Anonymous
Post 06/27/2012 16:13     Subject: How many kids are in your child's class?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Many schools have Local Level IV options at the base school that will work for moderately gifted kids. But for kids that are highly or exceptionally gifted, or for kids with a small number of Center-eligible kids in the base school's Local Level IV classroom, the Center is a better fit.


Yes, I know. I really wished ALL schools had a Level IV option but from what I have heard, even the schools that do have the option, many (the majority?) of parents still choose to send their children to the center based program. Do we really have that many "highly or exceptionally gifted" students that cannot be served at their base school's level IV, or is it due to the "status" of having a child in the center? Personally, I feel it is the latter. This year has opened the flood gates to level IV eligible kids due,to the new CogAT and lack of changing the cut off. Something is going to have to give. But then again, maybe I forget, is this really Lake Wobegone and our children are really all above average? Sorry for that. I really do like hearing from the parents here who are pleased with their Title I school experiences. Those schools have so many more resources for ALL students and lower numbers in th classrooms.


Please share these statistics about the opening "of the flood gates to level IV eligible kids due to the new CogAT and lack of changing the cut off."

The only information I have heard about was the change in using the CogAT composite score as the benchmark for establishment of the 2nd grade pool. As you know, the 2nd grade pool is not the same thing as Level IV eligibility.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/215608.page#2144747




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I don't have specific statistics so you can ignore this of you wish. I do know for at least one school the number going to the center program is significantly higher than in the past. I have also heard that is true throughout the county. Yes, pool eligible does not equate to center eligible. Parent can and do refer who are not in the pool and make it in and that is NOT a bad thing. I think the statistics will show once the doors open this fall if people look at the sizes of the center based programs. Are there more students? I am betting yes. Is that bad? No, but what impact does that make on both the center basd school and the school's that sent students? Those are the future statistics that will be interesting to view.


I wish I could link to the actual pages in this document -- sorry I can't figure out how to do that.

Anyway, here is the Capital Improvement Plan document (PDF) -- on pages 9 - 12 there is a section on increasing enrollment overall in FCPS.

http://www.fcps.edu/fts/planning/cip/cipbook2013-17.pdf

I am guessing that AAP Center enrollment is increasing (and will continue to increase) as does overall enrollment.

I also think there is a potential spike in enrollment starting in 3rd grade, when students that were in private school K-2 switch to public to attend AAP. (But I have absolutely no statistics to back that statement up.)
Anonymous
Post 06/27/2012 13:44     Subject: How many kids are in your child's class?
My son in LLIV had 29 last year, and 28 this year. I think the center was pretty close in numbers. Large class sizes are the norm at most schools these days.