Anonymous wrote:HOPE is not an FCPS instrument— it was developed at Purdue. The instrument presents a profile of student talents in multiple domains. Some of those are non-academic.

Some of them, like an affinity for talking with adults, are considered markers for giftedness.

Performing and visual arts checkboxes are not giving anyone an advantage for AAP.

Anonymous wrote:This is all so absurd. A kid who is 99th percentile across the board should be a no brainer admit. They're both smarter and more advanced than the majority of kids in the program.

It won't help with the appeal, but I would do a conference with the teacher and perhaps the principal or AART. I'd go in with the premise that your child's ability and achievement levels are apparently not corresponding with what your child is doing in the classroom, and you're concerned that this is a red flag for something else. Then, see what the teacher has to say and go from there.

For the appeal, I'd think about any reason your child might not be displaying advanced behaviors in the classroom, and then use that as justification that your child cannot have their needs met in the regular classroom.

Anonymous wrote:This is all so absurd. A kid who is 99th percentile across the board should be a no brainer admit. They're both smarter and more advanced than the majority of kids in the program.

It won't help with the appeal, but I would do a conference with the teacher and perhaps the principal or AART. I'd go in with the premise that your child's ability and achievement levels are apparently not corresponding with what your child is doing in the classroom, and you're concerned that this is a red flag for something else. Then, see what the teacher has to say and go from there.

For the appeal, I'd think about any reason your child might not be displaying advanced behaviors in the classroom, and then use that as justification that your child cannot have their needs met in the regular classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the HOPE report inconsistent with the report card? If the first time you are hearing about some of these issues is on the HOPE report, that is a problem that I would address with the teacher.

The HOPE scale has a section of check-boxes, which go beyond grades and includes: exceptional talent in the “Performing Arts.”

Performing Arts talent (dance, piano lessons, basketball, karate, etc.) might not be reflected on the report card.

But it can be good to get into the Advanced Academic Program, especially if tests scores and grades are low.

Given how many times in the full-time AAP presentation (at least as recently as last year) they emphasized that AAP is an academic program and therefore they don't really consider fine arts...I don't think this is accurate at all.

But how can that be true? It’s right on the HOPE scale.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the HOPE report inconsistent with the report card? If the first time you are hearing about some of these issues is on the HOPE report, that is a problem that I would address with the teacher.

The HOPE scale has a section of check-boxes, which go beyond grades and includes: exceptional talent in the “Performing Arts.”

Performing Arts talent (dance, piano lessons, basketball, karate, etc.) might not be reflected on the report card.

But it can be good to get into the Advanced Academic Program, especially if tests scores and grades are low.

Given how many times in the full-time AAP presentation (at least as recently as last year) they emphasized that AAP is an academic program and therefore they don't really consider fine arts...I don't think this is accurate at all.

Anonymous wrote:This is all so absurd. A kid who is 99th percentile across the board should be a no brainer admit. They're both smarter and more advanced than the majority of kids in the program.

It won't help with the appeal, but I would do a conference with the teacher and perhaps the principal or AART. I'd go in with the premise that your child's ability and achievement levels are apparently not corresponding with what your child is doing in the classroom, and you're concerned that this is a red flag for something else. Then, see what the teacher has to say and go from there.

For the appeal, I'd think about any reason your child might not be displaying advanced behaviors in the classroom, and then use that as justification that your child cannot have their needs met in the regular classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the HOPE report inconsistent with the report card? If the first time you are hearing about some of these issues is on the HOPE report, that is a problem that I would address with the teacher.

The HOPE scale has a section of check-boxes, which go beyond grades and includes: exceptional talent in the “Performing Arts.”

Performing Arts talent (dance, piano lessons, basketball, karate, etc.) might not be reflected on the report card.

But it can be good to get into the Advanced Academic Program, especially if tests scores and grades are low.

Anonymous wrote:Is the HOPE report inconsistent with the report card? If the first time you are hearing about some of these issues is on the HOPE report, that is a problem that I would address with the teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I requested and received my child's HOPE scores and they're terrible, which feels completely misaligned with her academics. Any advice on how to overcome this during the appeal process? I know HOPE weighs heavily into the committee decision making, so it's clear now why my kid didn't get in during initial review despite what seemed like decently high (though not off the charts) test performance.

Pyramid: Marshall
In/out of pool: In pool

Tests submitted by school in original packet
CogAt: 140 (138 Q, 139 NonV, 125 V)
NNAT: 129
Fall 2024 iReady math: 99th %ile (454, looks like just %ile submitted)
Fall 2023 iReady reading: 99th %ile (I don't see the raw score submitted/can't find the old paperwork; fall 2024 VALLS similarly high but not submitted by school/not really supposed to be used for this type of determination anyway)

WISC (not in original packet, done over spring break): 134

HOPE: 2 often, 5 sometimes, 4 rarely (!!!), no subjects checked/no comments.

I'm floored at the HOPE. It doesn't sound like my kid at all. The work samples weren't great (mostly because of terrible handwriting) but I had felt confident we could overcome those until I saw the HOPE. Now I'm also concerned about what's going on in that classroom, because I see my child exhibiting significantly above-grade-level talent in math and reading as part of our daily life, and if the teacher isn't seeing any of that, it feels like a huge problem (maybe my kid is totally checked out, maybe there's a behavior issue no one has mentioned, maybe a weird peer dynamic, could be any number of things that mean a completely different kid at home than at school, I suppose).

Any advice from people who have addressed a really bad HOPE during appeal through samples or the cover letter (or, if you were denied 2nd grade appeal, how to set up a conversation with 3rd grade teacher to make sure there isn't so much of a gulf between the at home and school experiences?).

From your description, it is likely your child IS the disruptive one in class.

Have you had them tested for ADD / ADHD ?

I think you should be looking at special services for them, which would be a better fit, and not AAP.

That child should be in AAP (ADHD or not!) And to be honest, some teachers are not that nice. Appeal. AAP is not that difficult.

Anonymous wrote:Might be too late for this but my kid has terrible handwriting and I submitted an occupational therapist evaluation where I highlighted relevant sections (note they are reading the application very quickly, which is why I did this) and in the notes section at the bottom of the parent survey said something like "See attached highlighted sections. Handwriting reflects XYZ issues and not motivation." Got in on the regular application with lower scores (don't know HOPE but expect it was good). I don't think explicitly addressing the handwriting could hurt.

You might be able to get Fairfax Pediatric Therapy to turn a report around quickly. I don't know for sure but we got an initial appointment pretty quickly and the report within 2 weeks without asking for it to be expedited. Therapy itself took more of a waiting period to have an opening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I requested and received my child's HOPE scores and they're terrible, which feels completely misaligned with her academics. Any advice on how to overcome this during the appeal process? I know HOPE weighs heavily into the committee decision making, so it's clear now why my kid didn't get in during initial review despite what seemed like decently high (though not off the charts) test performance.

Pyramid: Marshall
In/out of pool: In pool

Tests submitted by school in original packet
CogAt: 140 (138 Q, 139 NonV, 125 V)
NNAT: 129
Fall 2024 iReady math: 99th %ile (454, looks like just %ile submitted)
Fall 2023 iReady reading: 99th %ile (I don't see the raw score submitted/can't find the old paperwork; fall 2024 VALLS similarly high but not submitted by school/not really supposed to be used for this type of determination anyway)

WISC (not in original packet, done over spring break): 134

HOPE: 2 often, 5 sometimes, 4 rarely (!!!), no subjects checked/no comments.

I'm floored at the HOPE. It doesn't sound like my kid at all. The work samples weren't great (mostly because of terrible handwriting) but I had felt confident we could overcome those until I saw the HOPE. Now I'm also concerned about what's going on in that classroom, because I see my child exhibiting significantly above-grade-level talent in math and reading as part of our daily life, and if the teacher isn't seeing any of that, it feels like a huge problem (maybe my kid is totally checked out, maybe there's a behavior issue no one has mentioned, maybe a weird peer dynamic, could be any number of things that mean a completely different kid at home than at school, I suppose).

Any advice from people who have addressed a really bad HOPE during appeal through samples or the cover letter (or, if you were denied 2nd grade appeal, how to set up a conversation with 3rd grade teacher to make sure there isn't so much of a gulf between the at home and school experiences?).

From your description, it is likely your child IS the disruptive one in class.

Have you had them tested for ADD / ADHD ?

I think you should be looking at special services for them, which would be a better fit, and not AAP.

You're jumping to special services and ADHD, based on OP's description? That's quite the reach. OP has indicated she has gotten no feedback about behavior problems.

ok.

What do you think the likely explanation could be for her child’s:

- high test scores + really low HOPE rating?

Teacher perception? My child didn't get in with similar scores (still waiting to receive her HOPE). Her teacher is new to the school and frequently tells the students that she is overwhelmed and "stressed out." Not sure she'd be the best judge of my child's aptitude.