Anonymous wrote:Wasn't the original complaint that certain minorities weren't getting into the best middle school AAP programs that would help them get into TJ?

A complaint filed Monday by two local advocacy groups alleges Fairfax County Public Schools is perpetuating discrimination against black, Latino and disabled students through the admission process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).

Sixty-four percent of students admitted to TJHSST attend middle schools with Level 4 Advanced Academic Middle School Centers. Most of the centers have limited diversity, carrying minority populations that don't reflect the county's demographic makeup, the complaint says.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/249169.page#2609991

If the kids is smart, then the chances are very good to get into AAP. This is irrespective of the ethnicity or physical disability.

Regarding geting an in-ppol letter...From the FCPS.edu website

Grade 2 Screening Pool
All first grade students attending FCPS are administered the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT). All second grade students attending FCPS are administered the Fairfax County Public Schools CogAT-Custom Form, grade 2 Test. The second grade pool is determined through a review of the first grade NNAT results and the second grade FCPS CogAT Custom Form, grade 2 Test results. Each year the benchmark score varies slightly. Parents or guardians of students who score at or above the benchmark score are notified in writing that their student will be automatically screened as part of the second grade pool. All pool candidates are screened for possible full-time AAP Level IV placement unless parents submit a written request that their child not be screened.

PREPARATION FOR SCREENING
Local School Screening Committee
The local school screening committee consists of at least three of the following: a teacher who works with the student, the advanced academic resource teacher, an administrator, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher, and other specialists as needed. The local school committee completes the GBRSw/C and prepares screening files for all second grade pool candidates, as well as referrals. Parents or guardians are notified if the local school screening committee does not refer the student to the central selection committee. If parents or guardians appeal the decision of the local screening committee, the file is forwarded for central selection committee review.

Wasn't the original complaint that certain minorities weren't getting into the best middle school AAP programs that would help them get into TJ?

A complaint filed Monday by two local advocacy groups alleges Fairfax County Public Schools is perpetuating discrimination against black, Latino and disabled students through the admission process for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).

Sixty-four percent of students admitted to TJHSST attend middle schools with Level 4 Advanced Academic Middle School Centers. Most of the centers have limited diversity, carrying minority populations that don't reflect the county's demographic makeup, the complaint says.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/249169.page#2609991

what does it mean by minority students?

What do you think this change will do for minority students? Is it a good or bad thing for them?

We don't yet know what composite CoGat score will comprise the 95th percentile-so please post once scores arrive! Last year, 132 was composite score to be in pool-not sure what percentile that was.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're right, it doesn't really matter. But, I am curious about this year's CoGAT scores... A 95% cutoff is lower than in previous years, so I am trying to get a sense of what this means.

It has been discussed with details in various threads.
Previous years, FCPS used national CoGAT tests, and the 98% cutoff is national score (which translate into about 85%~90% in FCPS, give or take). This year, FCPS "developed" its own version of CoGAT, so the 95% is FCPS 95%. Consensus, the standard is actually raised for CoGAT.

This is what I do not get. Everybody says that FCPS test results are typically higher than national, yet, I see that a 98% cutoff based on national scores translates (according to many posts such as the above) to a much lower cutoff percentile in FCPS. How is that possible?

THe 98th percentile is based on everyone in the nation. The new 95th percentile is based on ONLY Fairfax test takers.

FOr apples to apples, the 98th national percentile translated to ~the 90th Fairfax percentile. So, it appear the County actually raised the bar for qualifying based on the CogAt tests by setting it at the 95th percentile of Fairfax scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're right, it doesn't really matter. But, I am curious about this year's CoGAT scores... A 95% cutoff is lower than in previous years, so I am trying to get a sense of what this means.

It has been discussed with details in various threads.
Previous years, FCPS used national CoGAT tests, and the 98% cutoff is national score (which translate into about 85%~90% in FCPS, give or take). This year, FCPS "developed" its own version of CoGAT, so the 95% is FCPS 95%. Consensus, the standard is actually raised for CoGAT.

This is what I do not get. Everybody says that FCPS test results are typically higher than national, yet, I see that a 98% cutoff based on national scores translates (according to many posts such as the above) to a much lower cutoff percentile in FCPS. How is that possible?

How it works is that in the past Fairfax County used the national number to determine percentile so, for example, nationally to be in the top 2 percent you had to score 132. About 15 percent of Fairfax County kids scored 132. Now Fairfax County is saying, we don't care if you scored 132 and are in the top 2 percent nationally, when compared only to Fairfax county kids you need to score say 138(made up number) to be in the top 5 percent of Fairfax County kids because Fairfax County kids score higher than kids nationally.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're right, it doesn't really matter. But, I am curious about this year's CoGAT scores... A 95% cutoff is lower than in previous years, so I am trying to get a sense of what this means.

It has been discussed with details in various threads.
Previous years, FCPS used national CoGAT tests, and the 98% cutoff is national score (which translate into about 85%~90% in FCPS, give or take). This year, FCPS "developed" its own version of CoGAT, so the 95% is FCPS 95%. Consensus, the standard is actually raised for CoGAT.

This is what I do not get. Everybody says that FCPS test results are typically higher than national, yet, I see that a 98% cutoff based on national scores translates (according to many posts such as the above) to a much lower cutoff percentile in FCPS. How is that possible?

95 percentile, which means 1 out of 20 gets in... how many % of students in GT class are not from this 95% percentile?

Anonymous wrote:You're right, it doesn't really matter. But, I am curious about this year's CoGAT scores... A 95% cutoff is lower than in previous years, so I am trying to get a sense of what this means.

It has been discussed with details in various threads.
Previous years, FCPS used national CoGAT tests, and the 98% cutoff is national score (which translate into about 85%~90% in FCPS, give or take). This year, FCPS "developed" its own version of CoGAT, so the 95% is FCPS 95%. Consensus, the standard is actually raised for CoGAT.

You're right, it doesn't really matter. But, I am curious about this year's CoGAT scores... A 95% cutoff is lower than in previous years, so I am trying to get a sense of what this means.

Anonymous wrote:Trust me, the cut scores on page 1 are correct.

+1

On the other note, why does it matter? Either the kid is in the pool, or not in the pool, no matter what the cutoff is. Most will know for sure by end of the week.

Trust me, the cut scores on page 1 are correct.

08:29: I read all previous posts but I still do not know how we know these cut-off scores. They were not mentioned in the in-pool letters and are not published on the AAP page... My understanding is that they are unconfirmed rumors, hence my question above (08:27).