MAP score? They use the fall one, not the most recent.

I’m sure if you contact them they will explain that you are wrong and tell you why your kid actually didn’t meet the criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking at the correct MAP score? They use the fall one, not the most recent.

I’m sure if you contact them they will explain that you are wrong and tell you why your kid actually didn’t meet the criteria.

Either file an appeal or don’t. There’s no reason to waste time contacting anyone because whoever you can talk to isn’t a decision maker.