Compacted math

[Anonymous]

My kids are changing elem. schools in the middle of the year. My fourth grader was tested for compacted math in 3rd grade and did not make it. Out of 120 kids 4-5 kids were picked and bussed to MS. In the current school, I find out that have an in house compacted math program and 22 out of the 90 kids are in it. The new school is using the old school data and refusing my child a spot.
The old school was extremely hush hush about the whole testing process and the only letter we received is that my child was recommended for testing for the program. We never received any info on the testing or is its results. We just found out in the beginning of 4th grade that he didn't make it and that was after repeated inquiries but no paperwork. Finally during the school transfer process we did manage to get a letter that only quantified one score out of 5 different testing processes.
I would really want the new school to retest him. Anyone else have similar experience? Any insights are much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

At this point the school can't just retest him. They can ask AEI to look at him, though. Maybe you can ask the new school to contact AEI for you? Are you sure compacted is right for your child if he/she wasn't selected the first time?

[Anonymous]

They shouldn't retest him because they have already covered most of not all of the 4th grade material. It's too late, and when kids transfer the prior testing stands. Your kid wasn't left out at the old school because there were only a certain number of spots - anyone who got 40 points on the test plus met the other criteria got in.

[Anonymous]

Retesting is done in the fall. Agree with PP, it's too late now. Try again in 5th?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure why you think you child's ability would change because he is going to a school with a higher performing population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure why you think you child's ability would change because he is going to a school with a higher performing population.

+1 I teach compacted- if your child did not qualify at the first school, he wouldn't have qualified at the new school. However, if you think a mistake was made, you should ask for an evaluation from the accelerated dept right away- do not wait for 5th grade as the others have suggested. You must have a reason to request the evaluation, do you have one? Does his current teacher feel a mistake was made?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure why you think you child's ability would change because he is going to a school with a higher performing population.

+1 I teach compacted- if your child did not qualify at the first school, he wouldn't have qualified at the new school. However, if you think a mistake was made, you should ask for an evaluation from the accelerated dept right away- do not wait for 5th grade as the others have suggested. You must have a reason to request the evaluation, do you have one? Does his current teacher feel a mistake was made?

I know of a child who did not make it into compacted math at our school, which like OP's has only a few kids bussed to the MS. The family moved to a school with a dedicated classroom for compacted math, and the child was put into compacted math.

[Anonymous]

My kids' school has a class of 25 in compacted math - highly unlikely there were that many students who were suited for the class than at op's kids' school - what is more likely is that when a school does not have an inhouse compacted math program, there are less slots available. Op, I will say, though, at a few kids in my child's 4th grade compacted math class have already been moved back into regular math, and no one has been moved from regular into compacted.

[Anonymous]

I know of a child who did not make it into compacted math at our school, which like OP's has only a few kids bussed to the MS. The family moved to a school with a dedicated classroom for compacted math, and the child was put into compacted math.

What school did your friend move to? I think a lot of us would like to move there! Do you know if the teachers from the first school felt like they made a mistake?

[Anonymous]

I love how everyone thinks their kid belongs in compacted math. This sort of pushing is why we ended up without any acceleration in the earlier grades. The teachers tested your kids and decided. Let it go people!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how everyone thinks their kid belongs in compacted math. This sort of pushing is why we ended up without any acceleration in the earlier grades. The teachers tested your kids and decided. Let it go people!

+1

[Anonymous]

One of the benefits of being in a school with higher performing students is that the school can logistically set aside an entire class for compacted math. In schools that don't have enough students for an entire class or an administration unwillingly to logistically set aside an entire class many kids miss out on an appropriate level of math education.

My son is in compacted math and it isn't difficult or fast. Many other students at our school would be perfectly fine in the class and its a shame that they are stuck.

[Anonymous]

Why would not having a dedicated class matter to how many kids are included. They put the compacted math kids on a big empty bus from the MS if it is not available at the home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the benefits of being in a school with higher performing students is that the school can logistically set aside an entire class for compacted math. In schools that don't have enough students for an entire class or an administration unwillingly to logistically set aside an entire class many kids miss out on an appropriate level of math education.

My son is in compacted math and it isn't difficult or fast. Many other students at our school would be perfectly fine in the class and its a shame that they are stuck.

How do you know this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would not having a dedicated class matter to how many kids are included. They put the compacted math kids on a big empty bus from the MS if it is not available at the home school.

In some clusters, kids from several schools are bussed to the middle school to form one classroom of compacted math. So, a school in Chevy Chase, for example, can have 25 kids from one school in the class, while in parts of Silver Spring the one classroom has to be made up of kids from several different schools.