Moved to a new state and enrolled kids into a really good public school. Son (8th grade) tested as gifted in original state since 3rd grade. Daughter (7th grade) didn’t automatically qualify as gifted in 3rd grade but was allowed to take gifted courses since she was just 1% off automatic qualify (she got 98% vs 99% auto qualify).
Sent transcripts, gifted student acceptance letters, etc to new school Was told my new school during orientation day that they need take their version of gifted student test next month in order to qualify since gifted acceptance letters didn’t have enough detail (i.e. what test was used, etc). This is understandable. If they pass, they will be reclassified as gifted and possibly moved to higher level classes in SS and Science (those classes only have “on level” and “gifted” classes). Math and Lang Arts have 3 different levels.
Anyway,
Concerns for our son (8th grade) since he’s one year away from High School.
He was enrolled in Advanced Algebra 1 / Geometry class even though he took Algebra 1 at his older school last year (he made 2 A’s and a B+ last year in math). Top math class at current school is Geometry. We want him to go to Geometry. Counselor said they are looking into it.
Currently enrolled in “on level” Science but he can possibly move up if he passes gifted test with flying colors.
Currently enrolled in “on level” Language Arts. Gifted test may improve that but not sure. Small private school he went to last year didn’t distinguish advanced vs “on level” classes in language arts (everybody took same class).
Daughter’s classes seem to be OK. Her Math is advanced. Other than that, she has same situation as son but we have at least 2 years before high school to figure out a game plan for her.
Really worried our kids will be stuck in lower level classes than what they have the ability to handle and they will end up bored with the material they get.
Questions
In case my son doesn’t move up to advanced/honor level classes this year, what should he try to do to get better chance of AP classes in High School (beyond getting A’s in all the right classes)? I’ve read about taking classes in Community college while he’s a high school student.
How to approach counselors without “getting on their nerves” or coming across as “too pushy parents?”
Beyond the counselors, I would be sure to explain to the children that they need to go in and give their assigned classes their all, even if the material seems too easy or repetitive, so that they have the opportunity to be moved to classes with better fit. My DD had to endure 2-3 weeks in a lower level class in middle school until testing was completed.
Good point. I actually had the “need to pull the bootstraps up” speech with son yesterday. Main point is for him to show his enthusiasm and have a lot of dialogue with teacher.
I’d suggest making sure you understand the gifted/honors system in the new location. In our state a parent who really advocates for their child can make a big difference for those borderline-judgement call situations. From what I hear of neighboring districts and other states, the systems can be very rigid. Here in our area, a kid with high grades in regular classes can be placed in honors classes in high school at the discretion of the counselor and stay there if he or she performs well. In a neighboring district that 's harder to accomplish. They require that “gifted” designation. Math is the tricky one. I’d be pushing to get my kid in the right level math class now, especially if grades were high in the class he finished last spring. Sometimes curriculum and the order things are taught can vary, creating a tough situation for placement, but I wouldn’t want a bright kid stuck repeating a class that was already mastered.
It does seems fair to want to understand: 1) what the tracking in middle school placement would mean in terms of HS courses available to your S; and 2) if students can move up in middle or high school if they prove they can handle the work.
This was my experience when I moved from a very small K-8 that had no higher options (other than Alg 1 in 8th grade vs “regular” math) to a large public high school for freshman year. I couldn’t go into higher classes (other than 2nd year math) because I hadn’t grown up in the TAG program. There was no way to enter this late.
I was pretty bored my freshmen year but I made up for it by getting involved in ECs. Sophomore year was about the same. By junior year, I was taking the classes the TAG kids were because I did summer programs and independent study to get into those higher level classes (eg I tested out of pre-calc to take calc junior year).
If your kids place “below” where you think they should be, they can push themselves by doing outside work.
Most middle schools have a process for math placement that involves taking one or more tests. Depending on how quickly the counselor gets back to you, I would email the head of the math department at the middle school to ask about placement tests.
I would also have the child review both prealgebra topics and algebra 1 prior to taking any placement test. This can be critical - it is easy to forget over the summer and then have a placement test result that isn’t quite accurate.
If all else fails, I would beg the algebra 1 teacher to give the end of year exam to the child.
Note that there may be slight differences in sequence among different middle schools. Common Core changed up the sequence a little around the prealgebra and algebra 1 years, though how closely any school adheres to that may vary.
NY does not have any mandated gifted education. Some states do, which may make a difference in how things are handled. IIRC, NY does require identification of gifted students but they get to set the parameters.
What others do in other states will have no bearing on what you can do in NY. Not only that, but since there is no mandate, what others do in other districts will have no bearing on what is done in yours.
As an example, while my kids’ school does identify gifted kids at 3rd grade and allow kids to get that label in 4th/5th, it has no effect on class option in either middle or high school. Both my kids had pull out programs (usually 4-6 weeks long each) in 6th/7th grade but those were not limited only to gifted kids. Any kids who showed interest and ability in those subjects were allowed. Additionally, their school has advanced math beginning in 6th grade that is not limited to only kids labeled gifted. They are allowed to take Regents level Algebra in 8th (when my older daughter was in 7th they allowed regents algebra then but changed the programs when curriculums changed a couple of years ago) as well as Regents Living Environment in 8th. In the high school, teachers recommend kids for AP classes and kids themselves can request to take them. These are not limited only to labeled kids.
You are going to need to talk to counselors and families in your children’s school to see what you can do.
Finally, my younger daughter was not chosen for the gifted program in 3rd grade. We talked a lot, repeatedly, about how I knew her abilities and she needed to know them. We talked about not letting other people’s labels limit you. She was put into the gifted program in 5th grade but the truth is, by then she really didn’t need it because she had already proven to herself that she was capable and didn’t need the validation. Of course, it does sound different than your kid’s school where being admitted into the program given them accelerated options.
When we moved to a new school district, we went through something similar. My son couldn’t be tested until the first day of school, and then he tested into all “advanced” classes, so once we decided to let him do the harder classes, he had to have his schedule changed the first week of school, which was another level of stress.
I do suggest you stay on top of this with the guidance counselors or whomever is appropriate.
My younger son wanted to do “all GT,” bc that’s what his brother did. But his test scores didn’t support it, so he only got into some, with the agreement they would re-evaluate during the year. He got straight As, twice I think, so they humped him up, but it probably required a call or two from me to remind them. And by the way, same kid got straight As the rest of the year in GT also (while “all GT” kid didn’t get such great grades, but it was not a function of inability to do the work, but inability to get assignments that were completely done turned in on time).
Another time my son wanted AP social studies in HS, but they have class size limits, which sometimes control things even more than teacher recommendations or test scores. So I had to call the school a couple of times a week, to see if someone had dropped the class he really wanted. He did eventually get in the class, but if I hadn’t been persistent, I suspect he wouldn’t have.
I do believe this is a case where politeness counts. Good luck.
Ha, just reread your title and realized you said New State, not New York State.
Anyway, it really is going to vary by state and state mandates first, then by districts and how they implement those mandates.
Not sure of your timing but…Could you shell out some $$ for private testing school would accept ahead of time? We ran into this issue a few years back. New school wouldn’t accept some of the school testing our previous school had. They would accept WISC and the like. We did the private testing ahead of time and our kids were able to go directly into program without any disruptions.
I completely agree with you about geometry. If your son has had a full year of algebra 1, there is no need to repeat it, and I would be concerned about an algebra/geometry mix. Each of those should be a full year course. Ask for a specific test for this to show that he is ready for a geometry course.
Regarding language arts and science, these depend upon the district. When we moved from TX back to Mass in the early grades, we found that Massachusetts was way ahead in both language arts and science, and that stuff kids were learning in the gifted program in Texas was part of the normal track for MA.
I don’t know about 8th grade (or other states), but I’d examine the curriculum first before assuming that it is behind what your kids need.
I have been in similar situations. I made an appointment and went to see the principal BEFORE orientation and told them what classes I wanted them in and made up the schedule myself. I realized I had to take control.
The counselor’s advice at the school orientation was something like ‘take a pill and chill’ . It worked out very well when they realized I was serious about the schedule. The counselors were too busy getting people to graduate and there was no gifted priority.
I found that as long as I was civil but direct it worked. I did have one D do BYU on line with me teaching one summer for geometry because I could not get off from work to drive her to the high school. The other one was able to get the class as the school moved.
We had our D take math in private summer school that was highly respected. That was her ticket out if having to repeat her math book for the 3rd year in a row. She later transferred to the private school for HS. It was a MUCH better fit!
Since it’s so late in the summer, perhaps your child can self study and be tolutoted to place into the course(s) desired.