GT/AAP Appeals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought the AAP program is for kids who are academically advanced. So why should a kid who as PP puts it shows no inclination "towards anything academic" be admitted to the program?

You love him (as we all do our kids), he just wants to have fun (as most kids do), and has a high WISC score, so he is intelligent. Does this describe what the FCPS considers to be AAP? I'd say get a copy of the GBRS - look at the things they ask about there and be honest. Does he think big thoughts, spend alot of time focusing on one project, give example of time he astonished you with his questions or observations - a few things they are looking for that I can recall off top of my head.

it's GT/AAP program - for either GT or AA kids. or is it for both GT and AA kids?

having just read the FCPS website on AAP I think you are right - it is for gifted and talented and academically advanced students. Still the admittees are supposed to be "highly able learners ." In addition to high scores on the applicable written tests, I would hope admittnce is based on things like completing your homework, getting good grades, not being disruptive etc.

[Anonymous]

I would hope admittnce is based on things like completing your homework, getting good grades, not being disruptive etc.

Actually I would hope it is based on none of those things. I hope it is based on identifying children who learn differently and would benefit from an accelerated learning environment that supports those differences.

Also, there is generally very little homework before third grade in FCPS (IMO) and no letter grades, so those things are not really a factor. As for bring disruptive, I have actually heard some people say they think the center classes are more disruptive than the regular classes. This is obviously not true in all cases, but there are certainly some classes with highly advanced learners who also some learning disabilities (Aspergers and other ASDs, ADHD, anxiety, etc) and yes, some kids who feel more then a wee bit entitled, and this can make for a less than harmonious classroom! (And before anyone jumps on me, my kids has one of the disabilities I listed.) Our grade at the center is not that disruptive (from my observations) but the year ahead of ours has a bit of a reputation for being wild. Cohort makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would hope admittnce is based on things like completing your homework, getting good grades, not being disruptive etc.

I hope it is based on identifying children who learn differently and would benefit from an accelerated learning environment that supports those differences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would hope admittnce is based on things like completing your homework, getting good grades, not being disruptive etc.

Actually I would hope it is based on none of those things. I hope it is based on identifying children who learn differently and would benefit from an accelerated learning environment that supports those differences.

BRAVO!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I would hope admittnce is based on things like completing your homework, getting good grades, not being disruptive etc.

Actually I would hope it is based on none of those things. I hope it is based on identifying children who learn differently and would benefit from an accelerated learning environment that supports those differences.

BRAVO!!!!

I don't get it. Are you saying kids who do not complete homework, get poor grades and are disruptive should nevertheless be admitted to the GT program?
I hope the County doesn't see it that way.

[Anonymous]

I'm saying I don't think those things should be the criteria for entry into the gifted program. The criteria should be that the child is gifted. It's not the program for "compliant, well-behaved, highly motivated kids who always do well in school and are equally talented in all areas". Although that is what the program seems like at times and we could spend a long time arguing over whether or not FCPS actually does what it says.

From the website:

FCPS is committed to providing challenging learning experiences for all learners that build on their individual strengths and optimize their abilities.Children who have been identified as giftedand talented have the potential to achieve high levels of accomplishment, and this potential needs to be recognized and addressed. These students exhibit unusual performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic endeavors. They may also demonstrate exceptional leadership capacity and may excel in specific academic areas. In order to meet their needs and develop their abilities, these highly able learners require a differentiated curriculum that provides advanced learning opportunities.

I can tell you from my kid's experience in the center, there are kids all over the map in terms of internal motivation, grades, and behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm saying I don't think those things should be the criteria for entry into the gifted program. The criteria should be that the child is gifted. It's not the program for "compliant, well-behaved, highly motivated kids who always do well in school and are equally talented in all areas". Although that is what the program seems like at times and we could spend a long time arguing over whether or not FCPS actually does what it says.

From the website:

FCPS is committed to providing challenging learning experiences for all learners that build on their individual strengths and optimize their abilities.Children who have been identified as gifted and talented have the potential to achieve high levels of accomplishment, and this potential needs to be recognized and addressed. These students exhibit unusual performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic endeavors. They may also demonstrate exceptional leadership capacity and may excel in specific academic areas. In order to meet their needs and develop their abilities, these highly able learners require a differentiated curriculum that provides advanced learning opportunities.

I can tell you from my kid's experience in the center, there are kids all over the map in terms of internal motivation, grades, and behavior.

Exactly.

My DC is definitely not "compliant and well-behaved" all the time. And my DC is not equally talented in all areas. Yes, my DC is "significantly above grade level" in all areas, but in some areas, DC is extremely advanced. Thankfully my DC is *finally* thriving in FCPS thanks to being in a classroom with similar cohorts at the GT center.

[Anonymous]

7:22: 6:37 here...we put the effort in the initial screening, and with here strong GBRS and strong academic performance plus the parental package she got in in the original selection. I was preparing the appeal, and was going to get a full evaluation of her, but it was not necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7:22: 6:37 here...we put the effort in the initial screening, and with here strong GBRS and strong academic performance plus the parental package she got in in the original selection. I was preparing the appeal, and was going to get a full evaluation of her, but it was not necessary.

Just curious what you mean by "parental package." Do you mean the samples you picked out to send, references or the form that the parents can fill out? What do you think made your child's parental package particularly strong?

[Anonymous]

What I meant was the parental evaluation. I worked with the aap resourse teacher to get an idea as to what to say. And, for each answer, I gave strong examples....truthful but strong. I really do not know if the parent supplied info matters, except it can not hurt to see parental involvement. There are five items that go into the aap selection: test scores, gbrs, work samples, demographics (mostly for under represented or els) and recommendations -- parental form and external.

For us, gbrs, work samples and recommendations were dd's strongest part. Nnat and cogat were around 120. However, in an iep, they had called out accommodations for anxiety specifically for the tests, which was not done. Demographics did not help her.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great information here..my anxiety started when my kid came back and told he that the kindergarten teacher picked his friends for advanced reading and not him, and when we knew his reading was almost at 1.5-2nd grade level..

We tried to work with the teacher to get some more appropriate stuff for him to do in school ( we can pretty much take his studies at home..so dont need the teacher to help him there)..but she kept insisting his is at grade level and went on to even say that we are over-estimating his abilities..

that's what triggered us this summer to get him tested.

We dont come from a great school district and I am desperate to get him into GT so that he has good peer's

[Anonymous]

You might have a great 1st and/or 2nd grade teacher, though, so don't worry about the K teacher. My dd's K teacher had her pulled out for extra work. Her 1st grade teacher never did. Her 2nd grade teacher had her pulled out for extra work. She got into the program. Really, what the K and 1st grade teacher thought of him/her doesn't usually matter. Second-grade teacher does.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the great information here..my anxiety started when my kid came back and told he that the kindergarten teacher picked his friends for advanced reading and not him, and when we knew his reading was almost at 1.5-2nd grade level..

We tried to work with the teacher to get some more appropriate stuff for him to do in school ( we can pretty much take his studies at home..so dont need the teacher to help him there)..but she kept insisting his is at grade level and went on to even say that we are over-estimating his abilities..

that's what triggered us this summer to get him tested.

We dont come from a great school district and I am desperate to get him into GT so that he has good peer's

[Anonymous]

My DC wasn't in ANY pull outs and in the middle groups, but is in the GT program. Sometimes the teachers just don't get some of these kids and don't know how to engage them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great information here..my anxiety started when my kid came back and told he that the kindergarten teacher picked his friends for advanced reading and not him, and when we knew his reading was almost at 1.5-2nd grade level..

There are a lot of things that teachers look at when evaluating reading. We noticed this with our kids. It is not just based on vocabulary but comprehension. There may be better readers in that class but in the next year your kids will jump up. It is hard to say at the k level where they will fall. That is why the testing is done later. Keep encouraging the reading and don't worry so much about the details and the progress will be noticed.

[Anonymous]

having just read the FCPS website on AAP I think you are right - it is for gifted and talented and academically advanced students.

The program name has changed from GT to AAP. Notsure why. The GT tag was becoming a bit of an "I am and you are not" kind of thing so they modified the program name to indicate more inclusion and less exclusivity.