Just learning about AAP... help with basic questions?

[Anonymous]

I'm the parent of a 3 year old, so I'm just starting to look into elementary schools and to educate myself about them. I just learned what AAP was today. I am finding it completely overwhelming. Clearly, I have no clue whether or not my child would qualify, but I'd like to at least have some knowledge about this.

I gather that your child has to test into this program. But you need letters of recommendation?!? That seems like a college admissions kind of a thing.

If your child qualifies, does the child then have to transfer schools to a AAP school? What happens with transportation?

If there are certain schools designated as AAP and others are not, then doesn't that mean school-wide test scores that "rank" schools are all biased?

What else do I need to know?

[Anonymous]

You can start by going to the FCPS website and reading the information there. But keep in mind that the AAP program is currently under review and there could be changes before your 3 yr. old takes a screening test. Presumably, you bought a house in a school district you like, so I'd wait for you kid to at least be attending that school before you start worrying if he/she will have to transfer to an accelerated program. If your kid truly belong in an AAP center, the process will take care of that. Most of the angsting on these boards is counterproductive for the kids who don't, overkill for the ones who do.

[Anonymous]

If you are real tiger mom, you can start enrolling your 3-y-o for enrichment/tutoring, get up with reading/writing/math. if your kid be two grade level above for everything through K-2, you should be fine.

[Anonymous]

There's nothing you will have to do. The kids are automatically screened, and are automatically offered the program if they're found eligible. You should just be aware of the dates of when things happen in the process, because if you personally think your child belongs in AAP, but hasn't been found eligible in the screening process, you will then need to submit paperwork yourself.

As a PP said, by the time your child is old enough, the whole program could have been changed again.

[Anonymous]

In FCPS, K-2 is not challenging to a bright kid. I'm no tiger mom, and did no enrichment/tutoring with my kids, just normal, fun stuff any intelligent family does together, and my kids were always at least two years ahead in K-2.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Another question.

Is this a program that a child only has one shot at? Like you test into it in 2nd grade, but if you don't get in, there's no chance next year? Or can students test into it the following years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Another question.

Is this a program that a child only has one shot at? Like you test into it in 2nd grade, but if you don't get in, there's no chance next year? Or can students test into it the following years?

You can keep on trying every year.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this post. My son is finishing 1st grade in private school and will attend 2nd grade next year, then we want to move him to 3rd grade in the public school system (Marshall Road Elementary). He is excelling in his current classes without much effort, and I understand from a teacher pal that the private school curriculum is about a grade ahead. I am not trying to be obnoxious here, I am trying to ask: what happens to my son when he goes to 3rd grade in public? Do I have him tested next year for a possible gifted placement when he goes to 3rd grade? If he does get placed, I think he gets shuttled to Louise ARcher? Or would Marshall Road skip him up a grade. I am trying to minimzie the social impact on him...any input would be so appreciated.

[Anonymous]

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/identification.shtml#two

If you are in Fairfax County and your child is in private school, you can apply for AAP prior to enrolling, so you would know before he started there if he was in the program and not *waste* a year in general ed.

[Anonymous]

A lot of the private schools say they're a "year ahead" in math, but are just ahead of the standard fcps curriculum, not the students, because not everyone in public K-2 is at the same level nor do they treat all the children the same. There are AAP pullouts, young scholar programs, accelerated math, reading and spelling groups, in public school K-2 that deal with children at different levels. The privates do have the advantages of smaller class sizes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for this post. My son is finishing 1st grade in private school and will attend 2nd grade next year, then we want to move him to 3rd grade in the public school system (Marshall Road Elementary). He is excelling in his current classes without much effort, and I understand from a teacher pal that the private school curriculum is about a grade ahead. I am not trying to be obnoxious here, I am trying to ask: what happens to my son when he goes to 3rd grade in public? Do I have him tested next year for a possible gifted placement when he goes to 3rd grade? If he does get placed, I think he gets shuttled to Louise ARcher? Or would Marshall Road skip him up a grade. I am trying to minimzie the social impact on him...any input would be so appreciated.

What is your first grader learning now? We had 2 go through private until 3rd started and neither was ahead of public...but they had a great foundation from private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for this post. My son is finishing 1st grade in private school and will attend 2nd grade next year, then we want to move him to 3rd grade in the public school system (Marshall Road Elementary). He is excelling in his current classes without much effort, and I understand from a teacher pal that the private school curriculum is about a grade ahead. I am not trying to be obnoxious here, I am trying to ask: what happens to my son when he goes to 3rd grade in public? Do I have him tested next year for a possible gifted placement when he goes to 3rd grade? If he does get placed, I think he gets shuttled to Louise ARcher? Or would Marshall Road skip him up a grade. I am trying to minimzie the social impact on him...any input would be so appreciated.

Marshall Road AAP students currently go to the level IV center at Mosby Woods and will do so for 2013-14. But if some proposed changes are made for 2014-15, Marshall Road will go to Louise Archer. It isn't a done deal yet.

[Anonymous]

10:14 here...thanks so much for this helpful info, my son is in 1st grade and is in "pull-out" math at the private, he is doing multiplications now, he is off-the charts in math but probably just one year ahead in reading/etc. He's also a Dec bday so is one of the older kids in his class. I honestly have no "agenda" for him, I'm just trying to get his needs met, and in fact am hesitant about this Gifted program cuz i just want him to be a kid for awhile. Both husband and I are Ph.D.'s and we are guessing he will have a long academic career ahead and want him to be a kid now..I'm rambling, I'm sorry...I just don't know how to define success right now, and I don't want him changing schools too many times...you are all so kind to give some input and i truly appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:14 here...thanks so much for this helpful info, my son is in 1st grade and is in "pull-out" math at the private, he is doing multiplications now, he is off-the charts in math but probably just one year ahead in reading/etc. He's also a Dec bday so is one of the older kids in his class. I honestly have no "agenda" for him, I'm just trying to get his needs met, and in fact am hesitant about this Gifted program cuz i just want him to be a kid for awhile. Both husband and I are Ph.D.'s and we are guessing he will have a long academic career ahead and want him to be a kid now..I'm rambling, I'm sorry...I just don't know how to define success right now, and I don't want him changing schools too many times...you are all so kind to give some input and i truly appreciate it!

Very wise words, PP, that readers here should heed. If folks with Ph.D's aren't treating AAP like it's do or die, no one should.

My guess is your child would do fine in AAP if you chose that route and still have plenty of time for fun. Despite the intensity here about how hard it is, my son and many of his friends breezed through. It is elementary school, after all. I think where they benefited was feeling more engaged with the material because of the way it was taught. Kids who struggle or need tutors to get into AAP or to keep up there, really would do better and likely feel better about themselves in General Ed. That's not setting the bar low, that's just realizing as you do that the road is long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Another question.

Is this a program that a child only has one shot at? Like you test into it in 2nd grade, but if you don't get in, there's no chance next year? Or can students test into it the following years?

You can keep on trying every year.

No! You can only request ONE re-test from grade 3 through 7.