HGC Appeal result is out

[Anonymous]

My DC remains in the wait pool. The letter does reveal the median SAS score of the selected students in the Center. My son's score is exactly the same as the median score... However, " the score is not determinative of selection and is one of the multiple factors reviewed".

I know a kid whose SAS score is much higher than median score got successful appeal and now is accepted in HGC.

[Anonymous]

What kind of information is typically included in an appeal? The presentation at the recent Board of Education meeting about the changes to the HGC admissions this year made it clear that the test is only one factor (as you quoted from your letter; in fact, they said that the reason they mailed the scores separately from the admission decision was to de-emphasize the scores), so I wonder what other factors are being emphasized in successful appeals.

[Anonymous]

Do appeals ever work? It sounds like OP knows of one appeal that was successful. I had thought it was basically futile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC remains in the wait pool. The letter does reveal the median SAS score of the selected students in the Center. My son's score is exactly the same as the median score... However, " the score is not determinative of selection and is one of the multiple factors reviewed".

I know a kid whose SAS score is much higher than median score got successful appeal and now is accepted in HGC.

It makes you wonder why they did not accept this child to begin with.

[Anonymous]

I had the impression that all the successful appeals were kids in this situation with test scores much higher than the median accepted. Schools have biases against certain kids so I can imagine that the recommendations might not have been good or maybe it was a child with low grades but lots of potential. Glad to hear of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC remains in the wait pool. The letter does reveal the median SAS score of the selected students in the Center. My son's score is exactly the same as the median score... However, " the score is not determinative of selection and is one of the multiple factors reviewed".

I know a kid whose SAS score is much higher than median score got successful appeal and now is accepted in HGC.

It makes you wonder why they did not accept this child to begin with.

Because the median score is not a minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC remains in the wait pool. The letter does reveal the median SAS score of the selected students in the Center. My son's score is exactly the same as the median score... However, " the score is not determinative of selection and is one of the multiple factors reviewed".

I know a kid whose SAS score is much higher than median score got successful appeal and now is accepted in HGC.

It makes you wonder why they did not accept this child to begin with.

Because the median score is not a minimum.

I cannot see a reason to exclude a child whose score is much higher than the median score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC remains in the wait pool. The letter does reveal the median SAS score of the selected students in the Center. My son's score is exactly the same as the median score... However, " the score is not determinative of selection and is one of the multiple factors reviewed".

I know a kid whose SAS score is much higher than median score got successful appeal and now is accepted in HGC.

It makes you wonder why they did not accept this child to begin with.

Because the median score is not a minimum.

I cannot see a reason to exclude a child whose score is much higher than the median score.

Really? You think ONE score defines who should get in HGC. The majority is the teacher's recommendation, not the score.

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

There are a ton of reasons kids aren't picked and the entire appeals process is a joke and a waste of time and money of our school budget spent paying people to go thru the appeals process. Actually the entire HGC program is a joke. Parents fighting for a few places in a subpar curriculum that they basically just want to either get their kid out of their homeschool, put them with kids that like learning, or to brag to other parents about. It costs millions each year to do this program and bus them around. MCPS needs to follow other local counties and do more in house to kids that are gifted. Not allow parents to play and appeal the program.

[Anonymous]

I see none of the reasons you listed as a reason to exclude these kids. You really think kids that are too shy should not be allowed it? Sometimes kids that are disruptive in regular classes do better at the HGC and work better with "like" peers.

I don't have one of those kids and won't be applying for my own child as she likes her home school, but I am a substitute and I do know some kids who I think could benefit from the HGC for those very reasons.

I do agree with you that the fighting for the HGC program is out of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

It's not intended to be the Center for Highly Well-Behaved, Adaptable, Outgoing, Collaborative Children. And in my children's experience, it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

It's not intended to be the Center for Highly Well-Behaved, Adaptable, Outgoing, Collaborative Children. And in my children's experience, it isn't.

+1. Yes.

HIGHLY GIFTED Center.
Otherwise change the name and mission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

It's not intended to be the Center for Highly Well-Behaved, Adaptable, Outgoing, Collaborative Children. And in my children's experience, it isn't.

+1. Yes.

HIGHLY GIFTED Center.
Otherwise change the name and mission.

points taken. The name changing part is already done. There is no "gift" in the new name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

It's not intended to be the Center for Highly Well-Behaved, Adaptable, Outgoing, Collaborative Children. And in my children's experience, it isn't.

+1. Yes.

HIGHLY GIFTED Center.
Otherwise change the name and mission.

I'm the PP you're responding to. I should have also made clear that I don't think that highly-giftedness (or whatever you want to call it) is measured by test scores alone. Application test scores should not be the sole or even most important criterion.

[Anonymous]

Neither should teacher recommendations which are inherently biased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are disruptive.
They aren't receptive to different learning styles
They are too shy and don't advocate for themselves
They don't do well in new situations
They have issues working together with peers

It's not intended to be the Center for Highly Well-Behaved, Adaptable, Outgoing, Collaborative Children. And in my children's experience, it isn't.

+1. Yes.

HIGHLY GIFTED Center.
Otherwise change the name and mission.

I'm the PP you're responding to. I should have also made clear that I don't think that highly-giftedness (or whatever you want to call it) is measured by test scores alone. Application test scores sho7uld not be the sole or even most important criterion.

They shouldn't be, but they are. They say test scores are not the most important, but based on my experience (including the appeal) I don't believe it is true. My child's teacher said she thought so, too.