Fairfax County GT/AAP Appeals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I have seen, the group assembling the GBRS does what they do with the information they have. If the child does not show creativity or giftedness in the class room, then it will not show up on the GBRS.

Alternatively, consider that some kids are prepped for the exam, score 30 pts higher than they would otherwise score. So when the GBRS is out of whack with the test scores, there may be an assumption of extreme prep, rather than giftendness.

Fortunately,the wisc on appeal will fix the problem.

This is the downside of test prep. How it hurts kids. Particularly introverted smart kids

so who are you? a paid tester? From what I see the people who speak so authoritatively are either FCPS educators who are in the know (but wont say so); paid testers who have a pecuniary interets in touting the WISC, or just plain old gadflies that get up early Sunday morning to comment on othe people's WISC or GBRS scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:>>to be used for the elimination of kids who were clearly identified as exceptional by the appropriate tests but failed to impress their teachers

The central screening committee is not looking to keep kids out of AAP.

Understood. However, this doesn't explain how kids who have amazing scores (not something you can accomplish by luck) are left out of AAP. I do not think that there is any reasonable argument that can justify this (frequently occurring) situation. Blaming the kids who are 7 or 8 for not trying hard enough to show off how smart they really are is not only unreasonable but also kind of ridiculous. The burden is clearly on the teachers to bring out the best in their students, and I know what I am talking about - I am a college professor myself and I come from a family of educators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:>>to be used for the elimination of kids who were clearly identified as exceptional by the appropriate tests but failed to impress their teachers

The central screening committee is not looking to keep kids out of AAP.

Understood. However, this doesn't explain how kids who have amazing scores (not something you can accomplish by luck) are left out of AAP. I do not think that there is any reasonable argument that can justify this (frequently occurring) situation. Blaming the kids who are 7 or 8 for not trying hard enough to show off how smart they really are is not only unreasonable but also kind of ridiculous. The burden is clearly on the teachers to bring out the best in their students, and I know what I am talking about - I am a college professor myself and I come from a family of educators.

Because test scores alone don't prove diddly. How many times does this point have to get made?

[Anonymous]

If the "committee" meeting and the process of coming up with the GBRS rating is not a " secret" then how come parents are not invited to join the god sent " committe" and as teachers voice in their view based on work sample, parents also voice in theirs. But no, we can't do this because teachers know the kids better, of course! And the not " secret" process is only known to parents AFTER the denial letter is recieved and in it explains that the copy of the report - submitted on behalf of the student- can be picked up from the school! Why don't you just be real for once and realize parents should have a say, and that teachers DO MAKE MISTAKES!

[Anonymous]

Said the parent o the average student prepped up the wazoo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:parents should have a say

Parents do have a say. There is an optional questionnaire for parents to complete that is included as part of the screening file.

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/packet/Fillable_AAPParentGuardianQuestionnaire.pdf


All of this is communicated to parents before the process begins (I believe most schools have these sessions, led by the AART at the elementary school, in October).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the committee looks at what the parent submitted.

I have to assume someone from the AAP program is reading these threads and answering these questions in such an authoritative manner.
Otherwise it's just a parent-gadfly whose assertions are entitled to zero credibilty.

The question that I asked, and that the poster responded to, was about the GBRS committee at the school. It was not about the central selection committee.

the point remains. Who answered the question? Someone who knows what he/she is talking about?

The person had stated that they had participated on a number if these committees. On DCUM people aren't usually going to give their name and exact credentials. I think you need to have a certain amount of faith or trust to productively participate in an anonymous forum. I am assuming that the majority are honest and well-meaning parents and professionals. While I'm sure there are exceptions, I would rather be mislead occasionally than to view every statement with mistrust. If I needed information to make some sort of critical decision then obviously I would confirm it another way.

[Anonymous]

Blaming the kids who are 7 or 8 for not trying hard enough to show off how smart they really are...

The Gifted Behaviors Rating Scale includes a number of different categories that don't necessarily involve a student trying hard to show off how smart he or she is. In addition to being rated on ability to learn and application of knowledge, children are also rated on creative/productive thinking and motivation to succeed. Go to the link and read the list of traits that are rated. Traits like sense of humor, leadership ability, curiosity, and responsibility, among others, are rated and do not involve showing off how smart someone is. Not all gifted children exhibit all of these traits, of course, as some will be more talented in some categories than in others.

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/packet/Fillable_AAPGBRSwithCommentary.pdf

[Anonymous]

Reading through the convo, IMHO, the person who talks about the committee and the process, might know a thing or two but the tone is more emotional than logical!

Also, if people like this run the committe, then it's no wonder they make the rules and when asked about details they change the rules again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading through the convo, IMHO, the person who talks about the committee and the process, might know a thing or two but the tone is more emotional than logical!

I am not the poster who has sat on the school committees, but I've just gone back and read those posts. Can you quote the parts that have an emotional tone? I looked but didn't see anything that sounded emotional myself, but maybe I didn't go back far enough.

[Anonymous]

All of the above is why, in that rare instance that a person with true knowledge posts on these threads (like the above person who sat on local screening committees and was kind enough to actually chime in here), the person of knowledge eventually goes screaming into the night, never to be heard from again, after getting accosted by the raving lunatic parents who know better than ANYBODY that their kid belongs in AAP.

[Anonymous]

Can you imagine what the process would be like if those raving lunatics were allowed to participate in the local screening committee meeting to provide "live input" about their child, as has been suggested by someone on this board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of the above is why, in that rare instance that a person with true knowledge posts on these threads (like the above person who sat on local screening committees and was kind enough to actually chime in here), the person of knowledge eventually goes screaming into the night, never to be heard from again, after getting accosted by the raving lunatic parents who know better than ANYBODY that their kid belongs in AAP.

does "local screening committee" mean at one particular school? Do all schools do it the same way?

[Anonymous]

I have a question for a person who's familiar with the process ( or anyone else!), would the WISC scores actually play a part in decisions or is it all based on GBRS ratings? I'm thinking to apply for my child next year and was told to do the test ( which is a costly option for us ).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the above is why, in that rare instance that a person with true knowledge posts on these threads (like the above person who sat on local screening committees and was kind enough to actually chime in here), the person of knowledge eventually goes screaming into the night, never to be heard from again, after getting accosted by the raving lunatic parents who know better than ANYBODY that their kid belongs in AAP.

does "local screening committee" mean at one particular school? Do all schools do it the same way?

All schools have a local screening committee. The local screening committee sees the file first before it is sent on to the central screening committee. Theoretically the local screening committee could state that the file has not been approved to go to the central screening committee but I have never heard of that actually occurring.