The IAS addresses every factor that any parent, teacher or administrator has ever considered, including size and motor coordination (Dd is in the 95th% for height and weight), behavior (We like to think she is very mature and well behaved!), social participation, both inside and outside school activities, even attendance, motivation, self-concept and attitude towards learning. And given most weight are the ability and achievement tests, particularly in and out of grade level achievement tests. Rather than a full-grade skip, we would like to focus on her greatest strength, (language arts) and request that she be placed in the 7th grade Advanced Content language arts class, while remaining with her age peers in 6th grade for other subjects.
Excellent. Personally, I'd just ask for the full skip and then pull back after it's approved for the 7th grade LA. I'm not sure why. I think it exceeds most normal people's working memory to tell them "She is an excellent candidate for a full grade skip but we only want LA." Much easier on folks to get their approval for a full grade skip and THEN say 'you know, she might be better of with a subject accel - let's do that instead.'
Along the lines of the old joke 'We've determined what you are, now we are just haggling over the price.' yes?
And remember, that in most negotiations, one needs to ask for about twice as much as what one wants, so that the negotiation partner can walk away thinking 'I was a great negotiator - looks what I talked them down to!'
And BTW - your letter is great - but please get the little jokey tone out of it - I get it, but it looks like weakness or nervousness to an outsider. You can't exactly add a smiley to show that you are joking.
Grinity
