APS gifted services question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

From a different APS thread:

What I find really interesting is there is a ton of talk about equity in APS but this year when it came to the parent referral period for gifted services I saw not a single thing from any group in APS held a webinar or offered help to parents to complete those referral forms.

And here is another chance. Sure there is no true prep book or class for a Cogat but what there is a workbook that contains the type of questions that are contained on the test. These type of questions are not the ones usually encountered on standard tests so why not help parents find out about these resources, and help them purchase. Why not give more kids a leg up? Lots of parents do this.

for once instead of someone talking about equity it would be good to see someone do something - even something so small - to help move the needle ....

It’s not that uncommon, and the gatekeepers are aware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

From a different APS thread:

What I find really interesting is there is a ton of talk about equity in APS but this year when it came to the parent referral period for gifted services I saw not a single thing from any group in APS held a webinar or offered help to parents to complete those referral forms.

And here is another chance. Sure there is no true prep book or class for a Cogat but what there is a workbook that contains the type of questions that are contained on the test. These type of questions are not the ones usually encountered on standard tests so why not help parents find out about these resources, and help them purchase. Why not give more kids a leg up? Lots of parents do this.

for once instead of someone talking about equity it would be good to see someone do something - even something so small - to help move the needle ....

It’s not that uncommon, and the gatekeepers are aware.

Because this poster says "lots of parents do this"...it's a fact?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

I admit to low key prepping my 1st grader for the NNAT this year. We bought a workbook so he would be familiar with the kind of questions on the test. My main motivation is that we might move to Fairfax in the future so I want the high score on his record.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

From a different APS thread:

What I find really interesting is there is a ton of talk about equity in APS but this year when it came to the parent referral period for gifted services I saw not a single thing from any group in APS held a webinar or offered help to parents to complete those referral forms.

And here is another chance. Sure there is no true prep book or class for a Cogat but what there is a workbook that contains the type of questions that are contained on the test. These type of questions are not the ones usually encountered on standard tests so why not help parents find out about these resources, and help them purchase. Why not give more kids a leg up? Lots of parents do this.

for once instead of someone talking about equity it would be good to see someone do something - even something so small - to help move the needle ....

It’s not that uncommon, and the gatekeepers are aware.

Are you seriously suggesting that APS should help kids prep for the CogAT in the name of equity?????
If the test is that inequitable, maybe scrap the test.

What should happen is that there should be a general “gifted programs” night that is done in English and Spanish and recorded. Messages should go out in School Talk and school specific emails to let parents know. Parents who don’t speak English or are unfamiliar with gifted programs should get assistance filling out the questionnaire. Unless you are making a case for a kid before 3rd grade, APS parents don’t compile a portfolio. Parents should know the program exists so they can ask about it.

Until school starts in the fall, I won’t know who else was chosen in my son’s grade because I am not bringing it up unless asked. The way the process played out this year, I don’t think most parents are even aware of the gifted program unless they were notified because of CogAT.

[Anonymous]

If your kid has a high COGAT and isn't doing great in class, I would worry your kid isn't being properly engaged and that would argue your kid needs gifted services even more...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

I admit to low key prepping my 1st grader for the NNAT this year. We bought a workbook so he would be familiar with the kind of questions on the test. My main motivation is that we might move to Fairfax in the future so I want the high score on his record.

I mean, I showed my kid a few sample questions of each type a couple of days before the test. Is that what is meant by prepping kids, or something more intense? (I’m not OP).

OP, I don’t think it’s common for a kid with those cogat scores not to be identified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

From a different APS thread:

What I find really interesting is there is a ton of talk about equity in APS but this year when it came to the parent referral period for gifted services I saw not a single thing from any group in APS held a webinar or offered help to parents to complete those referral forms.

And here is another chance. Sure there is no true prep book or class for a Cogat but what there is a workbook that contains the type of questions that are contained on the test. These type of questions are not the ones usually encountered on standard tests so why not help parents find out about these resources, and help them purchase. Why not give more kids a leg up? Lots of parents do this.

for once instead of someone talking about equity it would be good to see someone do something - even something so small - to help move the needle ....

It’s not that uncommon, and the gatekeepers are aware.

Are you seriously suggesting that APS should help kids prep for the CogAT in the name of equity?????
If the test is that inequitable, maybe scrap the test.

What should happen is that there should be a general “gifted programs” night that is done in English and Spanish and recorded. Messages should go out in School Talk and school specific emails to let parents know. Parents who don’t speak English or are unfamiliar with gifted programs should get assistance filling out the questionnaire. Unless you are making a case for a kid before 3rd grade, APS parents don’t compile a portfolio. Parents should know the program exists so they can ask about it.

Until school starts in the fall, I won’t know who else was chosen in my son’s grade because I am not bringing it up unless asked. The way the process played out this year, I don’t think most parents are even aware of the gifted program unless they were notified because of CogAT.

That was a quote copied from another thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

I admit to low key prepping my 1st grader for the NNAT this year. We bought a workbook so he would be familiar with the kind of questions on the test. My main motivation is that we might move to Fairfax in the future so I want the high score on his record.

I mean, I showed my kid a few sample questions of each type a couple of days before the test. Is that what is meant by prepping kids, or something more intense? (I’m not OP).

OP, I don’t think it’s common for a kid with those cogat scores not to be identified.

But OP said her kid had a 135 = 99%. My kid had a 141 = 99% and did get in. I don’t really know how the scores work, but maybe her kid’s school has a lot of kids 135+ and they have to draw the line somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

I admit to low key prepping my 1st grader for the NNAT this year. We bought a workbook so he would be familiar with the kind of questions on the test. My main motivation is that we might move to Fairfax in the future so I want the high score on his record.

I mean, I showed my kid a few sample questions of each type a couple of days before the test. Is that what is meant by prepping kids, or something more intense? (I’m not OP).

OP, I don’t think it’s common for a kid with those cogat scores not to be identified.

But OP said her kid had a 135 = 99%. My kid had a 141 = 99% and did get in. I don’t really know how the scores work, but maybe her kid’s school has a lot of kids 135+ and they have to draw the line somewhere.

Of course we can all hope it’s a bit more thoughtful than that. You could be gifted at X school but not Y? Kind of a crock of crap.

[Anonymous]

“Gifted” doesn’t mean they are brilliant savant geniuses! It just means they have educational needs that require different services. I wonder if your responses based on what you think gifted means impacted the decision? I would follow up. Gifted was low key but really good for DD since she struggled a lot with boredom (it caused really bad emotional impacts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If work done in class isn’t consistent with what would be expected of a kid with a high cogat score, the committee may elect to deny. Unfortunately a lot of parents prep their kids to take the test, so high cogat and nnat scores aren’t always enough for a kid to be identified.

Different poster, not OP - Test prep is not common in APS, at least among people I know. I only know about it from the Fairfax / AAP posts on DCUM. My elementary told us about CogAT on a Monday for testing later the same week. I suppose if I had older kids I could have known to prep.

New poster. I agree it's not common. I have 3 kids and know enough Type As I believe I would have heard if it's a common thing.

In Fairfax, those people go bonkers. That's why AAP is a messed up model, but that's a different thread.

I admit to low key prepping my 1st grader for the NNAT this year. We bought a workbook so he would be familiar with the kind of questions on the test. My main motivation is that we might move to Fairfax in the future so I want the high score on his record.

I mean, I showed my kid a few sample questions of each type a couple of days before the test. Is that what is meant by prepping kids, or something more intense? (I’m not OP).

OP, I don’t think it’s common for a kid with those cogat scores not to be identified.

But OP said her kid had a 135 = 99%. My kid had a 141 = 99% and did get in. I don’t really know how the scores work, but maybe her kid’s school has a lot of kids 135+ and they have to draw the line somewhere.

Of course we can all hope it’s a bit more thoughtful than that. You could be gifted at X school but not Y? Kind of a crock of crap.

This is absolutely what happens. My kids both had very average test scores, no prepping, and I never expected them to be deemed "gifted." I was shocked when they were. But then I realized they were native English speakers at our Title 1 school who could read and do grade-level math. I think they need at least a cluster of "gifted" kids in each grade in order for the program to work, so they have to reach farther down in some schools than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid has a high COGAT and isn't doing great in class, I would worry your kid isn't being properly engaged and that would argue your kid needs gifted services even more...

2nd this. Classroom performance does not always show as giftedness. They may be bored in class.

[Anonymous]

They definitely take into account class performance. My kid did so-so on the NNAT - she was sick the day it was given and made it up later. That might have thrown her off, but either way she was under the cut off. Her teacher referred her anyway and she got in based on how she is doing in class. I did fill out the questionnaire but I’m not sure they put much emphasis on parents vs. teachers. If your kid really did score off the charts, I would maybe ask why he wasn’t selected. Is he so bored at school that he comes across as being behind? I was always an excellent test taker but didn’t do as well on assignments.

[Anonymous]

I would ask about it.

“Prepping” for NNAT and CogAT is not common at all in APS.

Gifted services is primarily pushed in - it’s not segregated like FCPS. People who want crazy “gifted” (but not gifted) programs head to FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would ask about it.

“Prepping” for NNAT and CogAT is not common at all in APS.

Gifted services is primarily pushed in - it’s not segregated like FCPS. People who want crazy “gifted” (but not gifted) programs head to FCPS.

Also people who want gifted no-quotes programs head to FCPS. Which relieves APS of them.