Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Working up my case for principal meeting...

OK so thanks to everyone for the amazingly helpful info on the MAPs. I am trying to work up my case for meeting with the principal. I hope to have it in writing just as I would a report for work -- that way it is clear and not me trying to defend the case myself.

Someone was nice enough to refer me to the Scholastic report on lexile scores and it is great b/c it also cross-references with RIT score percentiles, but I am wondering if she falls under "proficient" to "high proficient" for 6th grade, does that mean that 6th grade is mastered and her learning level should be 7th grade? I am just wondering?

Also, I found something on another post about Johns Hopkins using a 95th percentile or above for their talent search -- does anyone have any other reference points like this on how MAP scores are used? Or how they relate? I am just gathering info -- thanks!!

As far as lexile scores go...compare them to the receiving class and sidestep the whole question of how much is enought compared to classmates.
Good luck
Grinity

Grinity -- I am not sure what you mean? What is the receiving class? Sorry -- I am not following??

I think Grinity is talking about the other students that your DC would be working with when the school subject accelerates or grade-skips her. The children she is grouped with for instruction should be reading right around the same level she is, regardless of their nominal "grade". It might be better for your DC to be grouped with second or third graders who are also reading ahead and who are at her level, for example, than with sixth or seventh graders who might be reading below level.

OK I *think* I understand. I am not looking for a grade skip -- as DD is a late July birthday and already the youngest in the class -- I think a skip would be devastating socially. But a subject acceleration would be great. And I agree -- I think after 3rd grade content may be inappropriate for a 6 year old anyway. And the school only goes up to 5th grade anyway. So, the kids she is grouped with now are the kids who she gets pulled out with for gifted -- now none of them are "officially" identified yet as they've not been IQ tested, but these are the top suspects from her class. I am guessing they will not be willing to tell me if these children are on her same reading level or not. But, I guess I can ask that her group is the same?

And does anyone have any written documentation on subject acceleration I could take with me?

Yes, you can ask them to ensure that the students she is grouped with are working at the same level she is, and that the instruction is at that level. This could mean using texts written at her lexile level for social studies, science and other content areas as well as as appropriate literature at her instructional level.

The executive summary from "A Nation Deceived" might be useful, if you don't want to go through the whole report.

Executive Summary

Thanks Aculady -- I am SO skeptical that the school will be interested in this at all? I wish there were a way for me to qualify this but not in grade level -- as in, how many children test at this level (obviously in the top 1% but it is actually less than that). I just get the feeling that they think (know) they have the brightest kids in the state, and think they might even have some of the brightest in the nation, and their classroom instruction is already a grade ahead (I am not seeing this) and so they do not really need to bend over backward for smart kids.

Case in point: they do not believe they have enough "data" to warrant IQ testing my daughter for the gifted program, yet. So, not only will they not use MAP scores to identify they will not even use them to tell them who to TEST for identification. Because academic knowledge and IQ are not the same. But, really, can a child perform 6 grade levels ahead without an elevated IQ?

Your DD is a first grader, right? FWIW, my DD's first grade teacher told me that the typical reading range she sees in a class is pre-K to 7th grade, so your DD's class may have other kids who are reading at about the same level.

One thing to consider with subject acceleration is that the volume of written work increases as grade increases, and a 6yo may struggle with 3rd grade writing expectations. (My 8yo had a hard time adjusting to 4th grade writing expectations.)

And a one or two grade subject acceleration won't necessarily mean she's reading challenging material - and if she starts with a placement that gives her challenging material, it won't necessarily be challenging a few months later. We use STAR for reading assessment, and my DD went up 4 grade equivalents in 4 months, for instance.

Good point, AlexsMom -- luckily she's a pretty good writer but I have no idea if she's on a 3rd grade level. I am stumped. Am I pretty much stuck here? I would honestly be fine with them just giving her level-appropriate books and a more sophisticated writing assignment -- for mow. And we can see how that goes?

I personally would not subject accelerate for reading, so bear that bias in mind when you're reading my responses!

First grade was not a great year for DD, particularly the second half of it. We anticipated that second would be way worse - they're still learning to read (rather than reading to learn). She crammed like crazy in math (her weak point) in order to qualify for a grade skip to 3rd. She's now in 4th, and doing fine.

In first, the primary problem we had was limits on library books. First graders were forbidden chapter books, although for part of the year, DD was allowed to get 3rd grade level books that weren't chapter books. And they were forbidden more than one book a week, although for part of the year, DD was allowed two. Mostly, she took a book from home.

In fourth, the primary problem we're having is that the in-class reading assignments aren't challenging. I've explained to DD that they're now "reading to learn," rather than "learning to read," and that the important part of the assignment is analysis and response, not "I know all of the words in that sentence." That has helped some. My DD is a big fan of reading, but not a big fan of open-ended writing assignments.