Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of all kids in grades 3-8 are in AAP.

They should go to a straight IQ test, and limit it to no more than the top 1%. Return the rest to gen ed. The teachers already provide differentiated services in the classroom, and will simply continue to do so.

Our base school just eliminated ability grouping. My kid is not AAP but I have no confidence that he will be challenged anymore. I just don't think the teachers can adequately differentiate in one classroom for all of the different abilities.

We can't. With classes of up to 32 student in my building, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible to differentiate.

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear from the teachers and administrators what their solutions are to providing a challenging environment for every child so they all can work at an accelerated pace for them. Wouldn't differentiation by subject alone make far better sense? I have yet to see a really gifted math student be awesome in English too, for example.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of all kids in grades 3-8 are in AAP.

They should go to a straight IQ test, and limit it to no more than the top 1%. Return the rest to gen ed. The teachers already provide differentiated services in the classroom, and will simply continue to do so.

Our base school just eliminated ability grouping. My kid is not AAP but I have no confidence that he will be challenged anymore. I just don't think the teachers can adequately differentiate in one classroom for all of the different abilities.

Anonymous wrote:Here is the reason why things will not really change: AAP the way it is constructed, only costs the county a few hundred thousand, and that is for transportation costs.

Level III actually costs more, because in addition to the regular teachers you need the pull out specialists.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think AAP should raise the bar for admission until they address the lack of level III services. My current second grader receives level III services, which is pullout small group work, one hour, twice a month. I don't think DC would get any more in 3-6 grade. The current system is set up so that level IV gets full day services, while the rest of the advanced learners barely get any services. I don't think my child is in the top 1%, but gen Ed classes are designed for the middle of the road child. Unless they start offering more services for the 70-99% group, parents of children in this "advanced" group will continue to prep, appeal, and otherwise work within the system to get their children in AAP. It's not fair that the top 1% should receive so much more assistance than children who are also advanced, just not to the same degree.

Totally agree! There is an incentive for kids who are very close to the cut off or are not selected to appeal b/c the difference in services b/t Level 4 and Level 3 is steep.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think AAP should raise the bar for admission until they address the lack of level III services. My current second grader receives level III services, which is pullout small group work, one hour, twice a month. I don't think DC would get any more in 3-6 grade. The current system is set up so that level IV gets full day services, while the rest of the advanced learners barely get any services. I don't think my child is in the top 1%, but gen Ed classes are designed for the middle of the road child. Unless they start offering more services for the 70-99% group, parents of children in this "advanced" group will continue to prep, appeal, and otherwise work within the system to get their children in AAP. It's not fair that the top 1% should receive so much more assistance than children who are also advanced, just not to the same degree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of all kids in grades 3-8 are in AAP.

They should go to a straight IQ test, and limit it to no more than the top 1%. Return the rest to gen ed. The teachers already provide differentiated services in the classroom, and will simply continue to do so.

I agree on the top 1% in AAP. Then establish Local Level IV at every elementary and middle school for the kids between gen ed and AAP. This reduces transportation costs as well as overcrowding at AAP Centers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20% of all kids in grades 3-8 are in AAP.

They should go to a straight IQ test, and limit it to no more than the top 1%. Return the rest to gen ed. The teachers already provide differentiated services in the classroom, and will simply continue to do so.

I agree on the top 1% in AAP. Then establish Local Level IV at every elementary and middle school for the kids between gen ed and AAP. This reduces transportation costs as well as overcrowding at AAP Centers.

Anonymous wrote:20% of all kids in grades 3-8 are in AAP.

They should go to a straight IQ test, and limit it to no more than the top 1%. Return the rest to gen ed. The teachers already provide differentiated services in the classroom, and will simply continue to do so.