AAP Appeal Advice

[Anonymous]

Hi - I wanted to start a new process as I am going through the appeal process for my DD.
If you have done the appeal process in the past please share your experience.
DD was not in pool but her scores were borderline. I took her to take WISC test and her FSIQ was somewhat comparable to her CoGAT but the Fluid Reasoning was off the chart compared to the rest of the other scores.

Here are the breakdown.
NNAT 126 - 95%
CoGAT 128 - 95% (with Verbal of 95%)

WISC V 126 - 96%
Verbal 108 - 70%
Visual Spatial 122 - 93%
Fluid Reasoning 134 - 99%
GBRS 11

Other than submitting the WISC scores, what would you suggest to be included in the appeal package?

[Anonymous]

What did you submit initially with your parent referral?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What did you submit initially with your parent referral?

Since DD did not make it to the pool, I felt that I went all out with the parent referral, 4 work samples (drawing, writing, math problem), honor/award certificates, and 2 recommendations.
Her report cards are mostly all 4s.

[Anonymous]

Write a letter describing how she learns and why her needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. It is not only about her intelligence, it is also about why she cannot learn in the regular classroom.

It is actually helpful if her grades are not perfect, because that would help to show that she is not meeting her potential on the regular classroom.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 10:24. It sound like you've already sent in the max of work samples, awards, and recommendations, so I'd go with the WISC and a concise letter regarding your DD's needs.

Your DD is borderline (I mean no offense by that, your DD's stats are almost the exact same as mine, and we considered her a 50/50 shot), and you already provided a substantial amount of material with the initial packet. The very high fluid reasoning on the WISC is probably your best appeal point.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with 10:24. It sound like you've already sent in the max of work samples, awards, and recommendations, so I'd go with the WISC and a concise letter regarding your DD's needs.

Your DD is borderline (I mean no offense by that, your DD's stats are almost the exact same as mine, and we considered her a 50/50 shot), and you already provided a substantial amount of material with the initial packet. The very high fluid reasoning on the WISC is probably your best appeal point.

Good luck!

PP did your DD make it through the appeal process, curious as you indicate scores are similar to that of OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with 10:24. It sound like you've already sent in the max of work samples, awards, and recommendations, so I'd go with the WISC and a concise letter regarding your DD's needs.

Your DD is borderline (I mean no offense by that, your DD's stats are almost the exact same as mine, and we considered her a 50/50 shot), and you already provided a substantial amount of material with the initial packet. The very high fluid reasoning on the WISC is probably your best appeal point.

Good luck!

PP did your DD make it through the appeal process, curious as you indicate scores are similar to that of OP.

+1

[Anonymous]

My DD was admitted first round. Her NNAT was in-pool by the skin of its teeth, but she also got a 128 on the CogAt. Like OP, we also submitted a few work samples (art and writing) and an award, plus the parent questionnaire. I do not know what her GBRS was, though. Based on a conversation with her teacher, I would be surprised if she was a strong recommend and would guess we're in the 10-13 range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD was admitted first round. Her NNAT was in-pool by the skin of its teeth, but she also got a 128 on the CogAt. Like OP, we also submitted a few work samples (art and writing) and an award, plus the parent questionnaire. I do not know what her GBRS was, though. Based on a conversation with her teacher, I would be surprised if she was a strong recommend and would guess we're in the 10-13 range.

OP here - I think if one of your child's score make the cut off with a strong work samples that it would be an easier decision for the committee. In my DD's case, all of her scores are on the border so she could not make the cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Write a letter describing how she learns and why her needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. It is not only about her intelligence, it is also about why she cannot learn in the regular classroom.

It is actually helpful if her grades are not perfect, because that would help to show that she is not meeting her potential on the regular classroom.

I didn't realize that. So if a child is otherwise borderline, would a 2E type diagnosis help in the appeal? I didn't include it in the initial referral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a letter describing how she learns and why her needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. It is not only about her intelligence, it is also about why she cannot learn in the regular classroom.

It is actually helpful if her grades are not perfect, because that would help to show that she is not meeting her potential on the regular classroom.

I didn't realize that. So if a child is otherwise borderline, would a 2E type diagnosis help in the appeal? I didn't include it in the initial referral.

A medical diagnosis should definitely be included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a letter describing how she learns and why her needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. It is not only about her intelligence, it is also about why she cannot learn in the regular classroom.

It is actually helpful if her grades are not perfect, because that would help to show that she is not meeting her potential on the regular classroom.

I didn't realize that. So if a child is otherwise borderline, would a 2E type diagnosis help in the appeal? I didn't include it in the initial referral.

I think on the parent questionnaire, there was a a question at the bottom that asked if your child had any special needs you wanted to convey to the committee - did you mark that when you turned it in? I don't see any harm in submitting it, I don't know if it would be considered "new information" for the appeal since that sort of thing is specifically inquired after in the parent questionnaire.

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/AAPParentGuardianQuestionnaire_0.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was admitted first round. Her NNAT was in-pool by the skin of its teeth, but she also got a 128 on the CogAt. Like OP, we also submitted a few work samples (art and writing) and an award, plus the parent questionnaire. I do not know what her GBRS was, though. Based on a conversation with her teacher, I would be surprised if she was a strong recommend and would guess we're in the 10-13 range.

OP here - I think if one of your child's score make the cut off with a strong work samples that it would be an easier decision for the committee. In my DD's case, all of her scores are on the border so she could not make the cut.

PP here. That is certainly possible. I think I had read from some of the AAP gurus that the CogAt score mattered more (no official source, though, could be wrong), and she was not in pool on that and also took it late compared to the rest of her class. We felt the teacher's perspective was lukewarm at best, TBH, and we were not sure which way the whole thing would go. I don't know if the work samples I picked were strong, but I sent things that highlighted her creativity that I doubted would be in her school file. We did not have her do the WISC, though, so I don't have that data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD was admitted first round. Her NNAT was in-pool by the skin of its teeth, but she also got a 128 on the CogAt. Like OP, we also submitted a few work samples (art and writing) and an award, plus the parent questionnaire. I do not know what her GBRS was, though. Based on a conversation with her teacher, I would be surprised if she was a strong recommend and would guess we're in the 10-13 range.

OP here - I think if one of your child's score make the cut off with a strong work samples that it would be an easier decision for the committee. In my DD's case, all of her scores are on the border so she could not make the cut.

PP here. That is certainly possible. I think I had read from some of the AAP gurus that the CogAt score mattered more (no official source, though, could be wrong), and she was not in pool on that and also took it late compared to the rest of her class. We felt the teacher's perspective was lukewarm at best, TBH, and we were not sure which way the whole thing would go. I don't know if the work samples I picked were strong, but I sent things that highlighted her creativity that I doubted would be in her school file. We did not have her do the WISC, though, so I don't have that data.

OP here again - wow your case sounds very similar to mine. I also felt lukewarm response from her teacher which explains her GBRS rating of 11. I felt that I did put in a strong package but I could be biased. Oh well, we will try our best and if she's meant to be in the program than she meant to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a letter describing how she learns and why her needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. It is not only about her intelligence, it is also about why she cannot learn in the regular classroom.

It is actually helpful if her grades are not perfect, because that would help to show that she is not meeting her potential on the regular classroom.

I didn't realize that. So if a child is otherwise borderline, would a 2E type diagnosis help in the appeal? I didn't include it in the initial referral.

If your child has a medical diagnosis, it's probably a good idea to include that because it might provide a context to understand her scores better.

I wrote the above quote; I wasn't referring to 2E situations, but just the fact that AAP is set up to be for students whose needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. If a child is doing fine in the regular classroom, the AAP classroom is not a necessity so that the child can learn.