AAP admission stats 2015

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a prospective AAP parent, a couple things seem to pop out at me from this thread:

1. 130 NNAT + 140 COGAT and you should be in

2. however we're not accounting for age-grading - a late September kid's score is different from a January birthday, or even a redshirted kid - so age graded percentiles should be a better indicator

3. GBRS is some bullshit that is based on your kids' teacher - how much they like to write on the reports, etc. - and your SES. Let's face it, richer families have more money and time to donate to the schools. Don't you think the teacher will know more about your little Suzy if you're in the cadre of families that always provides the holiday snack treats, or volunteers in the class, or replenishes the gluestick stockpile? Unfortunate fact of life that's exacerbated by seeming over reliance on the GBRS.

I don't know. My DD is one who got a 16 GBRS, and I've been a huge slacker parent this year on school stuff. I work full time, and do lots of outside-of-school volunteering. But I've yet to sign up to read to the class, have not set foot in the classroom for any kind of party, didn't go on any field trips, and we have monetary limits on gifts to teachers (holiday/birthday, etc.), so I just donated the suggested amount to a group gift. This is the first year I've taken a break from school volunteering, but we have a relatively new principal, new in the past two years AART, and it is our first encounter with my DD's teacher. So if I have a reputation...it's not a positive one!

I am another slacker parent with a child who got a 16 GBRS. I never volunteered, never did the fundraisers, never gave gifts (except class fund donation), never sent in stuff, didn't show up to after school activities, and ignored my kids homework. My child earned his 16 GBRS without any help from me.

Another one here. I think I've attended one PTA meeting in three years. Haven't ever volunteered in the classroom. I've emailed each teacher once or twice a year with questions, but that's about my only interaction with them. Kid got a 16 regardless of my lack of participation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

[Anonymous]

It's funny that some people are offended when one says that more resources (time and money) will give the kid an advantage with subjective measures such as the gbrs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This happens all the time, which is why AAP is not known as a "gifted" program anymore.

Hence the name change from GT to AAP.

Two incorrect statements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This happens all the time, which is why AAP is not known as a "gifted" program anymore.

Hence the name change from GT to AAP.

Two incorrect statements.

With link to citation on why the name was changed:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/105/104443.page#1020399

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a prospective AAP parent, a couple things seem to pop out at me from this thread:

1. 130 NNAT + 140 COGAT and you should be in

2. however we're not accounting for age-grading - a late September kid's score is different from a January birthday, or even a redshirted kid - so age graded percentiles should be a better indicator

3. GBRS is some bullshit that is based on your kids' teacher - how much they like to write on the reports, etc. - and your SES. Let's face it, richer families have more money and time to donate to the schools. Don't you think the teacher will know more about your little Suzy if you're in the cadre of families that always provides the holiday snack treats, or volunteers in the class, or replenishes the gluestick stockpile? Unfortunate fact of life that's exacerbated by seeming over reliance on the GBRS.

I don't know. My DD is one who got a 16 GBRS, and I've been a huge slacker parent this year on school stuff. I work full time, and do lots of outside-of-school volunteering. But I've yet to sign up to read to the class, have not set foot in the classroom for any kind of party, didn't go on any field trips, and we have monetary limits on gifts to teachers (holiday/birthday, etc.), so I just donated the suggested amount to a group gift. This is the first year I've taken a break from school volunteering, but we have a relatively new principal, new in the past two years AART, and it is our first encounter with my DD's teacher. So if I have a reputation...it's not a positive one!

I am another slacker parent with a child who got a 16 GBRS. I never volunteered, never did the fundraisers, never gave gifts (except class fund donation), never sent in stuff, didn't show up to after school activities, and ignored my kids homework. My child earned his 16 GBRS without any help from me.

Ok, you know that and now DCUM knows that. That's just swell. It's not universal. But the GBRS appears more art than science, some schools provide high GBRS out like candy, others not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

AAP is NOT a competition...sorry. It's supposed to be a way to give gifted kids the enrichment they need. No congratulations are in order. Motivate the kids??? to do what??? you don't study for these tests they just measure what learning environment fits your kid best. You don't know me so please don't jump to personal attacks. And, yes, I think it's disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

The tests are ability tests, not scores for the best studying. What is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

The tests are ability tests, not scores for the best studying. What is wrong with you?

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The DRA at the beginning of 2nd Grade was what it should be in 3rd grade. Also being instructed above grade level in both math and reading. Her progress report also has mostly 4s and a few 3s. Except in the first Q report where the teacher gave all 3s. In the parent teacher conf in the 1Q i remember the teacher commented that my child does not ask any questions in the class and she wants the child to speak up. Now i don't know if that would have affected GBRS.

If you get 3s in areas other than BS stuff like PE and Health, should you really be in AAP?

apparently YES! My kid had a number of 2's in first and second grade. Had 149 NNAT and 140 composite CogAt. His AAP teacher (3rd grade) thinks he is doing great (is also one of the youngest in his class -- disorganized, but tends to get 4's on almost all tests and top of the class on wordmasters challenge 2 out of 3 times this year). If his 1st and 2nd grade teachers had to make the decision, they would never have placed him in AAP. We almost didn't. Turns out it was a good fit.

Well, if I'm running the AAP program with the 149 and 140 I wouldn't care about his report cards (unless he's shivving his classmates) and put him in AAP.

If I had a smart kid getting 2s then I would be questioning the teachers first.

How do you know he is top of the class in the Wordmasters challenge? For example, I know what my own child's scores were. I know that my own child did amazingly well on the test. I know that my own child received a certificate from the school for the challenges. I have no idea if she was at the top of the class, though. Perhaps other kids tied with her. How on earth would you know? You are guessing.

Not guessing. When the top score in the class is announced by the teacher (without the teacher mentioning the child's name) and the teacher says "we had one student get X score" === my kid who is given his score, is smart enough to figure out that if his score IS X, then he was the top score. He knows how many they had in their class who got X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4... X-10. He tells me the distribution (i.e. half scored below 10, etc.) He is very attuned to the scoring on all tests -- but not linking it to specific kids. Not guessing on this at all.

No guessing here. In my child's classroom, the teacher says the highest score and who got that highest score.

Our school gets pizza for the top scorers, so it's very obvious who got the highest score.

your school gets pizza for the top scorers? that's disgusting.

You have a very warped sense of what is "disgusting." Child porn is "disgusting." Giving pizza to kids who score highest (which doesn't happen in my kid's school), but that is not disgusting. It's called "motivating students." I don't see a problem with it. Are you one of those parents who rallies against sports tournaments or spelling bees b/c there is a clear "winner"?

AAP is NOT a competition...sorry. It's supposed to be a way to give gifted kids the enrichment they need. No congratulations are in order. Motivate the kids??? to do what??? you don't study for these tests they just measure what learning environment fits your kid best. You don't know me so please don't jump to personal attacks. And, yes, I think it's disgusting.

Do you even know what we're talking about here? Word Masters! That is not an ability test. And yes, it's something kids study for. OMG. Maybe you need to read a little slower, think a little more, or just go back to the Va. Schools forum.

[Anonymous]

I'm the pizza poster, and yes, it is for Wordmasters. Not for Naglieri, CogAt or anything else. They study the words and learn about analogies. I'm under the impression that it is not counted towards their grades.

A PP questioned how a parent would know that their kid scored the highest on wordmasters, and hearing from my kid about the pizza lunch is how I knew.