'You have to write about a one page document answering about 3 or so questions as a parent."

Oh my...I wrote about 3 sentences..but thankfully it got DC a spot.

This website talks about the center program and the application process:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/highly-gifted-centers.aspx

If you apply, the deadline is usually early November and the decisions come out end March/Beginning April. I think they might try to shoot for before Spring Break.

They don't make the decision whether or not to label GT after the tests in 2nd grade alone. The teachers make recommendations, and the 2nd grade survey your getting is your chance to make recommendations too. The teachers will get together (not sure who else is pulled into that meeting) to discuss who gets the label and who doesn't. Parents are notified via student backpack in the last days of school of second grade.

What does this get your student? nothing. At least at our home ES, there are no special programs for GT and the kids are evaluated on their own merits/performance for acceleration for math and reading groups. They do this testing and choosing for the label because there's a state law that says they have to. Maybe it's a hold over from old programs that no longer exist, I don't know. But there's no difference in programs offered and how they treat GT kids once they're labeled and in 3rd grade.

In the fall of 3rd grade, anyone can apply for the HGC's, label or not. They send the applications by US mail to all households with 3rd graders. the HGC's are schools within schools for 4th and 5th grade. You don't have to have the gifted label or even go to MCPS schools (you do have to live within the clusters served by the HGC's - certain clusters go to certain centers. You have to write about a one page document answering about 3 or so questions as a parent. They want to determine if the home school meets your kid's needs. No matter how smart your kid is, if the home school meets their needs it will lessen the chances of getting in, so think and write about how it doesn't. They also have a test (December or January) and teachers write recommendations too. Report cards are also taken into account, as well as things you can't see like how many kids can they take out of a certain ES and not affect the number of teachers that grade will get the next year in 4th grade. They take about 3ish per school, but DD's school they offered spots to 5 for this academic year, and 4 accepted.

DD is in 4th grade this year at a center. it's a great program and for the first time she's really interested in school, is learning new things and engaged. She's making new friends, also a new experience. She was an outsider at the Home ES.

However, don't take the decision to go lightly or as a status symbol. It's alot of work. We were told, I admit I didn't believe it. The kids are doing so much more before, but it takes time and commitment by the whole family.

We got a letter to. Did they go out to all second grade families? I didn't think the January GT screening test results would be done quickly enough to be the impetus for the letter.

I'm so confused about the forms being discussed now. I'm familiar with the Global Screening Feedback. Is that the one that goes into HGC consideration? Or identification for in-house GT purposes? I didn't think schools had in-house GT anymore due to 2.0.

If you chose to apply to a HGC, there is a more important (though still faily minimal) parent form. I think it has about 4 questions relating to how your child's needs are not being met where they are. This would be the form that matters much more to the process. I have no idea why the form you describe exists. Wonder if anyone gives their kid low marks? It probably allows them to say that the parents have input.

HGT (Highlt Gifted Center program that runs in a handful of selected ES) evaluation is in 3rd Grade for kids attending 4th and 5th grade GT program.

The 2nd graders survey is for the in-house GT program (run in your local school, not the Highly Gifted Center) which 46% of the 2nd grader was identified for last year.

Yes, it is very confusing. In the old days, only the kids identified as GT in-house in 2nd grade got the chance to take the Highly Gifted Center test. In current years, as the result of parent objections, ALL 2nd graders can take the test at 3rd grade.

Hope it clears up the confusion.

For placement they use test scores, parent evaluation forms, and teacher referrals. The parent evaluations can make a big difference in whether or not the child gets placed.

Wouldn't every parent just circle 4 and be done with it?

Pretty sure it is part of the HGC eval/screening process.

Got one too, I assume they sent to everyone. I'm very confused about this GT screening and what it means. I know they did some testing back in January. I wonder what other criteria they use. Would love to hear a teachers perspective if any are out there....

i think it is for gifted and talented evaluation.

No...my school does that form in the spring....this is different, it came in the mail from the mcps central office and said it was specific to 2nd graders.

They use the information to choose your child's teacher for the following year.

I just got this is in the mail. Asking about my 2nd graders strengths and weaknesses and it says it will "help determine my child's plan for next year. and to "return it to school within a week." What is this? I've never seen this before.