FFX teacher here from a center. Behavior is not considered when screening for AAP. Maybe elsewhere, but not in Fairfax County.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

That must be a new thing because my now middle schooler's AAP grade was one big behavior issues extravaganza. In fact, I thought there were far more kids who didn't behave in AAP than in the regular class.

That was my ds's experience. Habitual lunch/snack stealing actual fist fights in class, constant efforts to derail and aggravate the teacher, actually leaving class without permission, destroying class property...I honestly wonder if base schools try to offload the most difficult children by giving them a great GBRS. We switched to private. There was very little room for learning with that cohort as the teachers attention was always on the drama.

Since your child wasn't in FX County, then honestly you shouldn't be responding with "your DS's experience" without the disclaimer of saying that his experience had nothing to do with FX AAP.

Ditto to above PP. I think many parents just dont realize how bad their kids are. One kid told my DD that she was the fattest girl in the school. My DD ignored her. The brat then said "I hate your fucking mother." My DD ignored her. I called the school - no one talks about my DD, and definitely not me! Neighbors were shocked that the nice girl from a nice family acted like that. I replied that one never knows what is going on inside the 4 walls. Apparently, the nice girl from a nice family has a weird family life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

That must be a new thing because my now middle schooler's AAP grade was one big behavior issues extravaganza. In fact, I thought there were far more kids who didn't behave in AAP than in the regular class.

That was my ds's experience. Habitual lunch/snack stealing actual fist fights in class, constant efforts to derail and aggravate the teacher, actually leaving class without permission, destroying class property...I honestly wonder if base schools try to offload the most difficult children by giving them a great GBRS. We switched to private. There was very little room for learning with that cohort as the teachers attention was always on the drama.

Sorry, this just doesn't sound believable. Any one of those things would be a rarity, but combined seems not credible. A fist fight, "habitual lunch and snack stealing," leaving a classroom, and destroying class property? I don't believe this at all unless you're getting it all from your child who was unhappy anyway versus actually hearing it from the teacher or administration.

It happened, and I didn't even mention the time that one of the kids was sent to the principals office for throwing a chair. My own son had his snack stolen out of his backpack at least 5 times, by a kid who would even steal food out of kids' hands. You can believe what you want, but the teacher and I had many discussions about these situations.

I can believe it. My child's teacher couldn't control her classroom. As a 1st year teacher, she was expecting well-behaved kids, not realizing that AAP kids are often the most challenging and least respectful of authority.

PP here. I was not referring to Fairfax County but to gifted programs in my school district. I'm not making up the fact that poorly behaved but bright kids get rejected from our GT district's program.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

That must be a new thing because my now middle schooler's AAP grade was one big behavior issues extravaganza. In fact, I thought there were far more kids who didn't behave in AAP than in the regular class.

That was my ds's experience. Habitual lunch/snack stealing actual fist fights in class, constant efforts to derail and aggravate the teacher, actually leaving class without permission, destroying class property...I honestly wonder if base schools try to offload the most difficult children by giving them a great GBRS. We switched to private. There was very little room for learning with that cohort as the teachers attention was always on the drama.

Sorry, this just doesn't sound believable. Any one of those things would be a rarity, but combined seems not credible. A fist fight, "habitual lunch and snack stealing," leaving a classroom, and destroying class property? I don't believe this at all unless you're getting it all from your child who was unhappy anyway versus actually hearing it from the teacher or administration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

That must be a new thing because my now middle schooler's AAP grade was one big behavior issues extravaganza. In fact, I thought there were far more kids who didn't behave in AAP than in the regular class.

That was my ds's experience. Habitual lunch/snack stealing actual fist fights in class, constant efforts to derail and aggravate the teacher, actually leaving class without permission, destroying class property...I honestly wonder if base schools try to offload the most difficult children by giving them a great GBRS. We switched to private. There was very little room for learning with that cohort as the teachers attention was always on the drama.

Interesting that the genius special ed kid stayed at the base school for better services. It's a crying shame that kids like that can't be accommodated at an AAP center. We tried an AAP center for my son in 3rd grade, but returned him to the base school when we learned that special ed services at the Center just couldn't compare to the base school. Centers need to do a better job serving the "twice exceptional" student. If a child is accepted into the program on the basis of intelligence, an appropriate education should not be denied because the child also has a disability, whether autism or ADHD, etc. FCPS should really be careful about potential legal action by parents of gifted kids with disabilities.

No, the kids who were clear stand outs are in. I'm not saying others aren't equally bright but perhaps they weren't as vocal or I wasn't there when they were vocal. And the "clear stand outs" to me were 2 kids that I can think of right now.

Anonymous wrote:I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

That must be a new thing because my now middle schooler's AAP grade was one big behavior issues extravaganza. In fact, I thought there were far more kids who didn't behave in AAP than in the regular class.

I've heard behavior is a big factor as well. I've seen kids with scores off the charts not get admitted because of discipline issues.

There is one child that surprised me. Very bright, early reader, involved parents. Not in AAP. Then again, there were a couple who surprised me when they turned out AAP. You never know.

The one "genius" type child in my son's class who for sure should be at the AAP center stayed at our base school. She is in a special ed program and my guess is that's the reason.

I only talked to one other parent about AAP, and both our kids were staying in Gen Ed for 3rd. But I had the notion of kids that I thought would be in AAP. But now I see them in Gen Ed with my dd. I'm surprised. Here they were reading chapter books at the beginning of second grade while my dd struggled with reading. Anyone else have this happen where you were surprised who was in Gen Ed when you showed up for 3rd grade?