GT/AAP Appeals

[Anonymous]

Bump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any suggestions on good work samples? We are appealing our daughters ineligibility and I am not sure what to submit. The ones submitted by the school were very poor writing samples and I want to submit a couple that show her true potential. We are also submitting a superior WISC FSIQ and letters of recommendations.

Should they be writing samples or tests with 0++ on them because she went above and beyond what the short answer questions asked of her. Any help??

You want to submit anything that demonstrates that your child is exceptional. That may include, writing samples, art work, descriptions of activities that they take part in and/or recommendation letters from coaches or religious school teachers etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Verbal Comprehension --112
Perpetual Organization --135
Working Memory --135
Processing Speed --106

Full Scale -- 129-- Superior
GBRS 8

What are the chances on appeal??

It looks like the GBRS that sunk this kid...though the Verbal Comp is within the High Average range (not Superior). If you want to appeal I would submit a Woodcock Johnson or other Achievement Measure approved by FCPS and samples of exceptional work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC scored 139 in NNAT and 150 in COGAT(non verbal), GBRS = 10, found ineligible. We just got his WISC testing done and here are the scores -
VCI - 121 - 92 % (superior)
Perceptual - 135 - 99 (Very superior)
working memory - 123 - 94% (superior)
processing speed - 118 - 88% (high average)
Full scale - 132 - 98% (Very superior)

Are these scores good? Are my chances good? any other info I can submit?

These scores are very good! A lower Processing Speed is not uncommon among gifted children as they tend to exhibit perfectionism and this negatively impacts their score on that subtest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow! It just seems so subjective. Look at the other thread. There are kids with scores WAY below 139 that got in on the first round on a parent referral because the teacher and AART wrote a good GBRS. So a kid with a perfect score on one of the tests and a 132 on the WISC wouldn't make it? Bizarre to me. That kid is objectively in the top 2% where as the referral kid is in the top because of the "subjective" opinion of the teacher and the AART. It seems like a process in which the schools can really play favorites.

For kids with scores lower than the cutoff, if the schools inflate their GBRS, they can get in. I think the county should just use the national NNAT/COGAT scores, eliminate the parent referal and school inflated GBRS in the process, that seems to be fair.

BTW- my kid got in with GBRS-6, NNAT(146) and COGAT(140); even with bad school reports (some "N"s, very few "O"s)- the GT selection
panel did not conisder school's ratings in our case at all.

The NNAT and COGAT are group administered measures that assess a very small area of abilities. The WISC is a internationally recognized and widely normed and validated measure. If the county used just the NNAT, COGAT and GBRS they would miss out on children who have the ability to thrive within the AAP Centers. Approx. 67% of the pool gets in. 56% of parent referrals get in (this shows you that the three measures alone are not adequate to determine giftedness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

are these essentially IQ scores? if so, i agree.

No, they are not. The CogAT and NNAT are ability tests, not IQ tests, so the scores do not directly correlate with IQ.

However, there are two tests that parents can choose to have administered and that FCPS will accept. They are the WISC-IV and the Stanford-Binet. Those are IQ tests.

The NNAT was added to the mix because the CogAT was too culturally sensitive (excluding non-native English Speakers and Minorities)! When they added the NNAT the numbers shot up in the pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So, when someone refers to the "low score and high GBRS" kids, we are NOT talking about kids who tested in the 50th percentile, or even the 75th, who are just coasting into the Center b/c their teachers wrote them a great GBRS.

Well said....and a little test prep can easily result in a few more question correctly, which could mean the difference between 120 and and 140 on the CogAT.


It would be interesting to look at grades in the 5th grade as a function of GBRS and CogAT/NNAT in the second grade. Which has a stronger correlation? I suspect no one will do the study.

No, actually! The measures themselves are designed to not be "teachable." Some of the children who are in the pool but have a low GBRS do not get in because it appears that their scores are inflated or not an accurate representation of their true abilities.

[Anonymous]

08:55 please cite your source for this data

[Anonymous]

BTW- my kid got in with GBRS-6, NNAT(146) and COGAT(140); even with bad school reports (some "N"s, very few "O"s)- the GT selection
panel did not conisder school's ratings in our case at all.


You give me some hope as my kid has been given a GBRS of 6 with NNAT of 160 and Cogat 0f 134, now thinking of WISC, but do not know if a high WISC will overcome this dismal GBRS of 6.
When did your kid get in , was it this year?

[Anonymous]

I was in the same place many of you are now last year. I went to my AAP and she told me something very interesting. She said, instead of writing why your child should be in the GT program explain why you think your child should not be in the regular classroom. This really got me thinking and we were able to put together a great letter.
If anyone is on the fence aboout taking the WISC I would highly recommend it. You will learn so much about your child and how they learn.
Finally,my child was accepted and she has been doing great.Please keep up your spirts and I know this is a trying time.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your advice, any advice is appreciated when you in this dilemma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in the same place many of you are now last year. I went to my AAP and she told me something very interesting. She said, instead of writing why your child should be in the GT program explain why you think your child should not be in the regular classroom. This really got me thinking and we were able to put together a great letter.
If anyone is on the fence aboout taking the WISC I would highly recommend it. You will learn so much about your child and how they learn.
Finally,my child was accepted and she has been doing great.Please keep up your spirts and I know this is a trying time.

Can you please advice where you did the WISC?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I sure do. I just went and looked it up. The name of the practice is Behavorial Care Services.The psychologists name is Sarika Garga and they are located in Gainsville. I t is about 45 minutes away but I have to tell you she is super nice and very pleasant with the children. She will sit with you when you get your results and explain everyhting in detail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
BTW- my kid got in with GBRS-6, NNAT(146) and COGAT(140); even with bad school reports (some "N"s, very few "O"s)- the GT selection
panel did not conisder school's ratings in our case at all.


You give me some hope as my kid has been given a GBRS of 6 with NNAT of 160 and Cogat 0f 134, now thinking of WISC, but do not know if a high WISC will overcome this dismal GBRS of 6.
When did your kid get in , was it this year?


I think you will get in on appeal. Also, WISC would help. I think your dc sounds quite bright. Maybe just difficult sometimes, but sounds like dc should be in level 4.

[Anonymous]

For 2012-2013:

My child had a 136 fsiq on the WISC IV. 148 vci but a 110 wmi....he is AAP material but that wmi score seems low...will he get in with this score?