Testing for gifted services in Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here: I am talking about elementary...not above that.

So does it make sense to get a "gifted" ID in 2nd or 4th grade to get additional/advanced learning opportunities in middle and high?

[Anonymous]

If APS isn’t providing actual gifted services, why test them in 2nd and 4th? (Sincere question)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t worry about it as gifted programming in Arlington isn’t particularly... exceptional. He will either be identified or not, but it won’t really affect his education one way or another (although maybe your ego might be temporarily buoyed.)

This.

Also, some schools identify a full 30% which is statistically not possible. It's not hard to get identified, you don't have to push for anything b/c there is nothing to get. Maybe an extra math worksheet; maybe a game every now and then. And a tweet; probably a tweet.

One thing that is misleading about this statistic is that it implies "gifted"(for services purposes) is a a yes/no thing. Students are evaluated for math, reading/writing, social studies and science independently, and only get services in the subjects for which they are identified. So assuming your 30% statistic is accurate (I've not seen it anywhere), that doesn't mean 30% of students are getting services in all subjects.

[Anonymous]

All kids in Arlington schools are gifted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t worry about it as gifted programming in Arlington isn’t particularly... exceptional. He will either be identified or not, but it won’t really affect his education one way or another (although maybe your ego might be temporarily buoyed.)

This.

Also, some schools identify a full 30% which is statistically not possible. It's not hard to get identified, you don't have to push for anything b/c there is nothing to get. Maybe an extra math worksheet; maybe a game every now and then. And a tweet; probably a tweet.

Although you are not incorrect, I have a different opinion.

In some elementary schools in Northern VA, 30% of the student population at a school could be considered gifted when compared to a national / state average. There are lots of kids at our school who were in the 97% range on the NNAT. I believe it is Fairfax that actually breaks down the NNAT from the national to the local population - where you can actually get to a real understanding as to whether your child is gifted compared to their peers. I had a kid with a 132 get identified as gifted, and another kid got a 149 and identified - and those are roughly 97% and 99%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t worry about it as gifted programming in Arlington isn’t particularly... exceptional. He will either be identified or not, but it won’t really affect his education one way or another (although maybe your ego might be temporarily buoyed.)

This.

Also, some schools identify a full 30% which is statistically not possible. It's not hard to get identified, you don't have to push for anything b/c there is nothing to get. Maybe an extra math worksheet; maybe a game every now and then. And a tweet; probably a tweet.

One thing that is misleading about this statistic is that it implies "gifted"(for services purposes) is a a yes/no thing. Students are evaluated for math, reading/writing, social studies and science independently, and only get services in the subjects for which they are identified. So assuming your 30% statistic is accurate (I've not seen it anywhere), that doesn't mean 30% of students are getting services in all subjects.

The gifted ID rate at each school is in the APS budget. Each school has a budget page. It shows total student population and gifted ID-ed kids (and many other things). Look at some of the N ARL schools. Do the math, the ID rate is 30%.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FY-2020-School-Board-Adopted-Budget-Book_Final-for-Web.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t worry about it as gifted programming in Arlington isn’t particularly... exceptional. He will either be identified or not, but it won’t really affect his education one way or another (although maybe your ego might be temporarily buoyed.)

This.

Also, some schools identify a full 30% which is statistically not possible. It's not hard to get identified, you don't have to push for anything b/c there is nothing to get. Maybe an extra math worksheet; maybe a game every now and then. And a tweet; probably a tweet.

One thing that is misleading about this statistic is that it implies "gifted"(for services purposes) is a a yes/no thing. Students are evaluated for math, reading/writing, social studies and science independently, and only get services in the subjects for which they are identified. So assuming your 30% statistic is accurate (I've not seen it anywhere), that doesn't mean 30% of students are getting services in all subjects.

The gifted ID rate at each school is in the APS budget. Each school has a budget page. It shows total student population and gifted ID-ed kids (and many other things). Look at some of the N ARL schools. Do the math, the ID rate is 30%.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FY-2020-School-Board-Adopted-Budget-Book_Final-for-Web.pdf

I think the PPs point is that a person could be receiving gifted services in just one category... math and not science, for instance. Or arts and not academics. So yes the ID rate is 30% but it's not necessarily that all 30% of the students are IDed as gifted across all subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If APS isn’t providing actual gifted services, why test them in 2nd and 4th? (Sincere question)

They are providing gifted services. Dd did deep dives into a couple of classic books with her school’s gifted resource teacher last year. Most materials are designed to not look much different from general classroom materials, and the way services are delivered in general are designed to blend in rather than stand out. For that reason parents see very little of services offered, and the kids themselves may not realize that they are doing more challenging work than some others in the classroom.

For those interested in the gifted services offered at your kid’s school, I would encourage you to attend a gifted services presentation if offered by your school, because if your kid is offered services you probably won’t gain clarity any other way. My kids have attended 2 different APS elementary schools, and one had a gifted services teacher who was really good about showing and explaining what they do (at a presentation) and another who was standoffish and not forthcoming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t worry about it as gifted programming in Arlington isn’t particularly... exceptional. He will either be identified or not, but it won’t really affect his education one way or another (although maybe your ego might be temporarily buoyed.)

This.

Also, some schools identify a full 30% which is statistically not possible. It's not hard to get identified, you don't have to push for anything b/c there is nothing to get. Maybe an extra math worksheet; maybe a game every now and then. And a tweet; probably a tweet.

One thing that is misleading about this statistic is that it implies "gifted"(for services purposes) is a a yes/no thing. Students are evaluated for math, reading/writing, social studies and science independently, and only get services in the subjects for which they are identified. So assuming your 30% statistic is accurate (I've not seen it anywhere), that doesn't mean 30% of students are getting services in all subjects.

The gifted ID rate at each school is in the APS budget. Each school has a budget page. It shows total student population and gifted ID-ed kids (and many other things). Look at some of the N ARL schools. Do the math, the ID rate is 30%.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FY-2020-School-Board-Adopted-Budget-Book_Final-for-Web.pdf

I think the PPs point is that a person could be receiving gifted services in just one category... math and not science, for instance. Or arts and not academics. So yes the ID rate is 30% but it's not necessarily that all 30% of the students are IDed as gifted across all subjects.

I realize that.
My point is that "gifted" is 3 standard deviations above the mean. Therefore, 30% of the population can't be identified in anything for any IDing to be legitimate.
That said, gifted services are not much in APS. If I am wrong on that point, I'd love to hear more. My child is at a huge school so maybe it's just that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If APS isn’t providing actual gifted services, why test them in 2nd and 4th? (Sincere question)

They are providing gifted services. Dd did deep dives into a couple of classic books with her school’s gifted resource teacher last year. Most materials are designed to not look much different from general classroom materials, and the way services are delivered in general are designed to blend in rather than stand out. For that reason parents see very little of services offered, and the kids themselves may not realize that they are doing more challenging work than some others in the classroom.

For those interested in the gifted services offered at your kid’s school, I would encourage you to attend a gifted services presentation if offered by your school, because if your kid is offered services you probably won’t gain clarity any other way. My kids have attended 2 different APS elementary schools, and one had a gifted services teacher who was really good about showing and explaining what they do (at a presentation) and another who was standoffish and not forthcoming.

Well, you have a good point. My younger child was not in second last year but did meet with the gifted resource teacher in a small group of 3. One of the three is profoundly gifted IMO. I did not get to know the other child. Mine...she's a special snowflake! Kidding. She's not nearly as able as the other child but maybe I am comparing my own child to an outlier.

[Anonymous]

I have one identified as gifted in almost all subjects and one not at all. I have seen no difference in their education, and now with both in middle school, the “un-gifted” child is taking advanced math too and getting all A’s. His SOL’s are always the higher of the two. Basically it’s no big deal if they aren’t identified.

[Anonymous]

In addition to NNAT parents can submit a request on a rolling basis to be reviewed by the G&T team. My son was identified in first grade. He does receive special instruction in math (now in 4th) which I think is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In addition to NNAT parents can submit a request on a rolling basis to be reviewed by the G&T team. My son was identified in first grade. He does receive special instruction in math (now in 4th) which I think is good.

I think this happened last year to my younger child but the teacher made the request for 3 of the kids. It involved doing actual math while most of the others were learning numbers. Not sure that's "gifted" services but it is better for the kids and classroom management.

[Anonymous]

Start brown nosing the powers that be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start brown nosing the powers that be.

What are you implying? At least make a credible statement.