I just found out that the school district I live in offers a self-contained program for GT kids. Marketing lit says the intention of the program is to �enhance the highly gifted student by�fostering self-directed learning�and cross-grade grouping.� The marketing lit also says the program serves .5% of the district population and that transportation from the student�s home campus is provided by the school district.

The district also offers a GT program at each school for students that score well but not as high as those in the self-contained program.

Any thoughts on the eligibility requirements? When my son gets older I�ll make time to better understand test types and scoring. Right now it�s a confusing blur.

REQUIREMENTS: (1) two IQ scores of 140 or above w/in the past 2 years in the areas of verbal, nonverbal and/or quantitative; (2) achievement test stanines of three 9�s, or a combination of two 9�s and one 8 in the core content areas of reading, language and math; and several other subjective requirements that I can wrap my brain around.

Ann,

That sounds pretty good. We also have a magnet for the top 2% but I've heard it's mostly the top .5. Both my girls should qualify and I'll take advantage if they do. DD8 already knows about it and grumbles a little about the potential of leaving her friends, but I'm guessing at least one if not more of her friends will qualify.
The subjective part is supposed to ensure that kids who don't test well but who would clearly benefit from the program can be included. I've heard in at least one case it can work the other way. A boy with an IQ of 160 was not admitted. I don't know the details or how accurate this info is.
They'll probably use a group intelligence test combined with an achievement test to identify the students who could attend.
I know here they use the CogAt and ISAT.
Look into it, it might be a great program.


I

Ann,

I'm with 'Neato. Based on what you've said, it sounds pretty good.

I'm not sure what exactly you're asking us though. I'm a bit short of caffeine today, so maybe the problem is me...but what do you mean by this:



Do you mean thoughts on what they are, or thoughts on whether they're high enough, or something else entirely?

(To my credit, I do make a point to try to answer the actual question being asked before I wander off into the goofy irrelevancies I so love! )

And here I thought you could read my mind.

Kriston, has anyone complimented you on your sense of humor today? You had me cracking up as I tried to eat my late lunch/early dinner - not a pretty sight to say the least.

Sorry for the confusion. I posted too quickly (tried to hurry before class started).

I wonder if the two score-related requirements make sense together. Do they typically go hand-in-hand? Maybe I need to be pointed to a resource that explains scoring. Is there a GT Testing for Dummies Book? I had to look up the word "stanines" -- "three 9's or a combination of two 9's and one 8" means nothing to me.

Yes! GT for Dummies! Anyone have an in with the publisher of the series? We could recommend it!


Normally I can, but not when I'm a quart low of caffeine! My ESP gets surprisingly weak in that case!



You make me smile at the compliment, and then you make me want to clean my computer screen. Not sure why...

Okay, I promised a serious response, but I won't dive into the testing morass, since Dottie's the pro and she's already on the case. (What I know about stanines...is zilch!)

I'll just say that many programs--including DYS!--have both an IQ and achievement requirement. I think they want to check both native ability and performance, since the combo helps them to catch kids with LDs who might get missed and to weed out hothoused kids who are not GT.

Dottie this helps SO much!!! Thank you! Why couldn't they just say that? You need to write the "for parents" section of their website that explains this stuff.

Re: IQ scores
"Two IQ scores of 140 or above on district-approved measure within the past two years."

I have to admit I am curious about what the "district-approved measure" means (exactly). The school starts in kindie. I wonder if parents can petition the district for testing before kindie. I also wonder if the district would accept private testing. I know we're a long way off, but curiosity tends to get the best of me. I may just call tomorrow and ask.

I'm not clear if they're asking for two IQ tests either. That does seem like overkill.

Thanks again Dottie!

LMAO - I sound like DS2's Elmo TMX w/ low batteries. I enjoy humor that is clever, a little dry, and honest.



OH - that makes sense. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!!! Bit by bit - maybe one day - I'll vaguely understand the GT realm.

Seriously! WAAAAAAAAY ahead of the game, Ann! When my son was your son's age, I was still deeply enmeshed in my belief that he was "only" MG and that public school would be a breeze for him when he got there, sans accomodations.

Yeah, the salad days of GT denial, before my rude awakening to GT reality! :p Testing wasn't even a blip on my radar screen when DS was 2 or 3 or even 4! The school tested him for GT (teacher ID) when he was in K and almost 6, but I didn't even ask to see the scores until 6 months later and he was having trouble in school. (DUH!) But at the time, I figured they had IDd him as GT, so what more did I need to know. LOGs weren't something I was considering. Then I saw his outrageously high scores (I thought) and realized I had some learning to do!

What little I know I've learned in the past 6 months, and only after I had the scores in hand, so it was all on the fly.

At this rate, you'll be a pro like Dottie by the time you actually need the info!

How many posts in a row can we get someone to write waaaaaaay too many A's in the word "way?" 4? 5? D'ya think?

I am waaaaaaaay ROFL over this!!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!

Beat ya both!!!

..And the thread is successfully sidetracked!

Waaaaaaaay to go, ladies! It's good to have a skill, and this seems to be our particular one.

<blowing a kiss to the patient Ann, whose sense of humor will surely allow her to overlook our monkeyshines on her thread>

(tee-hee-hee!)

Now, now, this is an exhibition, not a competition. Competitive parenting is over on the "Isolation" thread...Waaaaaaaaay over on the "Isolation" thread!

It's probably a ball that needs to be dropped.

As we say around our house, "It was funny once; it wasn't funny five times."

And so, with full knowledge and forethought, I break the chain! Keep 'em wanting more!

Yup, funny 6 or 7 times at least. Thanks for playing Dottie and E&CMom! Good times!

And, yes, the self-contained nature of the school and the surprisingly high scores required bode well for the school and finding true peers. I'd definitely keep a close eye on that option, Ann!

He'll turn 3 on Nov. 5. For his third birthday DS has asked if he can drive a combine harvester. I sure hope he changes his mind b/c I don't think I can make that happen.

What about the saying "ignorance is bliss." I thought I'd send you a copy of his scores in a few years and have you patiently explain them to me.

I can't imagine what you must have thought/felt when you saw your DS's scores.

DS's pediatrician, current teacher, and two prior teachers have each told me that I should have DS tested. I've sat here staring at my monitor thinking really? - why? - are you sure? DS seems like a ND 2yo w/ a larger vocab...maybe MG...but I can't imagine more than that. The concept seems too far removed from reality.

Speaking of ND 2y/o behavior: Tonight, after DS rode his tricycle around the block, I told DS it was time to go home. He told me "I'll see you later Mom. I'm going to the park." Cut to rampant emotionalism when I said no.

By nature I'm a worrier and a planner. When I heard about this school my (true confessions style) initial thought was -- I wouldn't have to rely on DH to provide for DS's education. Anything *free* gives me more breathing room/options.

Feel free to always stray from one of my threads. I enjoy the silliness. It makes me laugh. What's not to like about that?

Ah, so much ignorance, so much bliss! LOL!

Planning ahead seems very prudent, especially with the extra load you're shouldering. And a truly good FREE school for HG+ kids is something I would give my right arm for!

Ignorance may be bliss--just ask me!--but I think you're a wise, wise woman to think ahead, Ann!

Well Ann, if you lived near me, DS could come ride on our full size tractor. It's bright red and very "pretty"!

I want to live in your district!!!!!!
Seriously - what state are you from?

If you are close to southwestern Ohio in November, I could make that happen! We sold our combine a couple years ago when we switched from a grain/cattle farm to a full time cattle/grass finishing farm. But my brother bought it, and we've got lots of friends who still grain farm and have combines.

Thanks CFK! You've helped me think of more questions to ask. I'd like to understand what's really being offered.

You reminded me of my first preschool experience, which lasted less than a week. DS was 18 mos, and the director told me she would like to try him in an older class. DS was supposed to be treated like the toddlers with the exception of the curriculum. What actually happened was DS was put on the potty regularly and unassisted during lunch time. I wondered why DS was so thirsty when I picked him up from school. I also noticed that he urinated less. After observing his class I realized that he wasn't getting anything to drink b/c no one was helping him drink out of the cup w/o a lid. He was also only eating what he could pick up with his hands. I felt like such an awful mother. It made me sick! It still makes me sad when I think about it.

Ann, I think it was the teachers who were at fault. Not you. You are a good mom for noticing that there was a problem!

<hugs>

Cathy

Thank you Cathy.

Yuck - it still makes me angry and nauseous. I watched DS sit at the lunch table by himself while the teachers and other kids went off to do something else. No one went back to check on him.

I'm so sorry your son went thru that. When DS was placed in K when he was newly 4 the teacher didn't put his photo on his cubby like the other kids, she didn't let him have a journal or a pencil box and she let the other kids tell him he wasn't allowed to use the computer because he "wasn't really in Kindergarten." Then she gave him a zero on his report card for "use of technology". <eyeroll>

It sounds to me like those teachers just wanted to prove to you that your son didn't belong there by making things difficult for him. It would have taken a little effort on their parts to include him but they just couldn't be bothered...

I'm ticked off all over again just thinking about it! And I'm mad on behalf of your son, too.