Does anyone know when rescheduled CogAT tests will happen? I've emailed three times and called once and can get no response from the AL office. They gave us less than a week warning last time and were worried they will do it again.
Does anyone know the answer to this question... My son already attends Lincoln and I'm hoping to qualify my daughter for APP in middle school (she was 1 point off last year). I just got my daughter's MAP scores back and her math has always been in the 95+ range --mainly 98/99, but she does bounce around a bit as an anxious test taker. Anyway I was shocked to see that not only did her percentage drop to 81% but her RIT score had dropped (how does that happen???!!!) to the same level she was at in early 2nd grade-she's now 4th. This makes no sense to me. Does anyone know if there is some glitch in the scores this year? Or how this can happen? Can achievement tests be appealed with private testing?
re: COGAT I know that our elementary school has communicated that test will happen dec 6th. But I don't trust the central office as we were never informed last year when/where the test was and only by word of mouth did we get there. Totally incompetent.
Did this FAQ on the AL website get added recently? I think they shouldn't have wasted their time.
What's the difference between Spectrum and the Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), academically?
Like HCC (formerly APP), Spectrum provides a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to apply complex thinking skills often at an accelerated pace in reading and math, but the level of depth and/or complexity may differ. For instance, in a middle school unit on the U.S. Constitution: •HCC (formerly APP) students may engage in a rigorous examination of the Federalist Papers using reading, writing and speaking skills two grade levels ahead. •Spectrum students may delve deep into Federalist Paper No. 12 with guided questions, using reading, writing and speaking skills one grade level ahead. •General education students may study a summary of Federalist Paper No. 12, using reading, writing and speaking skills at grade level.
I haven't heard of any glitches but any kid can have a drop in RIT as a one-off. Don't worry until it's a trend or supported by additional observations by you or her teacher.
Yes, you can appeal with a private achievement test.
How is the Cogat scored? Will our summer birthday son be scored with his year in school or in the next grade ahead? He is in first but would be a young second grader.
I believe that FAQ on the AL page was added a few months ago. From what I can tell, it stem from the new middle school LA/SS scope and sequence that is still being developed (?), and that hasn't been made publicly available. But as the SPS LA person made clear when she presented to the HCC Advisory Committee this fall, and as my child's HCC middle school principal has reiterated, nobody can force schools or teachers to follow this. The scope and sequence is apparently just a guideline. So yes, it's a lot of "may do this" and "may do that".... Then again, they may not. Care to wager which?
Oh, and that part about HCC and two years ahead of grade level? I doubt it. This example is based on the new scope and sequence work, which is specifically being tied to grade-level common core standards even for HCC middle school.
Has any APP/HCC enrolled in Aviation HS? We looked at it for our middle schooler and are really excited. Just wondering what anyone else's experiences are with application, admission and if at school, what do you think?
SPS mom - Our APP/HCC student is a 9th grader at Aviation HS. Can't say enough good things about it. Application process was a bear, no doubt. But it is amazing - the projects, the science, the facilities, the teaching staff - oh my. Just fabulous. We were sad to let go of music, which was so terrific at HIMS, but our kid is happy, challenged and just loving the school. The rigor and depth is just fab. We met with another older student who had gone through APP before we applied. There are a couple from HIMS, and a couple from WMS in 9th grade, and a handful in older grades. It's definitely a niche school - but if your kid is a science/math/aerospace/robotics kinda kid, it's heaven. -Rare Commenter
Advanced Learning provides a link to a list of providers on their appeals page.
Also:
**Approved standardized achievement tests include the Woodcock-Johnson III Achievement, Form B (Grade Norms), the WIAT-II, WIAT-III, and the KTEA-II. ERBs, MAP, and other standardized nationally-normed reading and math achievement tests done in a school setting may also be submitted. Only achievements tests that have been completed no earlier than the previous March will be considered.
So it sounds as though MAP scores from the Spring (administered March or after) can also be included in an appeal. You may not need additional private testing.
To answer your question, additional testing only needs to show qualifying scores for whatever score didn't meet the cutoff. If it's just the math achievement score, then you just need to provide additional information for the math achievement portion. You don't need a full battery of tests if all other scores are qualifying.
@frustrated, saw the same thing here--my second grader's always been 98/99, but this time reading RIT went down by over 220 points. Makes no sense to me, so not sure what that's all about.
(Tried to post earlier but guess it didn't go through, so sorry if this pops up twice at some point).
Thank you for commenting! We are psyched! We don't know anyone there now (at least I don't think we do). My kid is in 7th grade and talks about Aviation HS, but no one else seems to have it on their radar, at least not yet, maybe next year. Thanks!
I agree with everything Rare Commentor said about Aviation. The only downside is the lack of transportation - but if you can mange that, it's the perfect school for a kid who is into aerospace. FYI, there's a robotics competition at RAHS on Saturday if your son would like to see what that's all about.
We looked at Aviation. It's right for some kids. It's not for most. It's not actually appropriate for a general STEM kid. They've got to really like aviation. Their extracurriculars are in a narrow range. Very limited arts offerings. Most mainline sports not offered.
It also accepts relatively few applicants. Coming out of HCC program? Fine but basically a nonstarter in considering who gets in. They tell you straight up that neither grades nor APP background necessarily give you an edge. If you live north of the ship canal, consider the potential of multiple trips past downtown per day to the facility, as the school has a gap in the afternoon, then late period classes/extracurriculars.
Not meaning to denigrate the program, as it seems excellent in its niche, but having given much thought to high school I know there are a big variety of excellent private/public options with none of them perfect for all kids no matter how good the school or talented the student. Get out and do research with your own child. Let your child decide what calls to her/him. These parent boards can sound like school popularity contests sometimes which is not the best way for your student to find her/his 9-12 home.
Has anyone noticed how long it takes to get MAP scores? I thought these tests were taken on computer with a live web driven dynamic content bank. Scores should be calculated instantaneously. Shouldn't the scores port to our website same day? Seems like we got results in the mail with scantron tests much faster than this. Why waste resources with so much technology if we see no improvement in the results?
I don't think anyone would confuse Aviation with a comprehensive high school like Garfield. It is clearly a niche school, and of course not appropriate for all students. That is why there are information nights and parents and students need to check it out. They are clear about attracting students with interest in aviation or aerospace. They are particularly clear in materials that they are not a choice for people looking for health sciences (and med school).
You are misinformed about a "gap" in the afternoon schedule. The school runs slightly later hours (about 9-3) as kids come from as far away as Whidbey, Vashon, Everett, Tacoma and Issaquah, but there is not a gap. Activities (like robotics or Science Olympiad) happen after school. There are no traditional sports (except Ultimate) and students can do sports at their reference school - for us, Roosevelt. (There are at least 2 carpools of kids leaving to do cross country, soccer or other sports there). Transportation is indeed a bear, but manageable. There are lots of carpools set up, and when we don't have one, our son takes 2 Metro busses home, which takes over an hour - the same as his ride to Lowell back in the day.
Finally, as I mentioned, the admissions process is tough, and I'm not sure why you would think that they would/should give preference to APP/HCC kids (from another district's program). They are definitely looking for kids with a passion for aviation, aerospace, space, engineering, etc. The application materials make this very clear. The program is very rigorous, and much is project based.
It's been a great fit for our son. I posted information about it as another parent asked. It's just another option for parents to check out and decide if it works for them. Not sure why you felt the need to use that tone, and posting misinformation about the schedule isn't helpful...I hope you found a great fit for a school for your kid.
I'm not sure where to post this, but I am curious about Ingraham IB. And, I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but I couldn't find it.
We are looking at private middle school for our APP kid. Ideally, we could return to SPS for high school assuming no split shift or other craziness that might be the case in 3.5years.
Can anyone explain how Ingraham IB works? We are in Ingraham's boundary. If we come back for high school, can my kid do the Ingraham IB program? I am not sure I'm as interested in IBX since I have no need for my already young child to be taking college classes senior year. Is there a waitlist to get into IB or can anyone take it? I looked on SPS website and saw the courses that should be taken in 9th and 10th grade if you want to do IB in 11th and 12th.
Anyway, I am really premature and know everything that works about Ingraham and IB will be dismantled by the time my kid is in HS, but the answers to these questions might change our mind about private middle.
I just watched the Aviation video, thanks again. My kid's grandfather is a Boeing engineer, this school is so up our ally. I'm glad to hear they can play sports at their reference HS so they can stay connected to those friends. My kid plays club sports anyway. We'd probably have to give up music which would be too bad, but we could find some other outlet for that. Anyway, I don't assume only HCC kids would get in, but since my kids is in HCC I just wanted to hear what other's experiences were like. We live about 5 miles from Aviation in South Seattle so no ship canal.
Susan -- If you live within the Ingraham boundary when your elementary student is finished with MS, then sure, he/she can go to Ingraham and participate in the IB program. It's open to anyone at the school. Your student can choose to do the full IB Diploma, or get a regular diploma and take the IB classes that interest him/her.
There's a lot of information about the IB program on the Ingraham website. And while you're right, 4 years is a long time from now, I see nothing to suggest IB might be gone from Ingraham.
Aviation sounds like a great fit for a certain kind of STEM-oriented kid. I just wish there was a performing arts-related equivalent within SPS - a school like LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts (of FAME fame), for dancers, musicians, singers, and actors - which would draw kids from all over the district into an environment that would fit their equally unique, and substantive, arts-focused needs. Wouldn't that be awesome?
As it is, artsy kids who live outside the boundaries of certain schools with high-powered performing arts programs (like Roosevelt or Garfield) utterly lose out. And so do those programs, quite frankly.
@anonymous: Can you clarify...how do RIT scores go down by 220 points? (they range from 150s up to close to 250 I believe)
@frustrated, saw the same thing here--my second grader's always been 98/99, but this time reading RIT went down by over 220 points. Makes no sense to me, so not sure what that's all about.
(Tried to post earlier but guess it didn't go through, so sorry if this pops up twice at some point).
Susan, we went through the same situation last year as our son entered 6th grade at Eckstein. We were told by enrollment services that if you are enrolled in a Spectrum middle school program or ALO K-8, and were previously eligible for Highly Capable (APP) services, you retain your eligibility.
Also, as of this year, because of new state law, Highly Capable students retain their designation until 12th grade no matter where they attend school. Don't quote me on this, but this may indicate that going private for a few years would not impact eligibility when you return to SPS.
In any case, to access Ingraham and the IB program, you currently have a guaranteed seat there if you are eligible for HCC/APP, the caveat being that you enroll in IBx in 9th grade.
Several families, according to Ingraham, have opted out of IBx after 9th grade, so it remains a feasible option if you feel like the school is the best fit for your student. (and of course, they feel like it's the best place for them!)
OK, thanks for the comments. It's helpful information.
If it's true we can leave for private and hold our APP designation, that is good news!
I checked out the Ingraham website, but what I can't find out is if EVERY kid who wants in the IB program gets in. Is there a space limitation, or is it able to accommodate all interested students? I get that, as of today, IBx would have a guaranteed seat for my APP kid, but I think my lazy kid might prefer the regular IB program.
I'm asking this since I've heard, too, that APP families are leaving IBx after 9th grade. That would be another interesting discussion, but for now my question is capacity in IB.
Susan, I don't know anything about retaining an APP designation. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
There is no limitation on how many students can participate in IB. Ingraham's philosophy has always been to allow students to sign up for the classes they want.
And I think your student might be wise, not lazy, in preferring "regular" IB to the accelerated IBX program. From what I've observed, some of the IB diploma classes and requirements, such as Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, are more impactful for older students. It's truly amazing what a leap in maturity there is each year in high school, at least in my observations, and that really translates positively into TOK and the EE. The IBX students who have completed those on an accelerated basis do just fine, it just seems to resonate into a richer experience with the students who do that work later in their high school career.
Have any Lincoln parents had a fall conference yet? I'm curious about what the Beacon or Amplify assessments look like and how the results are delivered. I am super skeptical about this particular test.
Are APP(HCC)-designated kids really guaranteed a spot in Ingraham's IBX program? I thought there was a capacity cap, and not all are guaranteed to get in--it depends on demand. Yes, you're guaranteed an APP (HCC) slot, but it might be at Garfield if IBX is full. Or has that changed?
That is exactly the opposite of what I have heard about retaining eligibility. Previously you could retain eligibility only in elementary school, and new (or returning) app students to 9th grade needed to retest, and then could only go to Ingraham. Perhaps the new rules have changed things, but I would triple check that not with enrollment, but with the advanced learning office.
I don't know about the straight ib program. I'd ask on the save seattle schools blog, but I think you are also right to assume it will be different in 3 years.
Thanks, Rosie, I am pretty excited about the IB program after reading a few things online. I'm excited enough to consider private middle and move to Ingraham for HS. I know, LOTS could change in the next 3.5 years, but this is helping to inform the public/private decision we might be facing in the spring.
As far as the designation retention, I was speaking to SPSFamily's comment:
"Also, as of this year, because of new state law, Highly Capable students retain their designation until 12th grade no matter where they attend school. Don't quote me on this, but this may indicate that going private for a few years would not impact eligibility when you return to SPS."
To the person who asked about Lincoln conferences, we have ours next week. I opted my kid out of the Amplify test since I am not at all a fan of Rupert Murdoch. I do not think he or his shareholders have a right to "disrupt the $500billion us education system" so they can profit off of our children or taxpayer money.
That reminds me that there is a second round of Amplify testing currently ongoing at the school. If you're interested in opting out, now is the time to email the teacher.
Default assignment for HCC middle school cohort is Garfield. Students need to be at an APP/HCC designated school in 8th grade for a Garfield assignment, but can also choose Ingraham IBx. If your child goes private for middle school, then Ingraham IBx could be an option if your student tests during the 8th grade fall testing cycle. You don't retain eligibility if you leave SPS or aren't enrolled in an AL service or program. I'm not sure about options for APP eligible students that remain at their neighborhood school.
Do not take the word of SPS enrollment (you might get a different answer each time) or a poster here - verify with AL as it keeps changing. At various times our children either left SPS or APP and they had to go through the testing process again in order to enroll.
Options could be very different in three years, even if you stay with the HCC/APP program, so choose middle school based on where your child will get a solid, well rounded education.
Just to clarify, my earlier comment was really just referring to the IBX access--and I don't think there are any guarantees that you'll get in to that specific program, even if you're in HCC and guaranteed access to the HCC pathway. You can select it as your choice, but if there are capacity limits you might end up at your second choice school/program anyway. If coming from HCC MS, you'd be guaranteed access to Garfield. At least for now, that is.
I have a question about deciding whether to enroll a child in HCC/APP. At this point it's all hypothetical because my daughter just tested and I don't know if she will get in. She's in kindergarten currently.
I've been thinking about what we would do if she were to be found eligible. I think she is happy in her current school, and would likely be happy there for a few more years at least. She is bright and sometimes surprisingly bright -not the most articulate and highly skilled compared to kids her age, but a deep and creative thinker with wide ranging interests.
So my current thinking is that I would not uproot her yet because she is clearly in love with her school, and she is excited to go there everyday and is learning a lot. Maybe this is an indication that she won't be eligible for HCC- maybe the kids who are on that level don't love their local schools because they aren't being challenged enough. (Any anecdotes to support/disprove that idea?)
Has anyone kept an APP/HCC qualified student at a local school because they were happy and the education was "good enough?" I feel like this might be reasonable for the lower grades but not as the child gets older.
I'm also thinking about my younger daughter, still in preschool, and in her case I can't imagine *not* sending her to HCC/APP for 1st grade or as soon as she gets in. She is more obviously intellectually gifted and she's already complaining that her preschool is lame. Though she has fun there. I just see the differences between them and I think it's clear that the younger one *needs* something like APP or she is probably going to be very dissatisfied, whereas the older one could probably (maybe? I don't know) rise to the level wherever she is, but doesn't really *need* it.
Admittedly, this is completely premature and I understand that I probably seem a little nuts to those of you with older children.
It's easy to opt out but not so easy to figure out the effect on your child's teacher. Does opting out of Amplify affect teachers evals at all, esp. if new teachers?
"The mClass Beacon system also offers teachers optional "Quick Checks," which are like mini-assessments that teachers can use anytime to check for understanding in the classroom if they wish. Those are matched to standards, too.
Teachers will not be evaluated based on the Beacon data, but they may choose to use the data – or an alternate measure of student growth – for Teacher/Principal Evaluation Project goal-setting."
It looks like the Advanced Learning department has changed its policy! Our 1st grader is eligible, but not enrolled in a APP/Spectrum/ALO school, so we signed him up to be tested every year to give us options. Here's an excerpt from an email we just received:
"As of September 1, 2014 students eligible as Highly Capable continue their eligibility until graduation and do not need to test each year. "
Dear Earlybird, and anyone else with the same question, feel free to contact me offline for my experience with two HCC kids - one in APP, one in General Ed.
That change is required by the new law regarding education of highly capable children. Your child is supposed to receive services wherever he is enrolled - and your school will be required to document those services.
As a word of caution, the current rule is that you can't enroll at Garfield unless your child is in the HCC at Washington, Hamilton or Jane Addams for the 8th grade. If that option is important to you, you'll need to plan ahead.
Are you really going to test your child EVERY year? What a waste of resources. Funny that people are opting out of excessive testing and you are subjecting your kid(s) to more testing to keep options open.
Dear Flabbergasted - I agree! Stupid rules in previous years meant that unless my child was enrolled in APP, Spectrum or ALO, he lost his APP status. He was at Salmon-Bay last year which has none of these services, and thus by definition would not be APP-eligible in subsequent years without proving his ability again and again. Fortunately, SPS un-assed their heads and I don't have to test him further! Whew.
Lynn, that is great news. I'm looking forward to seeing how his current school will comply with the law to give him advanced work. The APP@Lincoln has not been ideal for our older child.
Regarding RIT score dropping by over 200 points... That happened to our kid last year too. From what I understand the lexile score is estimated from the primarily grade level content that was tested on that particular round of testing. So, each grade level covers different content, and your kids test is dynamic as well. So you kid may not have known the reading/language content as well that was covered at that particular time, and the estimated lexile would swing significantly. Also, perhaps your kid had a bad testing day, say had to use the restroom more than her ability to concentrate on the test, for instance. It happens.
Without knowing the content of the test that your kid missed, say conjugation of verbs, or understanding sentences with multiple dependent clauses, there is no way to tailor your teaching to fill in educational gaps for your kid. These numbers are mostly useless. Just keep teaching your child the basics and don't worry about it, you might see a huge swing upward when the content of the test just happens to catch up with your child's abilities. -J
Our experience at Fairmount Park has been incredibly positive. We got the inclination that our son's teacher was fantastic, but after the PT conference, we are blown away.
The 2nd grade just started multiplication and division and the kids are really excited about it.
You said you're "looking forward to seeing how his current school will comply with the law to give him advanced work." Optimism is good, but I suggest having a backup plan in case things don't work out the way you hope. While Lynn is correct that "your child is supposed to receive services wherever he is enrolled - and your school will be required to document those services," those "services" might not amount to much. According to the draft (now final?) Superintendent Procedures 2190SP, the HCC services include: enhanced curricula, appropriately differentiated instruction, deeper learning opportunities, and/or accelerated pacing." Those are all pretty vague--and not always distinct--so something as simple as giving your child extra worksheets could easily fit the bill and allow them to claim "enhanced curricula" and/or "deeper learning opportunities.
Perhaps with a bit of professional development on serving these kids more teachers will be able to do it effectively, who knows. But I don't think it was a lack of ability that was necessarily the obstacle to that sort of differentiation in the past, and most of who had kids in gen ed saw that there just wasn't enough...
School Info Sessions for UW Academy Interested in learning more about the UW Academy? We may be coming to your school! Check out our school visit calendar below to find out. We also have two sessions open to the general public in bold below, which you can register for here. https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu/2014/11/robinson-center-school-info-sessions-uw-academy/
December 1: Franklin High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Room 205 December 2: Ingraham High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Ingraham HS Library December 4: Federal Way Public Academy, 10:15-10:40am December 4: Newport High School, 2:30-3:30pm, Lecture Hall December 6: General info session @ Columbia City Library – 1:30-3:30pm (open to students from any school) December 8: Interlake High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Career Center December 9: Edmonds-Woodway High School – 9:10-10:00am, Counseling Dept Conference Room December 10: Mercer Island High School – 2:15-3:15pm, Library Presentation Room December 11: Roosevelt High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Counseling Center January 8: Renton High School, 11:15-12:30 January 15: General info session @ UW Foege Hall 060 – 6-8:30pm (open to students from any school)
Since this is the first time when the Robinson Center does any high school outreach program for the UW Academy, I am very happy to hear that it is happening this year in some high school in Seattle (and also in Bellevue).
Agreed--and they can't be expected to hit everything school, and they were probably dealing with a lot of factors in scheduling. I doubt any conspiracies are involved.
Yup. So far we are also loving Fairmont Park. My kid is learning and growing. It is so wonderful to be back in our community and get the basic education my kid is ready for. My kid's teacher is enthusiastic and organized, and seems to be able to very quickly assess and adjust teaching to her pupil's needs.
From the growth boundaries update on the agenda for next week's board meeting: "Highly Capable Services students within the Washington pathway continue to grow, limiting the space at Washington Middle School for non-Highly Capable Services students coming from feeder schools. Again, staff are reviewing Highly Capable Services student enrollment data, as the location for Highly Capable Services could potentially be moved from being housed solely at Washington to a combination of Washington/Meany/Madison or otherwise."
They got JAMS up and running in a year. They need to do the same for Meany. There is no reason to mess with Washington APP. Neighborhood feeders for Meany would likely be Stevens, Lowell, Montlake, & McGilvra. More sites means less of a cohort for higher math and music.
sidneyd, Opening JAMS didn't require consecutive renovation of two schools (TT Minor and Meany.) If the families coming from Meany's feeder schools were OK with a middle school roll-up, maybe the NOVA half of the building could be ready earlier. (They can move out in June 2015.) In any case, I don't enough think there are enough APP students at Washington to form two cohorts. The largest grade is sixth - with 138 students.
They will split Washington when they want to, regardless of number of students in each grade. They made kids leave Hamilton this year for JAMS even though there aren't enough 7th and 8th graders for a robust cohort (ie, several sections per grade).
I also think the writing is on the wall for high school. The new AL policy says that all high schools will be equipped to handle HC kids. It's just a matter of time before the automatic assignment to Garfield ends and the options will be neighborhood school or opt in to IBX at Ingraham, Rainier Beach, and possibly Sealth, depending on address. (or whichever WS school has IB right now - might not be Sealth, I can't remember). I don't see any other way to solve the capacity problems that are coming.
JAMS is "up and running," but my 7th grader no longer likes school. The APP classes have not been very challenging and they are covering material at a very slow pace. I'd hate to see Washington students have to go through a similar split.
Thanks for pointing that out, Lynn. I started a new thread for it, "More splits coming?". Seems important, and please continue the discussion over there.
For those interested in ALO schools, Bryant is having an open forum on their ALO plan on Wednesday night at 6:30. They probably have the highest number of HCC students in an ALO school, although they send many to Lincoln as well.
The forum is to just to explain that the report cards for ALO students at Bryant now will no longer be 1 year ahead and instead the same as everyone else. Which really just matches the reality of what Bryant offers, an ALO program which lacks any substance. You'd be better off going to a Spectrum school if you're looking for differentiation.
Ben, why would they need a forum to explain there will no longer be an ALO report card? One sentence on that would do the trick. I presume they will at least, perhaps in the context of the report card, attempt to describe how they will provide ALO. Which may well be nothing of substance, but their current description, under a new principal, still matters because they have lots of AL kids.
According to info presented by the district math department at last night's APP/HCC-AC, the state will no longer administer the math EOCs to middle school students taking Algebra and Geometry. The state graduation requirements for current middle school students will require them to take the math SBAC in high school (no more banking of EOCs taken in middle school). It sounds as though the only state tests this year for middle schoolers will be grade the level ELA and math SBAC tests (plus Biology EOC and science for 8th graders).
For those who are curious I went to the Bryant ALO meeting. As expected they stuck to the official agenda and explained why nothing has changed in the ALO program except that report cards are no longer 1 year ahead. Which as I said before is much more honest since they've never taught 1 year ahead anyway. I actually like all the teachers I've met there so far but if I had a spectrum qualified child who needed more in math I would still go elsewhere. Since I had some time I actually had a conversation with Principal Sanger about whether they would ever offer walk to math. He's apparently in favor of it but there is no timetable.
@ MS Parent - Wait - what? Are you saying kids can no longer get their Algebra I credit in middle school? I cannot believe that is true. Can you please confirm or can others jump in?
They still get credit for taking the class, in that they start high school in the next class up and move on from there. I guess they are just not tested on the material until that other end-of-high-school test. I expressed concern to my 7th grade son's Algebra 1 teacher ("they are going to have to remember this Algebra 1 curriculum years from now?"). She wasn't concerned at all. She said, "math is cumulative."
For some students, they will have taken Algebra under the old WA State math standards, passed the EOC, then need to take the SBAC years later that cover the new CCSS. They will probably pass...but, it adds to the testing required in high school. They will have had Algebra 2 by the time they take the high school test, so most of Algebra 1 will be reviewed. This is supposedly coming from the state, not the district, so I'd direct questions to the state testing folks.
Without these tests, there is no outside, objective confirmation of Algebra or Geometry coverage, and perhaps less incentive to cover some topics that would have been tested. Even though the tests were covering base level knowledge, they provided some objective feedback to schools and teachers.
Students will still receive credit for the middle school classes and high school placement will be based on grades and teacher recommendation, just as now.
83 comments:
Greg, could you not put up more than one thread at a time? The lower ones lose out.
-thanks
Does anyone know when rescheduled CogAT tests will happen? I've emailed three times and called once and can get no response from the AL office.
They gave us less than a week warning last time and were worried they will do it again.
Does anyone know the answer to this question... My son already attends Lincoln and I'm hoping to qualify my daughter for APP in middle school (she was 1 point off last year). I just got my daughter's MAP scores back and her math has always been in the 95+ range --mainly 98/99, but she does bounce around a bit as an anxious test taker. Anyway I was shocked to see that not only did her percentage drop to 81% but her RIT score had dropped (how does that happen???!!!) to the same level she was at in early 2nd grade-she's now 4th. This makes no sense to me. Does anyone know if there is some glitch in the scores this year? Or how this can happen? Can achievement tests be appealed with private testing?
re: COGAT I know that our elementary school has communicated that test will happen dec 6th. But I don't trust the central office as we were never informed last year when/where the test was and only by word of mouth did we get there. Totally incompetent.
Did this FAQ on the AL website get added recently? I think they shouldn't have wasted their time.
What's the difference between Spectrum and the Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), academically?
Like HCC (formerly APP), Spectrum provides a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to apply complex thinking skills often at an accelerated pace in reading and math, but the level of depth and/or complexity may differ. For instance, in a middle school unit on the U.S. Constitution:
•HCC (formerly APP) students may engage in a rigorous examination of the Federalist Papers using reading, writing and speaking skills two grade levels ahead.
•Spectrum students may delve deep into Federalist Paper No. 12 with guided questions, using reading, writing and speaking skills one grade level ahead.
•General education students may study a summary of Federalist Paper No. 12, using reading, writing and speaking skills at grade level.
I haven't heard of any glitches but any kid can have a drop in RIT as a one-off. Don't worry until it's a trend or supported by additional observations by you or her teacher.
Yes, you can appeal with a private achievement test.
How is the Cogat scored? Will our summer birthday son be scored with his year in school or in the next grade ahead? He is in first but would be a young second grader.
He'll be scored by age, down to the month, so no edge for being old or disadvantage for being young. The MAP is by grade level.
I believe that FAQ on the AL page was added a few months ago. From what I can tell, it stem from the new middle school LA/SS scope and sequence that is still being developed (?), and that hasn't been made publicly available. But as the SPS LA person made clear when she presented to the HCC Advisory Committee this fall, and as my child's HCC middle school principal has reiterated, nobody can force schools or teachers to follow this. The scope and sequence is apparently just a guideline. So yes, it's a lot of "may do this" and "may do that".... Then again, they may not. Care to wager which?
Oh, and that part about HCC and two years ahead of grade level? I doubt it. This example is based on the new scope and sequence work, which is specifically being tied to grade-level common core standards even for HCC middle school.
Sounds good on paper though!
Who gives private achievement tests? I looked at the list of suggested appeals providers and they all seem to be ones to do IQ testing? Any leads?
Has any APP/HCC enrolled in Aviation HS? We looked at it for our middle schooler and are really excited. Just wondering what anyone else's experiences are with application, admission and if at school, what do you think?
SPS mom - Our APP/HCC student is a 9th grader at Aviation HS. Can't say enough good things about it. Application process was a bear, no doubt. But it is amazing - the projects, the science, the facilities, the teaching staff - oh my. Just fabulous. We were sad to let go of music, which was so terrific at HIMS, but our kid is happy, challenged and just loving the school. The rigor and depth is just fab. We met with another older student who had gone through APP before we applied. There are a couple from HIMS, and a couple from WMS in 9th grade, and a handful in older grades. It's definitely a niche school - but if your kid is a science/math/aerospace/robotics kinda kid, it's heaven.
-Rare Commenter
Advanced Learning provides a link to a list of providers on their appeals page.
Also:
**Approved standardized achievement tests include the Woodcock-Johnson III Achievement, Form B (Grade Norms), the WIAT-II, WIAT-III, and the KTEA-II. ERBs, MAP, and other standardized nationally-normed reading and math achievement tests done in a school setting may also be submitted. Only achievements tests that have been completed no earlier than the previous March will be considered.
So it sounds as though MAP scores from the Spring (administered March or after) can also be included in an appeal. You may not need additional private testing.
To answer your question, additional testing only needs to show qualifying scores for whatever score didn't meet the cutoff. If it's just the math achievement score, then you just need to provide additional information for the math achievement portion. You don't need a full battery of tests if all other scores are qualifying.
Frustrated,
If you do need private achievement testing, the providers who give IQ tests do this also. (But yes - you can use last spring's MAP score.)
@frustrated, saw the same thing here--my second grader's always been 98/99, but this time reading RIT went down by over 220 points. Makes no sense to me, so not sure what that's all about.
(Tried to post earlier but guess it didn't go through, so sorry if this pops up twice at some point).
How are things going for HCC/APP students at Fairmount Park? And the new math curriculum for K-5?
Rare Commenter,
Thank you for commenting! We are psyched! We don't know anyone there now (at least I don't think we do). My kid is in 7th grade and talks about Aviation HS, but no one else seems to have it on their radar, at least not yet, maybe next year. Thanks!
spsmom-
Here's a link to a promotional video for Aviation that the PTSA put together. https://app.box.com/s/1kuwcf7cfa8ree950re7
If you know of any interested 8th graders, send it on.
-Rare Commenter
spsmom,
I agree with everything Rare Commentor said about Aviation. The only downside is the lack of transportation - but if you can mange that, it's the perfect school for a kid who is into aerospace. FYI, there's a robotics competition at RAHS on Saturday if your son would like to see what that's all about.
We looked at Aviation. It's right for some kids. It's not for most. It's not actually appropriate for a general STEM kid. They've got to really like aviation. Their extracurriculars are in a narrow range. Very limited arts offerings. Most mainline sports not offered.
It also accepts relatively few applicants. Coming out of HCC program? Fine but basically a nonstarter in considering who gets in. They tell you straight up that neither grades nor APP background necessarily give you an edge. If you live north of the ship canal, consider the potential of multiple trips past downtown per day to the facility, as the school has a gap in the afternoon, then late period classes/extracurriculars.
Not meaning to denigrate the program, as it seems excellent in its niche, but having given much thought to high school I know there are a big variety of excellent private/public options with none of them perfect for all kids no matter how good the school or talented the student. Get out and do research with your own child. Let your child decide what calls to her/him. These parent boards can sound like school popularity contests sometimes which is not the best way for your student to find her/his 9-12 home.
Veteran
Has anyone noticed how long it takes to get MAP scores? I thought these tests were taken on computer with a live web driven dynamic content bank. Scores should be calculated instantaneously. Shouldn't the scores port to our website same day? Seems like we got results in the mail with scantron tests much faster than this. Why waste resources with so much technology if we see no improvement in the results?
Veteran,
I don't think anyone would confuse Aviation with a comprehensive high school like Garfield. It is clearly a niche school, and of course not appropriate for all students. That is why there are information nights and parents and students need to check it out. They are clear about attracting students with interest in aviation or aerospace. They are particularly clear in materials that they are not a choice for people looking for health sciences (and med school).
You are misinformed about a "gap" in the afternoon schedule. The school runs slightly later hours (about 9-3) as kids come from as far away as Whidbey, Vashon, Everett, Tacoma and Issaquah, but there is not a gap. Activities (like robotics or Science Olympiad) happen after school. There are no traditional sports (except Ultimate) and students can do sports at their reference school - for us, Roosevelt. (There are at least 2 carpools of kids leaving to do cross country, soccer or other sports there). Transportation is indeed a bear, but manageable. There are lots of carpools set up, and when we don't have one, our son takes 2 Metro busses home, which takes over an hour - the same as his ride to Lowell back in the day.
Finally, as I mentioned, the admissions process is tough, and I'm not sure why you would think that they would/should give preference to APP/HCC kids (from another district's program). They are definitely looking for kids with a passion for aviation, aerospace, space, engineering, etc. The application materials make this very clear. The program is very rigorous, and much is project based.
It's been a great fit for our son. I posted information about it as another parent asked. It's just another option for parents to check out and decide if it works for them. Not sure why you felt the need to use that tone, and posting misinformation about the schedule isn't helpful...I hope you found a great fit for a school for your kid.
-Rare Commenter
I'm not sure where to post this, but I am curious about Ingraham IB. And, I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but I couldn't find it.
We are looking at private middle school for our APP kid. Ideally, we could return to SPS for high school assuming no split shift or other craziness that might be the case in 3.5years.
Can anyone explain how Ingraham IB works? We are in Ingraham's boundary. If we come back for high school, can my kid do the Ingraham IB program? I am not sure I'm as interested in IBX since I have no need for my already young child to be taking college classes senior year. Is there a waitlist to get into IB or can anyone take it? I looked on SPS website and saw the courses that should be taken in 9th and 10th grade if you want to do IB in 11th and 12th.
Anyway, I am really premature and know everything that works about Ingraham and IB will be dismantled by the time my kid is in HS, but the answers to these questions might change our mind about private middle.
Thanks,
Susan
I just watched the Aviation video, thanks again. My kid's grandfather is a Boeing engineer, this school is so up our ally. I'm glad to hear they can play sports at their reference HS so they can stay connected to those friends. My kid plays club sports anyway. We'd probably have to give up music which would be too bad, but we could find some other outlet for that. Anyway, I don't assume only HCC kids would get in, but since my kids is in HCC I just wanted to hear what other's experiences were like. We live about 5 miles from Aviation in South Seattle so no ship canal.
Anyway, thanks a lot!!
Susan -- If you live within the Ingraham boundary when your elementary student is finished with MS, then sure, he/she can go to Ingraham and participate in the IB program. It's open to anyone at the school. Your student can choose to do the full IB Diploma, or get a regular diploma and take the IB classes that interest him/her.
There's a lot of information about the IB program on the Ingraham website. And while you're right, 4 years is a long time from now, I see nothing to suggest IB might be gone from Ingraham.
Aviation sounds like a great fit for a certain kind of STEM-oriented kid. I just wish there was a performing arts-related equivalent within SPS - a school like LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts (of FAME fame), for dancers, musicians, singers, and actors - which would draw kids from all over the district into an environment that would fit their equally unique, and substantive, arts-focused needs. Wouldn't that be awesome?
As it is, artsy kids who live outside the boundaries of certain schools with high-powered performing arts programs (like Roosevelt or Garfield) utterly lose out. And so do those programs, quite frankly.
STEM has its uses - but so does art.
@anonymous: Can you clarify...how do RIT scores go down by 220 points? (they range from 150s up to close to 250 I believe)
@frustrated, saw the same thing here--my second grader's always been 98/99, but this time reading RIT went down by over 220 points. Makes no sense to me, so not sure what that's all about.
(Tried to post earlier but guess it didn't go through, so sorry if this pops up twice at some point).
November 17, 2014 at 6:26 PM
Susan, we went through the same situation last year as our son entered 6th grade at Eckstein. We were told by enrollment services that if you are enrolled in a Spectrum middle school program or ALO K-8, and were previously eligible for Highly Capable (APP) services, you retain your eligibility.
Also, as of this year, because of new state law, Highly Capable students retain their designation until 12th grade no matter where they attend school. Don't quote me on this, but this may indicate that going private for a few years would not impact eligibility when you return to SPS.
In any case, to access Ingraham and the IB program, you currently have a guaranteed seat there if you are eligible for HCC/APP, the caveat being that you enroll in IBx in 9th grade.
Several families, according to Ingraham, have opted out of IBx after 9th grade, so it remains a feasible option if you feel like the school is the best fit for your student. (and of course, they feel like it's the best place for them!)
OK, thanks for the comments. It's helpful information.
If it's true we can leave for private and hold our APP designation, that is good news!
I checked out the Ingraham website, but what I can't find out is if EVERY kid who wants in the IB program gets in. Is there a space limitation, or is it able to accommodate all interested students? I get that, as of today, IBx would have a guaranteed seat for my APP kid, but I think my lazy kid might prefer the regular IB program.
I'm asking this since I've heard, too, that APP families are leaving IBx after 9th grade. That would be another interesting discussion, but for now my question is capacity in IB.
Thanks,
Susan
Susan, I don't know anything about retaining an APP designation. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
There is no limitation on how many students can participate in IB. Ingraham's philosophy has always been to allow students to sign up for the classes they want.
And I think your student might be wise, not lazy, in preferring "regular" IB to the accelerated IBX program. From what I've observed, some of the IB diploma classes and requirements, such as Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, are more impactful for older students. It's truly amazing what a leap in maturity there is each year in high school, at least in my observations, and that really translates positively into TOK and the EE. The IBX students who have completed those on an accelerated basis do just fine, it just seems to resonate into a richer experience with the students who do that work later in their high school career.
Have any Lincoln parents had a fall conference yet? I'm curious about what the Beacon or Amplify assessments look like and how the results are delivered. I am super skeptical about this particular test.
Are APP(HCC)-designated kids really guaranteed a spot in Ingraham's IBX program? I thought there was a capacity cap, and not all are guaranteed to get in--it depends on demand. Yes, you're guaranteed an APP (HCC) slot, but it might be at Garfield if IBX is full. Or has that changed?
HIMSmom
That is exactly the opposite of what I have heard about retaining eligibility. Previously you could retain eligibility only in elementary school, and new (or returning) app students to 9th grade needed to retest, and then could only go to Ingraham. Perhaps the new rules have changed things, but I would triple check that not with enrollment, but with the advanced learning office.
I don't know about the straight ib program. I'd ask on the save seattle schools blog, but I think you are also right to assume it will be different in 3 years.
Thanks, Rosie, I am pretty excited about the IB program after reading a few things online. I'm excited enough to consider private middle and move to Ingraham for HS. I know, LOTS could change in the next 3.5 years, but this is helping to inform the public/private decision we might be facing in the spring.
As far as the designation retention, I was speaking to SPSFamily's comment:
"Also, as of this year, because of new state law, Highly Capable students retain their designation until 12th grade no matter where they attend school. Don't quote me on this, but this may indicate that going private for a few years would not impact eligibility when you return to SPS."
To the person who asked about Lincoln conferences, we have ours next week. I opted my kid out of the Amplify test since I am not at all a fan of Rupert Murdoch. I do not think he or his shareholders have a right to "disrupt the $500billion us education system" so they can profit off of our children or taxpayer money.
That reminds me that there is a second round of Amplify testing currently ongoing at the school. If you're interested in opting out, now is the time to email the teacher.
Default assignment for HCC middle school cohort is Garfield. Students need to be at an APP/HCC designated school in 8th grade for a Garfield assignment, but can also choose Ingraham IBx. If your child goes private for middle school, then Ingraham IBx could be an option if your student tests during the 8th grade fall testing cycle. You don't retain eligibility if you leave SPS or aren't enrolled in an AL service or program. I'm not sure about options for APP eligible students that remain at their neighborhood school.
Do not take the word of SPS enrollment (you might get a different answer each time) or a poster here - verify with AL as it keeps changing. At various times our children either left SPS or APP and they had to go through the testing process again in order to enroll.
Options could be very different in three years, even if you stay with the HCC/APP program, so choose middle school based on where your child will get a solid, well rounded education.
Just to clarify, my earlier comment was really just referring to the IBX access--and I don't think there are any guarantees that you'll get in to that specific program, even if you're in HCC and guaranteed access to the HCC pathway. You can select it as your choice, but if there are capacity limits you might end up at your second choice school/program anyway. If coming from HCC MS, you'd be guaranteed access to Garfield. At least for now, that is.
HIMSmom
I have a question about deciding whether to enroll a child in HCC/APP. At this point it's all hypothetical because my daughter just tested and I don't know if she will get in. She's in kindergarten currently.
I've been thinking about what we would do if she were to be found eligible. I think she is happy in her current school, and would likely be happy there for a few more years at least. She is bright and sometimes surprisingly bright -not the most articulate and highly skilled compared to kids her age, but a deep and creative thinker with wide ranging interests.
So my current thinking is that I would not uproot her yet because she is clearly in love with her school, and she is excited to go there everyday and is learning a lot. Maybe this is an indication that she won't be eligible for HCC- maybe the kids who are on that level don't love their local schools because they aren't being challenged enough. (Any anecdotes to support/disprove that idea?)
Has anyone kept an APP/HCC qualified student at a local school because they were happy and the education was "good enough?" I feel like this might be reasonable for the lower grades but not as the child gets older.
I'm also thinking about my younger daughter, still in preschool, and in her case I can't imagine *not* sending her to HCC/APP for 1st grade or as soon as she gets in. She is more obviously intellectually gifted and she's already complaining that her preschool is lame. Though she has fun there. I just see the differences between them and I think it's clear that the younger one *needs* something like APP or she is probably going to be very dissatisfied, whereas the older one could probably (maybe? I don't know) rise to the level wherever she is, but doesn't really *need* it.
Admittedly, this is completely premature and I understand that I probably seem a little nuts to those of you with older children.
Please don't bother to respond to my question above- I found the earlier discussions on this topic (which are pretty extensive).
Thanks!
ben, did you opt out of Amplify if you don't mind sharing? Has anyone seen results of these things, or does anyone know how they will be used?
To opt you really only need to send an email to the teacher and cc Rina that you would like to opt your child out of testing. That's about it.
It's easy to opt out but not so easy to figure out the effect on your child's teacher. Does opting out of Amplify affect teachers evals at all, esp. if new teachers?
That's actually fairly easy to answer:
http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=317152
"The mClass Beacon system also offers teachers optional "Quick Checks," which are like mini-assessments that teachers can use anytime to check for understanding in the classroom if they wish. Those are matched to standards, too.
Teachers will not be evaluated based on the Beacon data, but they may choose to use the data – or an alternate measure of student growth – for Teacher/Principal Evaluation Project goal-setting."
@frustrated, sorry for confusion, that was me before posting on MAP drop for reading--that should be LEXILE dropped by over 220 points, not RIT.
We also opted out of the Amplify tests. Super easy.
-midnight
It looks like the Advanced Learning department has changed its policy! Our 1st grader is eligible, but not enrolled in a APP/Spectrum/ALO school, so we signed him up to be tested every year to give us options. Here's an excerpt from an email we just received:
"As of September 1, 2014 students eligible as Highly Capable continue their eligibility until graduation and do not need to test each year. "
-SecondTimeAround
Dear Earlybird, and anyone else with the same question, feel free to contact me offline for my experience with two HCC kids - one in APP, one in General Ed.
SecondTimeAround,
That change is required by the new law regarding education of highly capable children. Your child is supposed to receive services wherever he is enrolled - and your school will be required to document those services.
As a word of caution, the current rule is that you can't enroll at Garfield unless your child is in the HCC at Washington, Hamilton or Jane Addams for the 8th grade. If that option is important to you, you'll need to plan ahead.
@ SecondTimeAround
Are you really going to test your child EVERY year? What a waste of resources.
Funny that people are opting out of excessive testing and you are subjecting your kid(s) to more testing to keep options open.
-Flabbergasted
Does anyone know any former APP student that went to Ballard for the Maritime Academy? Could you share your experience?
Dear Flabbergasted - I agree! Stupid rules in previous years meant that unless my child was enrolled in APP, Spectrum or ALO, he lost his APP status. He was at Salmon-Bay last year which has none of these services, and thus by definition would not be APP-eligible in subsequent years without proving his ability again and again. Fortunately, SPS un-assed their heads and I don't have to test him further! Whew.
Lynn, that is great news. I'm looking forward to seeing how his current school will comply with the law to give him advanced work. The APP@Lincoln has not been ideal for our older child.
-SecondTimeAround
Regarding RIT score dropping by over 200 points... That happened to our kid last year too. From what I understand the lexile score is estimated from the primarily grade level content that was tested on that particular round of testing. So, each grade level covers different content, and your kids test is dynamic as well. So you kid may not have known the reading/language content as well that was covered at that particular time, and the estimated lexile would swing significantly. Also, perhaps your kid had a bad testing day, say had to use the restroom more than her ability to concentrate on the test, for instance. It happens.
Without knowing the content of the test that your kid missed, say conjugation of verbs, or understanding sentences with multiple dependent clauses, there is no way to tailor your teaching to fill in educational gaps for your kid. These numbers are mostly useless. Just keep teaching your child the basics and don't worry about it, you might see a huge swing upward when the content of the test just happens to catch up with your child's abilities.
-J
Our experience at Fairmount Park has been incredibly positive. We got the inclination that our son's teacher was fantastic, but after the PT conference, we are blown away.
The 2nd grade just started multiplication and division and the kids are really excited about it.
WSYH
OMG. The Interim Superintendent doesn't know what APP stands for.
@SecondTimeAround,
You said you're "looking forward to seeing how his current school will comply with the law to give him advanced work." Optimism is good, but I suggest having a backup plan in case things don't work out the way you hope. While Lynn is correct that "your child is supposed to receive services wherever he is enrolled - and your school will be required to document those services," those "services" might not amount to much. According to the draft (now final?) Superintendent Procedures 2190SP, the HCC services include: enhanced curricula,
appropriately differentiated instruction, deeper learning opportunities, and/or accelerated pacing." Those are all pretty vague--and not always distinct--so something as simple as giving your child extra worksheets could easily fit the bill and allow them to claim "enhanced curricula" and/or "deeper learning opportunities.
Perhaps with a bit of professional development on serving these kids more teachers will be able to do it effectively, who knows. But I don't think it was a lack of ability that was necessarily the obstacle to that sort of differentiation in the past, and most of who had kids in gen ed saw that there just wasn't enough...
School Info Sessions for UW Academy
Interested in learning more about the UW Academy? We may be coming to your school! Check out our school visit calendar below to find out. We also have two sessions open to the general public in bold below, which you can register for here.
https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu/2014/11/robinson-center-school-info-sessions-uw-academy/
December 1: Franklin High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Room 205
December 2: Ingraham High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Ingraham HS Library
December 4: Federal Way Public Academy, 10:15-10:40am
December 4: Newport High School, 2:30-3:30pm, Lecture Hall
December 6: General info session @ Columbia City Library – 1:30-3:30pm (open to students from any school)
December 8: Interlake High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Career Center
December 9: Edmonds-Woodway High School – 9:10-10:00am, Counseling Dept Conference Room
December 10: Mercer Island High School – 2:15-3:15pm, Library Presentation Room
December 11: Roosevelt High School – 2:30-3:30pm, Counseling Center
January 8: Renton High School, 11:15-12:30
January 15: General info session @ UW Foege Hall 060 – 6-8:30pm (open to students from any school)
What happened to Garfield on the UW Academy info list? Interesting gap in the schedule.
Also no Ballard, Hale, Chielf Sealth, Rainier Beach, West Seattle etc.
NP
Since this is the first time when the Robinson Center does any high school outreach program for the UW Academy, I am very happy to hear that it is happening this year in some high school in Seattle (and also in Bellevue).
Agreed--and they can't be expected to hit everything school, and they were probably dealing with a lot of factors in scheduling. I doubt any conspiracies are involved.
Yup. So far we are also loving Fairmont Park. My kid is learning and growing. It is so wonderful to be back in our community and get the basic education my kid is ready for. My kid's teacher is enthusiastic and organized, and seems to be able to very quickly assess and adjust teaching to her pupil's needs.
I saw on a personnel report that Christine Helm left the district this month. What's going on at Thurgood Marshall?
From the growth boundaries update on the agenda for next week's board meeting:
"Highly Capable Services students within the Washington pathway continue to grow, limiting the space at Washington Middle School for non-Highly Capable Services students coming from feeder schools. Again, staff are reviewing Highly Capable Services student enrollment data, as the location for Highly Capable Services could potentially be moved from being housed solely at Washington to a combination of Washington/Meany/Madison or otherwise."
Any bets on how many weeks it'll be before we see that same sentence repeated, but with Garfield and other high schools instead?
Looking for an SPS exit strategy
Washington is doing a fine job educating APP kids... better break it up.
The dumb thing is that when Meany opens, a bunch of those feeder schools will no longer feed to Washington.
sidneyd
They got JAMS up and running in a year. They need to do the same for Meany. There is no reason to mess with Washington APP. Neighborhood feeders for Meany would likely be Stevens, Lowell, Montlake, & McGilvra. More sites means less of a cohort for higher math and music.
sidneyd
sidneyd,
Opening JAMS didn't require consecutive renovation of two schools (TT Minor and Meany.) If the families coming from Meany's feeder schools were OK with a middle school roll-up, maybe the NOVA half of the building could be ready earlier. (They can move out in June 2015.)
In any case, I don't enough think there are enough APP students at Washington to form two cohorts. The largest grade is sixth - with 138 students.
The question now is how many 5th graders at TM and FP?
sidneyd
APP Enrollment Data
They will split Washington when they want to, regardless of number of students in each grade. They made kids leave Hamilton this year for JAMS even though there aren't enough 7th and 8th graders for a robust cohort (ie, several sections per grade).
I also think the writing is on the wall for high school. The new AL policy says that all high schools will be equipped to handle HC kids. It's just a matter of time before the automatic assignment to Garfield ends and the options will be neighborhood school or opt in to IBX at Ingraham, Rainier Beach, and possibly Sealth, depending on address. (or whichever WS school has IB right now - might not be Sealth, I can't remember). I don't see any other way to solve the capacity problems that are coming.
JAMS is "up and running," but my 7th grader no longer likes school. The APP classes have not been very challenging and they are covering material at a very slow pace. I'd hate to see Washington students have to go through a similar split.
Thanks for pointing that out, Lynn. I started a new thread for it, "More splits coming?". Seems important, and please continue the discussion over there.
For those interested in ALO schools, Bryant is having an open forum on their ALO plan on Wednesday night at 6:30. They probably have the highest number of HCC students in an ALO school, although they send many to Lincoln as well.
The forum is to just to explain that the report cards for ALO students at Bryant now will no longer be 1 year ahead and instead the same as everyone else. Which really just matches the reality of what Bryant offers, an ALO program which lacks any substance. You'd be better off going to a Spectrum school if you're looking for differentiation.
Ben, why would they need a forum to explain there will no longer be an ALO report card? One sentence on that would do the trick. I presume they will at least, perhaps in the context of the report card, attempt to describe how they will provide ALO. Which may well be nothing of substance, but their current description, under a new principal, still matters because they have lots of AL kids.
Testing update-
According to info presented by the district math department at last night's APP/HCC-AC, the state will no longer administer the math EOCs to middle school students taking Algebra and Geometry. The state graduation requirements for current middle school students will require them to take the math SBAC in high school (no more banking of EOCs taken in middle school). It sounds as though the only state tests this year for middle schoolers will be grade the level ELA and math SBAC tests (plus Biology EOC and science for 8th graders).
-MS parent
For those who are curious I went to the Bryant ALO meeting. As expected they stuck to the official agenda and explained why nothing has changed in the ALO program except that report cards are no longer 1 year ahead. Which as I said before is much more honest since they've never taught 1 year ahead anyway. I actually like all the teachers I've met there so far but if I had a spectrum qualified child who needed more in math I would still go elsewhere. Since I had some time I actually had a conversation with Principal Sanger about whether they would ever offer walk to math. He's apparently in favor of it but there is no timetable.
@ MS Parent - Wait - what? Are you saying kids can no longer get their Algebra I credit in middle school? I cannot believe that is true. Can you please confirm or can others jump in?
They still get credit for taking the class, in that they start high school in the next class up and move on from there. I guess they are just not tested on the material until that other end-of-high-school test. I expressed concern to my 7th grade son's Algebra 1 teacher ("they are going to have to remember this Algebra 1 curriculum years from now?"). She wasn't concerned at all. She said, "math is cumulative."
For some students, they will have taken Algebra under the old WA State math standards, passed the EOC, then need to take the SBAC years later that cover the new CCSS. They will probably pass...but, it adds to the testing required in high school. They will have had Algebra 2 by the time they take the high school test, so most of Algebra 1 will be reviewed. This is supposedly coming from the state, not the district, so I'd direct questions to the state testing folks.
Without these tests, there is no outside, objective confirmation of Algebra or Geometry coverage, and perhaps less incentive to cover some topics that would have been tested. Even though the tests were covering base level knowledge, they provided some objective feedback to schools and teachers.
Students will still receive credit for the middle school classes and high school placement will be based on grades and teacher recommendation, just as now.
-MS parent
Post a Comment