Today is the day! (AAP appeals)

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Appeal got rejected, and spent the last week or so trying not to wonder why and be bummed out.

Then this week, we unexpectedly received a letter from the school inviting my kid to Advanced Math in the fall. Makes me feel a bit better that my kid didn't fall completely through the cracks. Might try again next year.

For reference:
rising 3rd grader (in screening pool)
NNAT 160
Cogat 144
WISC 131
GBRS half Cs half Os (I'm guessing this is the main reason for the rejection)

The Occasionally Observes are a huge issue and the declining test scores. The WISC is high, I don't care what anyone says 97/98th percentile is high. But it does not hit the magic 132, which was the gold standard for a while, and the fact that the test scores for the NNAT and CogAT and then the WISC diminish is probably a flag to the Committee.

Your best bet is going to be working on the skills that were reviewed as Occassionally Observed with your child. I would not include the WISC if you apply again, it does not help your case.

OP here. Is there really a big difference between the NNAT and Cogat scores? They were both 99 percentile. I was on the fence about including the WISC in the appeal, but decided to because the report mentioned that because of significant variation among the subtest scores, the GAI (general ability index) would be a better overall estimate of his general ability, which was a 137 (vs the 131 FSIQ). The Working Memory and Processing Speed indices were what pulled his overall score down -- other indices like Visual Spatial and Fluid Reasoning were extremely high. I can understand how the scores might be perceived if taking a cursory look though, and might not include the WISC if we apply again.

There isn't a huge difference in the scores. Both NNAT and CogAT have a low ceiling, and they really can't discriminate between a 99.5th percentile kid and a 99.99th percentile one. The difference between the two scores is one lucky guess. NNAT is also known to have inflated scores at the top. It sounds like WISC is in line with the other scores if the subtest scores match up reasonably well.

The test scores and the WISC inclusion were not your problem. The GBRS was the problem.

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Anonymous wrote:So my 2nd grader was in the pool, had high test scores but low GBRS because I don't think his teacher really sees his abilities (despite telling us that other students ask him for help frequently). We appealed, including a high WISC result and addressing the low GBRS scores but he still didn't get in. Guess that teacher input or lack thereof, means a lot. Hope he gets one who will advocate for him next year.

Same, not a great GBRS - 99th% on both cogat (139) and NNAT (152), rejected on appeal (2nd grade).

same here, 3Fs 1 O not great school samples. Kid is in the Advanced Math group in class. Sciences not an issue at all! All kids in his Advanced Math group got into Level IV and moving away to Center school, his best friend included. Such a ridiculous system.

Cogat 122, Wisc 124. Appealed with lots of evidence of Advanced aptitude of kid.

So let's say ds was borderline (which I strongly disagree even though standardized scores suggest so), even then he needs full time AAP so he can push himself to a higher level.

Advanced Academics should be offered to all kids who either the teacher or parent think needs them. A continuous evaluation can be done during the school year again and if any kid/parent want to opt out, then they should be allowed to do so.

I hope some sense dawns in the school administrators of this process. There are so many excluded students that can really benefit from a higher curriculum.

I don’t think it should be just parent wanting it. Just look at how honors is going in middle school.

I am not sure how honors is going. But what my ds is learning is very very basic in 2nd grade. He was in private school in kg and was taught multiplication and division and he grasped it. Public school curriculum is quite far behind. So unless the kid is very slow in learning or parents not able to sit with the kid, all other kids can benefit from an advanced curriculum.

There is a big jump for every student between 2nd grade and 3rd grade. Whether in AAP or gen ed.

Public school doesn't teach multiplication and division in kindergarten but overall the public school curriculum is generally on par with or ahead of private school curriculum.

How will it jump suddenly from 2nd to 3rd? DS is pretty bored in his class and we supplement a lot outside school. And this summer will be prepping him for Cogat so he gets into level IV!!!

Never did it so far, but came to know there were kids who put in a lot of work and got very high scores.

So if that is the only way, will get that covered.

Not the most intelligent system but will play by it.

Getting a high Cogat score is not the only way into Level IV. However, even more importantly, a high Cogat score doesn’t guarantee a student is a good fit for Level IV and will thrive in AAP.

Yes, not the only way but one way. Why leave prepping your kid if that’s possible and allowed

It’s more accurate to say that it’s not disallowed.

Frankly, prepping is a waste of time. Cogat is only one of many considerations that the selection committee takes under advisement. If your kid is truly bright, then they’ll do fine on the Cogat without help.

Don't know any kid around me who got into AAP without prepping! I learned about this whole process very late. My kid with a little push can do extremely well.

We moved to FCPS and DD took the Cogat with zero prep and scored a 145+

Sure, gifted kid. I said none around me, as per input from 5 parents.

Neat. We didn’t prep for the Cogat either (didn’t know that was even a “thing” with the first kid). Two kids scored high AAP-worthy numbers. Sorry. I know it makes you feel better to think the parents whose kids got in gamed the system. Shrug.

+1
Another “cold” test-taker in our house, too.

[Anonymous]

We did not prep and got in. Moved from another state (public school) that was big on equity and they don’t even tell you when the test will be given. Only learned about it when we got the score in the mail. Plus this was our first kid so we didn’t know anything.