Anonymous
Post 08/25/2015 06:36     Subject: How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:gBRS is highly subjective. What if you are in a class where the teacher does not think highly of DD/DS? Any options?


Wait a year? Go for a WISC? Most FCPS teachers are professional and will surprise you. And you can appeal. BTW, the CogAT and NNAT also have biases, particularly for kids with anxiety issues. And performance on one day does not equal overall performance. What happens if DC has a cold that day? In our case, back in 2009-2010, DD had a cold for the NNAT. The CogAT was blown because of my mistake -- we got a puppy the night before. (there is only one of us). DD did not excel on either tests.

We actually talked to the teacher and AART about this. They were surprised. But the teacher pointed out that DD got frustrated when she could not clarify sometime on the NNAT, and noticed DD was not focused on the CogAT.

With an NNAT of 123 and a similar CogAT's, we parentally referred. We also got a WISC score (after the submission deadline, figured for appeal if needed). That was in the mid 130's. But, we did not need to appeal. The daily observations of the teacher offset the one (or two) bad days.

I will take a measurement that is averaged over two years over to distinct data points any day of the week.

If you read up on the NNAT and CogAT, you will discover they have measurement errors on the order of 15 -20 points.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2015 22:48     Subject: How to ensure good gbrs
gBRS is highly subjective. What if you are in a class where the teacher does not think highly of DD/DS? Any options?
Anonymous
Post 07/13/2015 22:43     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have 3 children. One is in 7th AAP, one in 3rd Gen Ed, and one in 2nd, heading to AAP next year.

Child 1) Had in-pool test scores. GBRS 9. Rough 2nd grade year. Academically he had straight 4's, but we were working through some behavior and inattention challenges. Newer teacher, seemed overwhelmed. Mentioned extremely strong academics but immaturity in our discussion after the fact. Not admitted. 3rd grade teacher suggested a parent referral early on in the year, entered AAP in 4th after first round acceptance. (Side note: ADHD diagnosis came in 4th)

Child 2) Scores not in pool. (Naglieri was very close, CogAT was not) GBRS 16. Child had IEP for autism and ADHD, but his teacher really got him, and saw his giftedness for what it was. Not admitted. Did not appeal.

Child 3) Scores both just shy of pool benchmark. GBRS 16. Admitted. No academic/behavioral issues.

So, in my small little family study, I can say that the only child of mine admitted in the first round was the one with the GBRS of 16, no behavior/attention issues, and out of pool test scores. I strongly feel that behavior/inattention, in spite of scores, will be a bigger barrier than shyness.


You know, in the end it has all worked out fine. DS1 started AAP a year late, but suffered no ill effects, devote the fact that I strongly feel his GBRS was way lower than he deserved. He's heading into 8th, and has done great. DS2 was fine in 3rd Gen Ed, and got weekly pull puts and some differentiation. DD will head to the center in the fall. We chose to request a sibling transfer for DS2 to avoid 3 kids at 3 schools, and me teaching at a 4th. I figure an additional benefit will be that he can be pulled in for math or science if they see fit (and yes, the principal mentioned they occasionally do this.)

Interesting that the behavior issues seemed to outweigh everything else. A GRBS 16 should be an automatic admit IMHO. Jeez.
Anonymous
Post 07/13/2015 22:00     Subject: How to ensure good gbrs
123 in the NNAT is not borderline. That is 9 points from froM the min of 132 to make pool. Kids with 129 BNAT and 136 CogAT did not get in...
Anonymous
Post 07/13/2015 21:58     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, PP, for sharing your experience. What I gathered from your post is that AAP selection within FCPS is really a random crapshot. Nothing is a shoe in.


I agree with you if the kid is borderline AAP. If the kid really stands out, then that's a slam dunk. About 10-15% FCPS kids admitted into AAP. If the kid is top 5-8%, it will be very surprised that he/she won't get in. All the talks about crapshot are around the 10-15 percentile.


Is NNAT of 123 (92%) consider borderline AAP or don't even bother with AAP?



This year a 132 comp was needed in either of the 2 test. I think a 123 could get in as a parent referral.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2015 11:44     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:I have 3 children. One is in 7th AAP, one in 3rd Gen Ed, and one in 2nd, heading to AAP next year.

Child 1) Had in-pool test scores. GBRS 9. Rough 2nd grade year. Academically he had straight 4's, but we were working through some behavior and inattention challenges. Newer teacher, seemed overwhelmed. Mentioned extremely strong academics but immaturity in our discussion after the fact. Not admitted. 3rd grade teacher suggested a parent referral early on in the year, entered AAP in 4th after first round acceptance. (Side note: ADHD diagnosis came in 4th)

Child 2) Scores not in pool. (Naglieri was very close, CogAT was not) GBRS 16. Child had IEP for autism and ADHD, but his teacher really got him, and saw his giftedness for what it was. Not admitted. Did not appeal.

Child 3) Scores both just shy of pool benchmark. GBRS 16. Admitted. No academic/behavioral issues.

So, in my small little family study, I can say that the only child of mine admitted in the first round was the one with the GBRS of 16, no behavior/attention issues, and out of pool test scores. I strongly feel that behavior/inattention, in spite of scores, will be a bigger barrier than shyness.


Interesting that the behavior issues seemed to outweigh everything else. A GRBS 16 should be an automatic admit IMHO. Jeez.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2015 11:41     Subject: How to ensure good gbrs
If your child has been diagnosed with clinical anxiety and it in treatment for it, I would definitely let the school know!
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2015 11:39     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, PP, for sharing your experience. What I gathered from your post is that AAP selection within FCPS is really a random crapshot. Nothing is a shoe in.


I agree with you if the kid is borderline AAP. If the kid really stands out, then that's a slam dunk. About 10-15% FCPS kids admitted into AAP. If the kid is top 5-8%, it will be very surprised that he/she won't get in. All the talks about crapshot are around the 10-15 percentile.


Is NNAT of 123 (92%) consider borderline AAP or don't even bother with AAP?


You really can't tell anything based on one score, one day. My child scored less than that on the NNAT and I had no doubt he would be admitted, and he was (with no "test prep", didn't fill out the parent questionnaire or submit anything, etc.). You know as the parent if your child will be a for-sure admission to AAP. If your kid is in the grey zone, than that child will do fine in general ed anyway.
Anonymous
Post 06/03/2015 11:06     Subject: How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:op again. Ok come on now - the other post just said how subjective the gbrs is- so this is a valid question.


The GBRS is not as subjective as some posters indicate. The GBRS is harder to game than the CogAT, as it is based on 1 1/2 years of observations rather that 2 hours. Things they might look at are the questions the kid asks (when they ask), the creativity shown in the writing...the jokes that the kid tells. What does the child do in down time? Does she pick up a book, or does he draw...if it is a book, what book? What are they drawing pictures of?

A shy child often has good GBRS, as they will factor in more than the child's assertiveness.


These were not the questions I saw in my child's AAP file. Either the school chose to omit most of them, or the set of questions are different for the school (vice parents or others).
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2015 10:47     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, PP, for sharing your experience. What I gathered from your post is that AAP selection within FCPS is really a random crapshot. Nothing is a shoe in.


I agree with you if the kid is borderline AAP. If the kid really stands out, then that's a slam dunk. About 10-15% FCPS kids admitted into AAP. If the kid is top 5-8%, it will be very surprised that he/she won't get in. All the talks about crapshot are around the 10-15 percentile.


Is NNAT of 123 (92%) consider borderline AAP or don't even bother with AAP?


You can't know until you see the CoGAT score next year.
Anonymous
Post 06/02/2015 06:10     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, PP, for sharing your experience. What I gathered from your post is that AAP selection within FCPS is really a random crapshot. Nothing is a shoe in.


I agree with you if the kid is borderline AAP. If the kid really stands out, then that's a slam dunk. About 10-15% FCPS kids admitted into AAP. If the kid is top 5-8%, it will be very surprised that he/she won't get in. All the talks about crapshot are around the 10-15 percentile.


Is NNAT of 123 (92%) consider borderline AAP or don't even bother with AAP?
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2015 21:45     Subject: Re:How to ensure good gbrs
Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, PP, for sharing your experience. What I gathered from your post is that AAP selection within FCPS is really a random crapshot. Nothing is a shoe in.


I agree with you if the kid is borderline AAP. If the kid really stands out, then that's a slam dunk. About 10-15% FCPS kids admitted into AAP. If the kid is top 5-8%, it will be very surprised that he/she won't get in. All the talks about crapshot are around the 10-15 percentile.