2 frame of thoughts on completing a parent packet/application.

1. Without a packet, the committee has no home information in which to supplement school findings. This puts your child at a disadvantage at the outset compared to his/her peers. In the event your child is NOT in-pool (top 10% of your school/pyramid), you're either scrambling last minute or miss out on applying. In-Pool results are generally provided within a few days/week of the deadline, but aren't guaranteed to arrive in time.

2. In the event your child is in-pool and not selected and you feel the need to appeal, its VERY convenient to have fresh material to submit that the committee has not yet reviewed in order to make a better case. Essentially this gives you a 2nd crack at the opportunity, as there is a lot more "NEW" material to review.

Our AART also suggested that everyone complete the parent referral, regardless of expected testing status.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you!

For #2: Follow-up question. If I parent refer, I guess my application will go to school AART. If we're in pool, will they submit my parent application or will they submit the packet they put together? How does it work?

They will add your parent referral and questionnaire to the packet school creates. Parent referral just provides extra info from home, which is good. Our AART said parents should always fill out the parent referral and questionnaire, whether child is in-pool or not, to make the best case for their kid.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you!

For #2: Follow-up question. If I parent refer, I guess my application will go to school AART. If we're in pool, will they submit my parent application or will they submit the packet they put together? How does it work?

The parent referral and parent questionnaire will go in the packet. It will just ensure the AART definitely puts a packet together. Our AART has always said that once there was any sort of referral or child was in-pool she viewed it as her job to put together the strongest possible packet for each child, and I believe her. She is one of the good ones. She even reviews parent referrals, questionnaires, and work samples from home to provide feedback.

Anonymous wrote:I've been out of it for a few years since my older was in AAP. Starting all over again with the younger child..

1. Is HOPE the same as GRBS, just a new name?
2. I didn't have to submit any application since the school submits a packet for all students in 2nd grade. I am assuming there is no change to this? Saw that parents can still submit packages but I'm assuming that is for 3rd/4th/5th grade referrals?
3. Has the CoGAT always been this early in the year? Why did I think it was given later in the school year...

1. Serves the same function but is very different. Documents from the AAP advisory committee indicate teachers wanted to write less and there's no space for commentary. It also focuses on things that may or may not be helpful to your child, like social skills (!) as an indicator of giftedness. I recommend looking it over.

2. No, the school never submitted packets for all kids. It submitted packets for all in-pool kids. Since the change to local norms in 2021 that means the top 10% of kids in each school by the average of NNAT and CogAT. Our AART always recommended filling out the parent referral and parent questionaire as well as submitting a math and language arts work sample from home. At a minimum do the parent referral but really putting it all together can help the committee see the kid that you see at home who needs full-time AAP (they don't want to call it level IV any more, they now call it "the full time program" as per AAP advisory committee meeting minutes and our AART).

3. The CogAT possibly used to be later. When my now 7th grader was in 2nd grade I remember the deadline for referrals was after winter break and we got the score after winter break. With my younger two it was all before break. I haven't looked this year but assume the referral deadline is around December 15 again.

Thank you!

For #2: Follow-up question. If I parent refer, I guess my application will go to school AART. If we're in pool, will they submit my parent application or will they submit the packet they put together? How does it work?

2. - You should submit a packet now. They have changed the cutoff from district wide (usually around 132) to school wide so your DC may not be in pool, whatever their NNAT or Cogat score is. This is a new change, as of a few years ago.

Anonymous wrote:I've been out of it for a few years since my older was in AAP. Starting all over again with the younger child..

1. Is HOPE the same as GRBS, just a new name?
2. I didn't have to submit any application since the school submits a packet for all students in 2nd grade. I am assuming there is no change to this? Saw that parents can still submit packages but I'm assuming that is for 3rd/4th/5th grade referrals?
3. Has the CoGAT always been this early in the year? Why did I think it was given later in the school year...

1. Serves the same function but different

2. If child is in-pool school will automatically create a packet but you have to parent refer if child’s scores are not in-pool bc they don’t create a packet for all 2nd graders. You should parent refer bc the in-pool score isn’t released until right before packets are due. In-pool is also determined locally so 132 is no longer the countywide in-pool score. At our high SES school it’s now over 140.

3. No idea

I've been out of it for a few years since my older was in AAP. Starting all over again with the younger child..

1. Is HOPE the same as GRBS, just a new name?
2. I didn't have to submit any application since the school submits a packet for all students in 2nd grade. I am assuming there is no change to this? Saw that parents can still submit packages but I'm assuming that is for 3rd/4th/5th grade referrals?
3. Has the CoGAT always been this early in the year? Why did I think it was given later in the school year...