Reply to Fairfax County Begins to Dumb Down Gifted (GT) Program to Support Diversity

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Reply to "Fairfax County Begins to Dumb Down Gifted (GT) Program to Support Diversity"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote]The concern is that the test is being "gamed." Practicing test questions over and over enables someone to do well on a test, but someone who does well on the test because of reading widely and being curious about many subjects is probably a better student. It is possible for a student without real aptitude to to learn how to take the test by taking practice tests over and over. They can get used to the questions and how they are asked and do well even if they haven't really learned the subject matter.[/quote]

This is an important point with respect to minority applicants. Anecdotally we know a large numbers of Asian students whose parents were aware of advantages to tutoring prior to the testing and could afford it. The children do well and are admitted at a higher rate than their demographic representation.

Conversely, and I think this is the point that FCPS is trying to resolve, it is logical to assume that a representative portion of Hispanic and Black students, which are underrepresented in the AAP program, are equally bright and qualified, do not have parents who know how to get them the extra edge. I am not saying the Asian students are not smart, just that the extra prep work can make the difference on the edges thus creating a disproportionate Asian bulge that is seen currently in the classes. (Hence the large number of ads touting AAP test tutoring for 2nd graders in the local Asian/Korean papers)
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