Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?

I say this as a parent of a 9th grader and 12th grader .... it doesn't matter. Smart kids are smart kids and what they do or what they are called in 2nd and 3rd grade doesn't matter. Or 4th grade. Maybe 5th, but it matters more who their regular teacher is and what kinds of regular work and feedback they are getting (how much reading and writing they do, mostly) than whether they are "identified as gifted" or pushed ahead in math. Seriously. People need to take it down a notch.

It’s not the identification itself that matters, it’s the guaranteed extension and enrichment opportunities. That affects what kind of regular work they do, and the complexity of the reading and writing they do in school.

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect.

This. My current fifth grader has slipped through the cracks in terms of being identified -- she was above the cutoff for the NNAT but they said that she wasn't selected then (I didn't push it so not sure what the story was there), and she was way above the cutoff for the COGAT (I think she scored 150ish, she was in the 99% for everything) but then COVID happened. I was going to let it go, but her teacher said that we should try to get her flagged so she doesn't get put in a lower math track. Every time I've brought up the whole gt thing at conferences in elementary school, her teachers have said that they have her in the class with the cluster of gifted students so she gets the same enrichment, so there was no additional benefit to having her classified. They do a push in model so all the kids in that class get some time with the rtg.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?

I say this as a parent of a 9th grader and 12th grader .... it doesn't matter. Smart kids are smart kids and what they do or what they are called in 2nd and 3rd grade doesn't matter. Or 4th grade. Maybe 5th, but it matters more who their regular teacher is and what kinds of regular work and feedback they are getting (how much reading and writing they do, mostly) than whether they are "identified as gifted" or pushed ahead in math. Seriously. People need to take it down a notch.

It’s not the identification itself that matters, it’s the guaranteed extension and enrichment opportunities. That affects what kind of regular work they do, and the complexity of the reading and writing they do in school.

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect.

Anonymous wrote:

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect

Actually I’m not. I have one kid who was identified in math only and one who was identified in all academic areas. The one identified in all areas receives on a daily basis extension activities that she is expected to complete. The older one may have been offered extension activities in non math subjects, but there was little expectation that they would be completed. They were optional for him (except in math). The younger one also receives more detailed and challenging rubrics for many projects than is standard. I frequently see mention of “just an extra packet” when the topic of APS gifted services pops up on dcum, and I’m sorry that was your kids’ disappointing experience. That experience may have been due to differences in specific schools and/or gifted resource teachers. My kids have been at two different elementary schools, two middles, and the older one is now in high school. They get more than packets, math and reading small groups, and accelerated math come middle school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect

Actually I’m not. I have one kid who was identified in math only and one who was identified in all academic areas. The one identified in all areas receives on a daily basis extension activities that she is expected to complete. The older one may have been offered extension activities in non math subjects, but there was little expectation that they would be completed. They were optional for him (except in math). The younger one also receives more detailed and challenging rubrics for many projects than is standard. I frequently see mention of “just an extra packet” when the topic of APS gifted services pops up on dcum, and I’m sorry that was your kids’ disappointing experience. That experience may have been due to differences in specific schools and/or gifted resource teachers. My kids have been at two different elementary schools, two middles, and the older one is now in high school. They get more than packets, math and reading small groups, and accelerated math come middle school.

Interesting perspective. I'm an APS teacher and parent and this has not been my experience teaching at 2 different APS elementary schools while my own children have attended 3 different APS schools and are identified. Perhaps it has to do with the number of students identified. I've only ever seen one RTG per school level and there just isn't enough of this person to go around and provide services at the level you are describing.

Anonymous wrote:

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect

Actually I’m not. I have one kid who was identified in math only and one who was identified in all academic areas. The one identified in all areas receives on a daily basis extension activities that she is expected to complete. The older one may have been offered extension activities in non math subjects, but there was little expectation that they would be completed. They were optional for him (except in math). The younger one also receives more detailed and challenging rubrics for many projects than is standard. I frequently see mention of “just an extra packet” when the topic of APS gifted services pops up on dcum, and I’m sorry that was your kids’ disappointing experience. That experience may have been due to differences in specific schools and/or gifted resource teachers. My kids have been at two different elementary schools, two middles, and the older one is now in high school. They get more than packets, math and reading small groups, and accelerated math come middle school.

You are overestimating the amount of extension and enrichment. In my grade level it is an extra math packet for those who finish the math work early, and once weekly for 20 minutes each small group with the RTG in math and/or reading. That's it. It's not as much as you think and it matters less than you think.

The only case where it really makes a difference is that SOME (not all) identified kids go on the advanced math track to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade so they are a year ahead of most other APS students in the math pathway. That is truly the only difference/advantage that has any lasting effect

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?

I say this as a parent of a 9th grader and 12th grader .... it doesn't matter. Smart kids are smart kids and what they do or what they are called in 2nd and 3rd grade doesn't matter. Or 4th grade. Maybe 5th, but it matters more who their regular teacher is and what kinds of regular work and feedback they are getting (how much reading and writing they do, mostly) than whether they are "identified as gifted" or pushed ahead in math. Seriously. People need to take it down a notch.

It’s not the identification itself that matters, it’s the guaranteed extension and enrichment opportunities. That affects what kind of regular work they do, and the complexity of the reading and writing they do in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?

I say this as a parent of a 9th grader and 12th grader .... it doesn't matter. Smart kids are smart kids and what they do or what they are called in 2nd and 3rd grade doesn't matter. Or 4th grade. Maybe 5th, but it matters more who their regular teacher is and what kinds of regular work and feedback they are getting (how much reading and writing they do, mostly) than whether they are "identified as gifted" or pushed ahead in math. Seriously. People need to take it down a notch.

It’s not the identification itself that matters, it’s the guaranteed extension and enrichment opportunities. That affects what kind of regular work they do, and the complexity of the reading and writing they do in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The score alone does not equal identification. It places your child in the pool. I’m an APS teacher. We also have students who are in the pool because of teacher or parent referrals. Teachers have to provide evidence to support (or not support) students being identified no matter how they ended up in the screening pool. We tend to be on the generous side of supporting identification but not every student in the pool ends up being identified.

Thank you for saying "we tend to be on the generous side".

Statistically, 25% of McK ele cannot be "gifted" but they report that stat and yes, both of my kids are cardinals! Cheep Cheep. (my kids are bright but McK's ID rate is astounding). A few other NARL schools have the same or similar rates. CoGAT was 136 and the vp was telling me what a great score it was so I asked about the test. It's like 6-10 questions in each section. Not robust IMO but APS is what it is.

I totally hear all of you with a 2nd grader now. The test won't be given in it's standard form. The kids won't be in their standard ed environment and won't have been for the past year. I assume the grades will be re-normed this year (lower) but not sure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?

I say this as a parent of a 9th grader and 12th grader .... it doesn't matter. Smart kids are smart kids and what they do or what they are called in 2nd and 3rd grade doesn't matter. Or 4th grade. Maybe 5th, but it matters more who their regular teacher is and what kinds of regular work and feedback they are getting (how much reading and writing they do, mostly) than whether they are "identified as gifted" or pushed ahead in math. Seriously. People need to take it down a notch.

Anonymous wrote:The score alone does not equal identification. It places your child in the pool. I’m an APS teacher. We also have students who are in the pool because of teacher or parent referrals. Teachers have to provide evidence to support (or not support) students being identified no matter how they ended up in the screening pool. We tend to be on the generous side of supporting identification but not every student in the pool ends up being identified.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The score alone does not equal identification. It places your child in the pool. I’m an APS teacher. We also have students who are in the pool because of teacher or parent referrals. Teachers have to provide evidence to support (or not support) students being identified no matter how they ended up in the screening pool. We tend to be on the generous side of supporting identification but not every student in the pool ends up being identified.

How are teachers supposed to determine this given the circumstances? The teachers barely know my child with DL. They haven't been doing much small group instruction and my kid doesn't speak up in a big virtual class.

Did your teacher give you a survey to fill out?

No. Does the survey come before or after the screening test?

Anonymous wrote:We got the school letter stating that all 2nd graders are given the chance for Cogat test. What happens when DC gets her scores - does it impact the kind of class she will be in 3rd grade? Or is it for the grouping of students for differentiated instruction in the future? Wouldn't school tests/Dreambox/Lexia work be sufficient for gauging? What implications do these tests have on current 2nd graders?