Anonymous
04/09/2024 11:54
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
NP. Why would you view her as unqualified? The CogAT scores are off the charts and well above the 99.9th percentile threshold. The HOPE rating is quite strong. While the iready scores are not great, there are a lot of kids with lower scores getting admitted. OP's kid should have been a shoo-in and not borderline, based on the CogAT and HOPE.
The person who thinks that the CogAT looks prepped is a moron. It would not be possible to prep a kid to a 150 CogAT, unless the kid would have scored in the 99th percentile without prep. Also, prepped kids are much more likely to be in math and reading enrichment programs, and thus have high iready scores, but lower HOPE ratings.
OP, either the work samples were bad/sloppy, the iready scores gave the panel some concern, or your child was a victim of the randomness of the system. The same approach should cover all three. Write a parent letter emphasizing your kid's gifted traits, showing that your child is academically advanced in both language arts and reading, and explaining why your child needs the extra challenge of AAP. Include work samples that show advanced abilities in both math and language arts. Put an explanation of the gifted trait being shown by the sample either in a box on the sample itself, or reference it in your cover letter.
A kid with a 150 CogAT and reasonably strong support from the teacher obviously belongs in AAP.
Disagree. 150 COGAT should be tied with 99% on iready, and a much higher NNAT; these arent all independant elements - If a child is that bright, it manifests itself across the board. Of everything presented, the COGAT is the outlier. There is a HUUUUGE difference between 99% (136 COGAT) and their score of 150. If they presented the same information with a COGAT of 136, which is likely the unprepped score of the child, then we'd all be in agreement that the child is likely a high-borderline candidate, even then though, the low 90's iready are odd without an explanation (sick, back from travel, ??)
I did notice we basically arrived at the same solution. Appeal, emphasize needing challenges, and show work samples in language arts (potentially math).
The elements actually are somewhat independent. CogAT is an aptitude test and should measure intrinsic ability. iready is an achievement test and measures level of academic advancement. They're not the same, and there are many reasons why a kid might be much higher on the one than the other. A kid who has higher intrinsic ability but lower achievement would fit the profile of a kid who has not received much outside or home enrichment, has an undiagnosed LD (ADHD, dyslexia, etc.), or who rushed through the iready.
Also, the OP's HOPE score is a pretty strong endorsement. If the kid has a 99th percentile CogAT (even if it's a 'mere' 136) and has relatively strong teacher support, I wouldn't view the kid as borderline.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 11:37
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Write a parent letter explaining why your child’s needs can’t be met in the regular classroom. You need to show how your child cannot learn as well in the regular classroom and how being in the regular classroom could hold her back.
Think about your child and how she learns. Think about her traits that would keep her from learning well in the regular classroom and write about those traits. This is what worked for my child- later, a teacher told me that my letter was probably more important to the committee than the new test sores, since the scores were essentially the same as the school provided scores.
Think about your child and how she learns. Think about her traits that would keep her from learning well in the regular classroom and write about those traits. This is what worked for my child- later, a teacher told me that my letter was probably more important to the committee than the new test sores, since the scores were essentially the same as the school provided scores.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 11:37
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
NP. Why would you view her as unqualified? The CogAT scores are off the charts and well above the 99.9th percentile threshold. The HOPE rating is quite strong. While the iready scores are not great, there are a lot of kids with lower scores getting admitted. OP's kid should have been a shoo-in and not borderline, based on the CogAT and HOPE.
The person who thinks that the CogAT looks prepped is a moron. It would not be possible to prep a kid to a 150 CogAT, unless the kid would have scored in the 99th percentile without prep. Also, prepped kids are much more likely to be in math and reading enrichment programs, and thus have high iready scores, but lower HOPE ratings.
OP, either the work samples were bad/sloppy, the iready scores gave the panel some concern, or your child was a victim of the randomness of the system. The same approach should cover all three. Write a parent letter emphasizing your kid's gifted traits, showing that your child is academically advanced in both language arts and reading, and explaining why your child needs the extra challenge of AAP. Include work samples that show advanced abilities in both math and language arts. Put an explanation of the gifted trait being shown by the sample either in a box on the sample itself, or reference it in your cover letter.
A kid with a 150 CogAT and reasonably strong support from the teacher obviously belongs in AAP.
Disagree. 150 COGAT should be tied with 99% on iready, and a much higher NNAT; these arent all independant elements - If a child is that bright, it manifests itself across the board. Of everything presented, the COGAT is the outlier. There is a HUUUUGE difference between 99% (136 COGAT) and their score of 150. If they presented the same information with a COGAT of 136, which is likely the unprepped score of the child, then we'd all be in agreement that the child is likely a high-borderline candidate, even then though, the low 90's iready are odd without an explanation (sick, back from travel, ??)
I did notice we basically arrived at the same solution. Appeal, emphasize needing challenges, and show work samples in language arts (potentially math).
Anonymous
04/09/2024 11:25
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
In many schools, particularly the higher SES ones, 50%+ of students would likely do just as well in AAP as the current students in the program. The benefits of AAP over Gen-ed are largely better teachers, more accelerated math, and ability to focus on more/all students instead of teaching remedial activities to the under-grade performing few. One might say fewer distractions/problems as well, but then you'll get into all the twice exceptional student arguments and indignant parents, so we'll leave it at that...
A benefit of being one of the borderline lower-performing AAP is that they'll get the teachers attention to bring the entire class up, whereas the borderline students in gen-ed will be ignored because they're at grade level already, while the teacher gives attention to the remedial education. I think the borderline students left in Gen-ed are the ones getting the worst focus of anyone.
Note that all of the above is generalizations. There are good teachers/experiences in gen-ed, and bad experiences/teachers in AAP, and others will certainly feel the need to bring them up.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 11:17
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
NP. Why would you view her as unqualified? The CogAT scores are off the charts and well above the 99.9th percentile threshold. The HOPE rating is quite strong. While the iready scores are not great, there are a lot of kids with lower scores getting admitted. OP's kid should have been a shoo-in and not borderline, based on the CogAT and HOPE.
The person who thinks that the CogAT looks prepped is a moron. It would not be possible to prep a kid to a 150 CogAT, unless the kid would have scored in the 99th percentile without prep. Also, prepped kids are much more likely to be in math and reading enrichment programs, and thus have high iready scores, but lower HOPE ratings.
OP, either the work samples were bad/sloppy, the iready scores gave the panel some concern, or your child was a victim of the randomness of the system. The same approach should cover all three. Write a parent letter emphasizing your kid's gifted traits, showing that your child is academically advanced in both language arts and reading, and explaining why your child needs the extra challenge of AAP. Include work samples that show advanced abilities in both math and language arts. Put an explanation of the gifted trait being shown by the sample either in a box on the sample itself, or reference it in your cover letter.
A kid with a 150 CogAT and reasonably strong support from the teacher obviously belongs in AAP.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 10:52
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
Thats a valid question and at times I've asked myself that too.
However, I do fully believe she would thrive in AAP. It would give her a challenge for sure - but she has the motivation. Recently, unprompted, she shared that she strives to get every question right. This came kinda out of nowhere - and it wasn't something she said from a competitive standpoint but rather from a "I want to learn" standpoint.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 10:25
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Take the Wisc. If it’s as good as the CogAt that would be great. You should book asap to get scores in time. We did private not George mason and got scores same day , full write up a week or so later.
Get good samples but I think whet you write in the cover letter matters the most. Great examples of how your child exhibits the characteristics they have in gbrs/hope
Get good samples but I think whet you write in the cover letter matters the most. Great examples of how your child exhibits the characteristics they have in gbrs/hope
Anonymous
04/09/2024 10:20
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Scores seem like she should qualify to me. Write a good cover letter letting them know what she needs and what she will be missing out on.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 10:14
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
I am curious why you would push her into a program for which she's not qualified to participate? Why not err on the other side of the border?
Anonymous
04/09/2024 10:12
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:I believe my child is on the borderline:
Cogat:150
NNAT：127
iReady Math: 90
iReady Reading: 85
Hope: 1 Always / 7 Almost Always / 3 Often
Note - She is a summer born so is naturally one of the youngest in the class.
What should we focus on in our appeal?
COGAT looks prepped based on the other scores. Emphasize the reading/writing areas, since that one is lower, but likely still need to cover math as well - this might depend on the sub-scores in COGAT. Focus on why your child needs services. My package was geared towards how my child thrives on competition, and needed appropriate role models in class at his/her level. Give some examples of where they excelled in a higher level environment, or how they struggled without that environment. Don't say they're bored.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 09:22
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
My September and August birthday kids who are not red shirted both got in. Being summer born in their cases I think only helped by changing the age factor. I didn't really even mention it in their packets.
Focus on HOPE and GBRS traits in your write-up. Provide complex academic work in your work samples. Make sure your child, in the first person, writes a short explanation of each work sample - this advice comes from our AART and has been the same over 4 years and 3 applications. The point is to provide a picture to the committee of a whole child who matches the traits that FCPS has decided show needing AAP. Those traits are the ones defined in HOPE, GBRS, AAP presentations given by AARTs, and any write-ups you can find on the FCPS website of AAP.
Focus on HOPE and GBRS traits in your write-up. Provide complex academic work in your work samples. Make sure your child, in the first person, writes a short explanation of each work sample - this advice comes from our AART and has been the same over 4 years and 3 applications. The point is to provide a picture to the committee of a whole child who matches the traits that FCPS has decided show needing AAP. Those traits are the ones defined in HOPE, GBRS, AAP presentations given by AARTs, and any write-ups you can find on the FCPS website of AAP.
Anonymous
04/09/2024 09:22
Subject: Re:Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Anonymous wrote:The NNAT and CoGAT are both adjusted for age so that is already accounted for in her test scores.
Her HOPE scores seem good to me, there were no real negatives there. I would guess the issue is lower iReady scores. 90th percentile for math and 85th percentile for reading. Did she take winter iReadys? Are they better? If so I would include those.
What do the work samples look like?
I don't believe she took the winter iReadys as I don't see it on her record . Her 1st grade iReadys were a bit better (both around 90th percentile).
Samples seemed "OK", although AART said they were strong. I think we could have done better with parent samples which we will focus on.
Should we try doing another test, be it the WISC or Kaufman?
Anonymous
04/08/2024 21:57
Subject: Re:Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
The NNAT and CoGAT are both adjusted for age so that is already accounted for in her test scores.
Her HOPE scores seem good to me, there were no real negatives there. I would guess the issue is lower iReady scores. 90th percentile for math and 85th percentile for reading. Did she take winter iReadys? Are they better? If so I would include those.
What do the work samples look like?
Her HOPE scores seem good to me, there were no real negatives there. I would guess the issue is lower iReady scores. 90th percentile for math and 85th percentile for reading. Did she take winter iReadys? Are they better? If so I would include those.
What do the work samples look like?
Anonymous
04/08/2024 21:29
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
Appeal and show how she shows the GBRS and HOPE factors.
Anonymous
04/08/2024 21:27
Subject: Appeal Suggestions for Borderline Daughter?
I believe my child is on the borderline:
Cogat:150
NNAT：127
iReady Math: 90
iReady Reading: 85
Hope: 1 Always / 7 Almost Always / 3 Often
Note - She is a summer born so is naturally one of the youngest in the class.
What should we focus on in our appeal?
Cogat:150
NNAT：127
iReady Math: 90
iReady Reading: 85
Hope: 1 Always / 7 Almost Always / 3 Often
Note - She is a summer born so is naturally one of the youngest in the class.
What should we focus on in our appeal?