APS Advanced Academics Parent Referral

[Anonymous]

Has anyone gone through the parent referral process? How long does it take?

[Anonymous]

We did coming off of COVID closures, where our kid had missed the standard referral windows in 1st-3rd. Her teacher commented at our fall parent teacher conference that she was surprised that she wasn't tagged.

If you put the referral in "on cycle" when the panel is meeting, you'll hear back a couple of months later. If you're off cycle or your student needs testing, it could take longer.

[Anonymous]

we did a parent referral and it says they will be screened within 90 days, but that's all i know

[Anonymous]

Basically the whole school year. We referred after the fall teacher conference and found out he was eligible just before school ended in June. But, that was several years ago, and it may vary by school.

[Anonymous]

All they’re going to get is an extra worksheet. Better to supplement at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone gone through the parent referral process? How long does it take?

What grade level? If 1st or 2nd, students will be automatically referred based on NNAT or CoGaT scores if they are high enough. No matter if it's parent referred or based on test scores, identification would likely happen in the spring but services would begin next school year.

[Anonymous]

A friend's mom referred last year in second grade, because their family moved to APS after Cogat testing. My kid was automatically screened in, but the rest of the process was the same. What I know is the deadline to parent refer is April 1, and the school commits to a 90 day screening process. We were notified of the outcome in late May or early June. This year our kids are in a gifted cluster classroom.

[Anonymous]

Can someone tell me what the gifted kids are offered compared to the other kids in the classroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what the gifted kids are offered compared to the other kids in the classroom?

They're clustered. Everything else is offered to everyone.

[Anonymous]

People on this forum say APS gifted services doesn't mean anything, but it does make a difference to be in a cluster classroom with at least 10 gifted kids. If nothing else there's positive peer pressure, and also some small group extension activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what the gifted kids are offered compared to the other kids in the classroom?

For my dd: In elementary it was mostly required extension work that was optional for the general class, a book “club” with the gifted cluster, and some required projects. In middle it was intensified classes, which are available to all but gifted kids are guided to take. In hs (she is a freshman now) it is choices of intensified, AP, and DE classes plus the Capstone program. Gifted kids receive a letter before choosing classes to point out which classes are appropriately challenging, but the choice is theirs.

[Anonymous]

Both my kids got flagged during IEP meetings and were "in" within weeks. And yes, it's a worksheet in ES and clustering. In middle school, it's advanced math, but anybody with the scores can do that. In high school, it's intensified classes, ect that everybody can access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People on this forum say APS gifted services doesn't mean anything, but it does make a difference to be in a cluster classroom with at least 10 gifted kids. If nothing else there's positive peer pressure, and also some small group extension activities.

APS has instructed AACs that they can no longer do small group extension activities. They can only do whole class activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me what the gifted kids are offered compared to the other kids in the classroom?

For my dd: In elementary it was mostly required extension work that was optional for the general class, a book “club” with the gifted cluster, and some required projects. In middle it was intensified classes, which are available to all but gifted kids are guided to take. In hs (she is a freshman now) it is choices of intensified, AP, and DE classes plus the Capstone program. Gifted kids receive a letter before choosing classes to point out which classes are appropriately challenging, but the choice is theirs.

I wish people wouldn't give old information. APS doesn't allow small group differentiation any more for those tagged as gifted. It's considered inequitable. Only whole class activities are permitted. So no more gifted book clubs, math groups or other extra projects in elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People on this forum say APS gifted services doesn't mean anything, but it does make a difference to be in a cluster classroom with at least 10 gifted kids. If nothing else there's positive peer pressure, and also some small group extension activities.

APS has instructed AACs that they can no longer do small group extension activities. They can only do whole class activities.

I don’t know if this is true or not, but the AACs are not the primary deliverers of differentiated content anyway. They work with classroom teachers, who are the ones who work directly with the kids on a daily basis.