If only a small number of truly gifted kids were getting into AAP, then no one would bat an eye because the needs of those kids for a different environment would be obvious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Yep kids can be mean. And kids move at their own pace. Luckily, AAP is there to provide supports for kids to need it sooner than later. And luckily AP classes are available for kids who need it later.

Wow. That's what you got out of it? You read that as my kid with a 97th percentile CogAT, above grade level in everything, and with a perfect GBRS "needed it later," and the kids with lower scores all around who weren't even in the advanced math group or highest reading group "needed it sooner."

The bigger issue is that aside from the very top kids who are above and beyond, AAP draws a pretty arbitrary line between the above average kids who get the smart label and the above average kids who don't. It's unfortunate that one group of moderately advanced kids with moderately bright test scores will be mean to peers who are completely indistinguishable from them and may even be smarter than they are, simply because FCPS created this huge gulf between the two groups. And then the very top kids who are above and beyond don't get the supports they need because the program has been so watered down by the above average kids in AAP.

They should use test scores and only allow appeals if your kid gets within 5 or 10 points of the cutoff.
Holistic can be a synonym for arbitrary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Yep kids can be mean. And kids move at their own pace. Luckily, AAP is there to provide supports for kids to need it sooner than later. And luckily AP classes are available for kids who need it later.

Wow. That's what you got out of it? You read that as my kid with a 97th percentile CogAT, above grade level in everything, and with a perfect GBRS "needed it later," and the kids with lower scores all around who weren't even in the advanced math group or highest reading group "needed it sooner."

The bigger issue is that aside from the very top kids who are above and beyond, AAP draws a pretty arbitrary line between the above average kids who get the smart label and the above average kids who don't. It's unfortunate that one group of moderately advanced kids with moderately bright test scores will be mean to peers who are completely indistinguishable from them and may even be smarter than they are, simply because FCPS created this huge gulf between the two groups. And then the very top kids who are above and beyond don't get the supports they need because the program has been so watered down by the above average kids in AAP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Yep kids can be mean. And kids move at their own pace. Luckily, AAP is there to provide supports for kids to need it sooner than later. And luckily AP classes are available for kids who need it later.

Wow. That's what you got out of it? You read that as my kid with a 97th percentile CogAT, above grade level in everything, and with a perfect GBRS "needed it later," and the kids with lower scores all around who weren't even in the advanced math group or highest reading group "needed it sooner."

The bigger issue is that aside from the very top kids who are above and beyond, AAP draws a pretty arbitrary line between the above average kids who get the smart label and the above average kids who don't. It's unfortunate that one group of moderately advanced kids with moderately bright test scores will be mean to peers who are completely indistinguishable from them and may even be smarter than they are, simply because FCPS created this huge gulf between the two groups. And then the very top kids who are above and beyond don't get the supports they need because the program has been so watered down by the above average kids in AAP.

Some of us are trying to tell you that the bolded is just not true at every school. Kids at our AAP center definitely don't think of the AAP classes as "the smart kids" and the not AAP classes as "the not smart kids." The fact that plenty of non-level IV kids push in for advanced math probably helps. Plus even though we are a center kids get principal placed in some grades so kids will move in and out of the AAP classes pretty fluidly. And the kids who are mean about AAP are kids who would find something arbitrary to be mean about regardless. That's a kid problem, and a parent problem, and a school culture problem. It's not a system-wide problem. I'm sorry it happened to your kid, and some other kids, but plenty of people know how not to place arbitrary "smart kid" labels around.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Yep kids can be mean. And kids move at their own pace. Luckily, AAP is there to provide supports for kids to need it sooner than later. And luckily AP classes are available for kids who need it later.

Wow. That's what you got out of it? You read that as my kid with a 97th percentile CogAT, above grade level in everything, and with a perfect GBRS "needed it later," and the kids with lower scores all around who weren't even in the advanced math group or highest reading group "needed it sooner."

The bigger issue is that aside from the very top kids who are above and beyond, AAP draws a pretty arbitrary line between the above average kids who get the smart label and the above average kids who don't. It's unfortunate that one group of moderately advanced kids with moderately bright test scores will be mean to peers who are completely indistinguishable from them and may even be smarter than they are, simply because FCPS created this huge gulf between the two groups. And then the very top kids who are above and beyond don't get the supports they need because the program has been so watered down by the above average kids in AAP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Yep kids can be mean. And kids move at their own pace. Luckily, AAP is there to provide supports for kids to need it sooner than later. And luckily AP classes are available for kids who need it later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I failed as a parent today! My child (2nd grader) came home crying today because apparently three of her friends are switching schools to go to an AAP center next year. I’m happy with my child’ performance and school, and didn’t even consider pushing for this. But she’s been crying for over an hour about how she is “stupid” and will have no friends next year. She doesn’t even want to see these girls tomorrow because they told her they aren’t friends with her anymore. I had absolutely on idea this is something kids talk about- this is my first kid. Have other parents experienced this ?

This sounds very unreal.

NP. I assure you, this is absolutely real. The same scenario happened with my child back in 2nd grade too. What made it even worse was that he attended a center school already and so had to see these mean kids for the rest of his elementary years - they were in the AAP classes and he was in GE. When they all found out they had gotten in, they made a lunch table for only themselves, and anyone not accepted to AAP was not allowed to sit there. This lasted for a few days until I and a few other parents notified the teachers and then that ended. But as another poster said, the damage had been done. My son was called "dumb" and the kids who had been his best friends immediately shunned him.

Being told as a SEVEN year old that you're either "smarter" than other kids, or "not as smart" is incredibly damaging. The truth is, the vast majority of these kids are identical in ability. Only a very few at either end of the spectrum are so different that they need a specialized curriculum.

+1
Flexible grouping doesn't work in practice for higher performing kids as we've all seen what it means in K-2 - VERY little time for those kids with the teacher while the teacher focuses on teh slower kids.
The AAP nonsense continued through middle school. Once high school rolled around, my son took all honors and AP classes and excelled. He was accepted to a top 20 college. He says to this day that nothing ever made him feel as bad as those kids who were chosen for AAP. And it was all so unnecessary. The school could have simply had flexible groupings for the four core subjects, that kids could cycle into and out of as needed. Instead, they choose to divide and label kids into two giant groups - groups full of almost identical kids. It's a total sham.

- Discipline kids poor behavior.
- Stop mainstreaming every single kid, many who need different accommodations that takes years to get out of the general education classes.
- Gate honors/GT classes again.
- Stop the flow of ESOL kids into gened classes when they can barely speak English.

This would allow flexible groupings to be viable. As it stands now, AAP is just normal school that many are clamoring for.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a similar story. My DD was told by some other girls on the bus that they were all smart and she wasn't, because they all got into AAP and she didn't. The sad part about all of this is that I know the other kids were parent referrals, and I didn't understand enough about AAP to refer my kid with a 130 CogAT composite (at a Title I school), meaning that my "not smart" DD had higher test scores than the "smart" girls who were bullying her. Then, she got rejected when we applied in 3rd, despite having a nearly perfect GBRS to go along with the 130 CogAT, as well as being above grade level in both reading and math.

Across the next 8 years, my kid got pass advanced on every SOL with perfect scores on most of them, a 98th percentile IAAT, straight As, a 5 on an AP test taken in 9th grade, and another 4 APs in 10th. She also flew through the math and completed AP Calc in 10th grade.

The AAP label is pretty meaningless, and kids will do fine even without it. My DD was pretty salty about the whole thing, though, and it took quite a bit of time for her to regain her confidence after FCPS and her peers deemed her as "not smart."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I failed as a parent today! My child (2nd grader) came home crying today because apparently three of her friends are switching schools to go to an AAP center next year. I’m happy with my child’ performance and school, and didn’t even consider pushing for this. But she’s been crying for over an hour about how she is “stupid” and will have no friends next year. She doesn’t even want to see these girls tomorrow because they told her they aren’t friends with her anymore. I had absolutely on idea this is something kids talk about- this is my first kid. Have other parents experienced this ?

This sounds very unreal.

+1 I was about to post the same reaction as PP.
The rest of the story is completely believable and justifiably heartbreaking, and honestly was enough to convey the hurt and disappointment. But this additional statement just doesn’t feel authentic. It feels more like the OP clumsily jammed it in there to make the situation appear even more crappy than it is, maybe thinking that it needed an extra gut punch or something.
But honestly even without that “and they told her they aren’t friends with her anymore” most people would be sympathetic to OP and her DD. It didn’t need the added drama.
And yes, it does seem like this is drama that OP just threw in there but is not something that 2nd grade friends would articulate in the immediate aftermath of receiving AAP results. It sounds more like OP is fearful that they will decide this or that they will say this later when there is reduced contact. But I just can’t see the AAP girls outright stating pre-emptively “so we aren’t friends with you anymore” to their friend who is standing right in front of them.

I agree, this doesn't sound like something they actually said. BUT, this may be the impression the daughter walked away with. That she would be separated from her friends and they wouldn't be friends anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:...and again, this thread got moved back to AAP.

MODS - it should NOT be here, it should be in the general forum. The point of the thread is to include feedback from people who don't have kids in AAP! Those people do not spend time in the AAP forum.

The point of the thread seemed to be to villainize children and the AAP program 🤷

That was my impression as well. What the children said in OP's story was the issue, which is a problem with those particular kids -- could be mean or just poor communication skills. Dismantling AAP won't fix that. The school system should be teaching every kid where they are and AAP is one way to do it. It isn't perfect but it is a robust process that allows each kid to be evaluated rather than groupings that often focus on the "pick me" kids and miss others who aren't getting challenged or aren't getting helped.

+1.

Also OP is at one school and a few other posters have chimed in. Doesn't mean all the ES-es in FCPS are like that. Ours happens to be low drama, low status consciousness in general. If you picked a neighborhood where people are snobby, you should have known what you were getting into.