Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 18:12     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:At some schools, not all, there is a math pullout for kids identified as with high math skills. The pullout was with the GT coordinator. My DD was not in the pullout in first grade, but she was in second grade. I think if your child is in the pullout that's a sign the school recignizes they need something a bit more. But there are lots of kids at our school who were accepted in the GT program who were not in the math pullout.


I agree with this. My DD (now in 3rd grade at a GT Center) was in both a math pullout and a language arts pullout for 1st and 2nd grades, and many of her pullout cohorts were not found to be Center-eligible.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 16:12     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:A couple of friends of mine whose kids are already in the GT program told me lately that their kids were in some kind of special math program for 1st and 2nd grade at the base school and received high GBRS due to attending the program.

Is this Special Math Program offered across all Fairfax county public schools? If my DC is not in this program for some reason, will it make DC less possible to be admitted to the GT program?


I don't know how it works because my DC is a second grader (not in the pull out -- or even in the "highest" math group -- but in the pool), but from what our AAP coordinator said, it could be a factor in the GBRS, although in her discussion, she seemed to emphasize the need for readong skills over math. Who knows? It's all a mystery.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 16:06     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
At some schools, not all, there is a math pullout for kids identified as with high math skills. The pullout was with the GT coordinator. My DD was not in the pullout in first grade, but she was in second grade. I think if your child is in the pullout that's a sign the school recignizes they need something a bit more. But there are lots of kids at our school who were accepted in the GT program who were not in the math pullout.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 15:47     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
A couple of friends of mine whose kids are already in the GT program told me lately that their kids were in some kind of special math program for 1st and 2nd grade at the base school and received high GBRS due to attending the program.

Is this Special Math Program offered across all Fairfax county public schools? If my DC is not in this program for some reason, will it make DC less possible to be admitted to the GT program?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 10:36     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
The CoGAT and NNAT are not IQ tests, they are "group tests of ability that correlate with IQ".

They are an easy screening tool for schools to use. The school could not possibly test all students using something like the WISC. But this is why the rest of the application process and the parent referral process is really important. Many gifted students do not necessarily do well in the group test situation for various reasons.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 10:11     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I tried calling GMU and its a waste, they never return your call. I left coupld of messages no one returned my call

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone ever get GMU staff to answer the phone? I have been calling for 5 days and left messages. No one return my message or answer the phone.

Also there is group test. Is it too late if I take my kid to Jan 23 group test for Feb 5 deadline?


I called GMU on Jan. 8. Someone returned my call on Jan. 11 or 12, and scheduled an assessment for Jan 15. I received a phone call on Tuesday (1/19) to set up the feedback conference.

GMU will not give out scores on the telephone, but the person who administered my child's WISC-IV said that my hunch that the NNAT (118 ) and COGAT (120) scores from the school testing did not reflect my child's true abilities was correct. We are looking forward to receiving the results this weekend. I had a conference with my child's teacher last week and she said she will provide a strong recommendation for my child.


If the scores are not correctly reflecting, the FX county is using them to benchmark then????
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2010 07:26     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
We really just want the scores to have in our back pocket for appeal, so I guess there's no rush.


If you want them for appeal, then there is no rush, but I wouldn't delay with making an appointment either. When we went throught the process, I also wanted the WISC for back-up. I called a lot of places and most had oprettyy significant wait lists. I will caveat by saying we wanted a full neurospych eval vs just the WISC, so that no doubt made it harder to schedule. Actually I got the list of private testers from GMU because they were so busy.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 20:06     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
I've called GMU twice so far and received no call back. I assume they are busy until after 2/5. We really just want the scores to have in our back pocket for appeal, so I guess there's no rush.

Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 17:02     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:I tried calling GMU and its a waste, they never return your call. I left coupld of messages no one returned my call

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone ever get GMU staff to answer the phone? I have been calling for 5 days and left messages. No one return my message or answer the phone.

Also there is group test. Is it too late if I take my kid to Jan 23 group test for Feb 5 deadline?


I called GMU on Jan. 8. Someone returned my call on Jan. 11 or 12, and scheduled an assessment for Jan 15. I received a phone call on Tuesday (1/19) to set up the feedback conference.

GMU will not give out scores on the telephone, but the person who administered my child's WISC-IV said that my hunch that the NNAT (118 ) and COGAT (120) scores from the school testing did not reflect my child's true abilities was correct. We are looking forward to receiving the results this weekend. I had a conference with my child's teacher last week and she said she will provide a strong recommendation for my child.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 16:24     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
However, when we talked to DC's classroom teacher, she thinks DC is not motivated and self driven, and might have difficulty to fit in the challenging GT program. We were a bit surprised by the reserved if not negative comment the teacher made.


I would not put much weight on the teacher's opinion, but I would express concern to the AAP coordinator that your child's teacher may not accurately describe your child in the GBRS. Many gifted students are not perceived positively by their teachers.




Thanks for the advice, we will try to schedule a conference with the AAP coordinator.


Another poster here. FWIW, we tried to schedule a meeting with AAP coordinator and she will not meet. We expressed this concern and she essentially blew us off. She also told us they they only look at "objective" things, so not to bother with recommendations, work samples, etc. -- which is really weird to me because the GBRS (which is supposedly very important) is hugely subjective. She told us the child's DRA is important, yet for kids that were in FCPS, they use the DRA score from last year and don't re-test this year. What she said made little sense to me.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 16:18     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
Anonymous wrote:
However, when we talked to DC's classroom teacher, she thinks DC is not motivated and self driven, and might have difficulty to fit in the challenging GT program. We were a bit surprised by the reserved if not negative comment the teacher made.


I would not put much weight on the teacher's opinion, but I would express concern to the AAP coordinator that your child's teacher may not accurately describe your child in the GBRS. Many gifted students are not perceived positively by their teachers.




Thanks for the advice, we will try to schedule a conference with the AAP coordinator.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 13:08     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
I attended the information session at our local ES this week. The AA Resource Teacher said that parents were welcome to see anything in the submitted file, including GBRS, after the selection process was complete.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 12:31     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
I've not heard of a school showing the GBRS before it is submitted, but they will afterwards. They have to show you the file if you ask.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2010 11:28     Subject: cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
You can ask the AAP coordinator for a copy of your child's GBRS rating form that they would have submitted to the committee.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2010 19:58     Subject: Re:cutoff scores for Fairfax County GT centers for this year?
How to know school's GBRS rating?