LOL, did they come up with a whole new test to thwart the preppers? I bet this is really throwing a wrench in the schedules for all those kiddie Asian afterschool prep classes.

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/faqs/idfaqs.shtml

What is the Fairfax Abilities Test (FxAT)?

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will be introducing a new Fairfax Abilities Test (FxAT) to our 2nd Graders this fall. This new test is replacing the previously used Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The FxAT is a customized form of the CogAT specifically designed for use in FCPS. This assessment is used as a part of the screening process for advanced academic services.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone learned anything about what the FAT is? Don't jump all over me, I don't want to prep, I'm just very curious about the change, how it came about, etc.

Ask the staff:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/directory.shtml

No need, I am already very FAT.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone learned anything about what the FAT is? Don't jump all over me, I don't want to prep, I'm just very curious about the change, how it came about, etc.

Really? You should...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are complete foreigners at our center school. It is very overcrowded and there has been a huge uproar about how the base school parents want us out. Our school does not have local level IV and there is no other center school in our area. I don't go to PTA meetings because of the horror stories of drama I have heard. It's a great school and I am glad my kids are a part of it, but because of the hostility it will never feel like home to us as parents.

I'll bet I can guess your center school (but in the interest of keeping the peace, I won't).

C'mon, you're no fun.

Has anyone learned anything about what the FAT is? Don't jump all over me, I don't want to prep, I'm just very curious about the change, how it came about, etc.

Anonymous wrote:PP: Some people think that people that help out a lot in PTA get better GBRS scores. That may be true, but correlation does not mean causation. I suspect that kids with parents involved in there education do better. The involvement at school probably means involvement at home.

I was surprised by DC's friend's GBRS (thought it was a little high) and wondered if it was partly due to the child's parent's sincere involvement in the classrooms of his/her kids. Since then and with what I've read on this forum, I have come to the conclusion that the GBRS is much more subjective than we would think. Outside of that, however, it is the central screening committee that decides who is eligible for level IV services - doubt that PTA involvement plays any role there.

As far as local level IV - been quite disappointed by how little accurate info the base school shares. I feel that is part of the reason so few level IV's stay and the class is filled with non level IV kids. It's a vicious circle.

Anonymous wrote:We are complete foreigners at our center school. It is very overcrowded and there has been a huge uproar about how the base school parents want us out. Our school does not have local level IV and there is no other center school in our area. I don't go to PTA meetings because of the horror stories of drama I have heard. It's a great school and I am glad my kids are a part of it, but because of the hostility it will never feel like home to us as parents.

I'll bet I can guess your center school (but in the interest of keeping the peace, I won't).

We are complete foreigners at our center school. It is very overcrowded and there has been a huge uproar about how the base school parents want us out. Our school does not have local level IV and there is no other center school in our area. I don't go to PTA meetings because of the horror stories of drama I have heard. It's a great school and I am glad my kids are a part of it, but because of the hostility it will never feel like home to us as parents.

Ahhh, well our base school only offers up level 3 services. I would think that they would try to hold on to the on to the involved parents and not want them to leave for the center....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
With that said, at DD's school (base school is an AAP center), I have noticed the most involved in the PTA are from the base, and many do not have kids in AAP.

I have two kids at an AAP center school that is not our base school, and have been a frequent PTA volunteer since my son started at the school in 3rd grade (he'll start 6th grade this year). It has taken me a couple of years to "fit in" with the PTA since I am not from the neighborhood, I have just started learning names and faces, and I have been also involved at my younger DC's base school. Oftentimes it is a little harder for AAP parents to get plugged in to the PTA. Add in working FT to the mix and it is even harder.

Agree. I often get an almost hostile response from some of the other parent volunteers when they find out that my child is a center child from another base school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you PTA posters talking about actual AAP?

Or are you just talking about the accelerated classes the principal puts together for the kids that don't go to AAP?

They are referring to non-AAP Center eligible kids who are placed in Local Level IV classes. Most Local Level IV classes do not have a majority of AAP Center-eligible kids and the principal often selects which kids fill the class.

Ok, thanks. I am newer to the district so this answer helps.

So if most of the angst and complaining is about overcrowded AAP classrooms and special favors for placement, and specifically the local level 4 classes, wouldn't the simplest thing for the district to do would be to eliminate the local level 4 classes and keep the centers?

If a kid makes AAP, she goes to the center as the only option, or stays at the base in a regular class. This would cut back on the cries of overcroding, favoritsm, being left out, etc.

My kid is in AAP and because we are new to the area we did not experience any drama. But, I can see how parents would be upset if you have 60 kids in a grade, only 4 who actually qualified for a service, and almost half of the remaining kids receiving the service by default. That WOULD be sucky for the other half of the class.

Reading these boards I never really understood the angst and nuttiness. However, seeing it broken down in this scenario, I can see how everyone gets worked up.

Anonymous wrote:
With that said, at DD's school (base school is an AAP center), I have noticed the most involved in the PTA are from the base, and many do not have kids in AAP.

I have two kids at an AAP center school that is not our base school, and have been a frequent PTA volunteer since my son started at the school in 3rd grade (he'll start 6th grade this year). It has taken me a couple of years to "fit in" with the PTA since I am not from the neighborhood, I have just started learning names and faces, and I have been also involved at my younger DC's base school. Oftentimes it is a little harder for AAP parents to get plugged in to the PTA. Add in working FT to the mix and it is even harder.

Anonymous wrote:Are you PTA posters talking about actual AAP?

Or are you just talking about the accelerated classes the principal puts together for the kids that don't go to AAP?

They are referring to non-AAP Center eligible kids who are placed in Local Level IV classes. Most Local Level IV classes do not have a majority of AAP Center-eligible kids and the principal often selects which kids fill the class.