Follow-Up on DOE: G+T

Posted by helen at 1:00 PM

Last week, Insideschools spoke with Anna Commitante (head of DOE G+T), Elizabeth Sciabarra (OSEPO head) and Marty Barr (OSEPO's elementary-schools head) about gifted and talented programs, enrollment, and admissions policies. Here are highlights from our conversation; a longer article in the next alert will answer some new questions, too.

Centralized admissions will still be the mode for grade-school gifted and talented programs in 2009-2010. The two exams currently used to evaluate youngsters, the OLSAT and the Bracken School Readiness Test, will continue in use; there is no plan whatsoever to add a human, subjective eye to assess the effects of, say, a suddenly tongue-tied, shy, or stubborn four-year-old. The OLSAT carries triple the weight of the Bracken, because the former looks at aptitude and the latter, at actual knowledge (letters, numbers, colors, etc.).

Sibling priority enrollment meant, this year, that applicants with older sibs in the program or in the school building (a subject of significant confusion at PS 9, which also houses the Anderson School) were eligible for citywide g+t classes at lower test scores than kids who don't have sibs in the first-choice school. The three citywide g+t schools, Anderson, NEST+m, and TAG, accepted siblings with scores from the 99th to the 96th percentile. Non-sib applicants were admitted at the 99th percentile at NEST and Anderson, with a few exceptions at TAG.

We asked how many of the newest crop of citywide g+t Kindergarten students were younger siblings vs. non-sibs; DOE rep Andy Jacob said he would get us the numbers, and we hope he will.

The question of opening a new citywide g+t school in an outer borough is under discussion, but has not yet been resolved. (We'll know more in a few weeks, promises Liz Sciabarra.) Ditto, for whether gen-ed Kindergarten applications will be centralized or school-based. Pre-K applications will, however, continue to be centralized again this year -- but the timeframe will be earlier, and communication, everyone promises, will be better, clearer, and more consistent.

As parents learned this year, some districts start g+t programming in Kindergarten, and others in first grade. While there's no citywide mandate to regulate when g+t 'should' start (or, for that matter, an official, citywide g+t curriculum, above and beyond grade standards), DOE planners now recognize that their guarantee to seat every qualified student was understood by many parents to mean, starting in Kindergarten, with new classes created where none existed before.

But new K classes were never part of the plan, said Marty Barr. The decision to hold over scores -- the 'exemptions' parents got letters about -- came about in the wake of parent protest. Most kids who qualify for g+t seats will receive them, but in first grade. (Qualifying students in Districts 7 and 14, however, were offered seats in alternate districts, because no g+t programs were offered within 7 and 14, forcing parents to consider commuting challenges and other daunting logistics.)

"It's a communication issue," said Sciabarra, who cited 'lessons learned' and a desire to "take the angst out" of admissions. "We have to do better at that."

We couldn't agree more.

(Readers seeking nitty-gritty answers to fine-tooth questions, watch for an expanded story in the upcoming alert -- too much here to bog down the blog.)

Loose Threads

Posted by helen at 2:11 PM

Commenters have spoken - separate threads, please, for distinct questions.

So, let's start fresh. This post will establish a g+t middle school thread for parents who have heard, or have yet to hear, about their youngsters' applications.

Kindergarten families, see the next post. (PreK, we're still waiting for word -- no new news, as of 2pm.)

Any G+T, Middle School News, Parents?

Posted by helen at 10:10 AM

Here's the start of a G+T thread for parents to share information, leads, and news.

The latest sense we have is that citywide gifted and talented schools have sent out acceptances and rejections; parents have yet to hear from other schools to which their children applied.

Andy Jacob of the DOE says "some middle school offer letters went out late last week. The rest should go out today. Parents should receive the letters this week. Parents expecting letters who haven't received them by next Monday (June 9) should contact their child's guidance counselor. Acceptances are due June 12."

Know more? Have questions? Pipe up.

Central cuts to include universal G&T testing, quality reviews

Posted by Philissa at 8:37 AM

Last week, at the same time Chancellor Klein started his "classic divide and conquer" campaign to cut the budgets of high-performing schools, he also announced that he would be cutting $200 million from the DOE's central budget. We're starting to get a picture now of what programs and services will go the way of the $200 million. Helen reported that top schools will not receive annual quality reviews and that dozens of jobs will be cut centrally.

Today, we learn that the DOE is jettisoning its plan to screen all kindergarteners for "giftedness" this coming year. The plan has drawn mixed reception since it was announced last year as part of the standardization of G&T admission: anti-testing advocates opposed it as an expansion of the DOE's already swollen testing program, while others, including some parents who commented on this blog while waiting for their G&T letters, saw it as a way to increase equity by finding gifted kids whose parents might not know to ask for testing.

What else do we know the DOE plans to cut from its central administration? Is the chancellor right that individual schools won't suffer more because of the cuts there?

G&T update: Scores to last a year in program-less districts

Posted by Philissa at 12:48 PM

The DOE has responded to the frustration voiced by parents who had their rising kindergarteners screened for G&T eligibility, only to find that their district programs start in 1st grade. This week, parents of kids who scored at the 90th percentile or higher received a letter saying, "After careful consideration, we are pleased to inform you that your child will not have to retest next year and will be eligible for a first grade seat in G&T program in your distict for the 2009-10 school year." It's time to give credit where credit's due -- the DOE listened to parents and responded fairly and appropriately. Queens parents, you were particularly vocal on this subject -- are you satisfied with the DOE's response?

G&T update: An extended deadline and a furor in shut-out districts

Posted by Philissa at 8:48 AM

In case you haven't seen, we've put up a fairly comprehensive FAQ about G&T scores over on the G&T homepage. One important piece of information: the DOE has extended the application deadline for eligible students to May 14.

The extension gives families who originally received applications with mistakes a chance to think about their revised applications, which the DOE spent a pretty penny overnighting to them earlier this week. Of course, the five-day extension also means it may take applicants a little while longer in "early June" to find out where they've been placed.

The Post and the Daily News today have stories about families in Staten Island and parts of Queens and the Bronx who feel cheated: their rising kindergarteners met the cutoff for G&T eligibility but their districts have no programs to accommodate them. Instead, they'll have to test again next year for entrance to G&T programs that start in 1st grade. These parents' frustration is totally understandable, but I do want to point out that the DOE made it clear through the whole process that entry grades to G&T programs would not change for next year. As always, the DOE could communicate with parents better, but on this count it made a sincere effort, sending reminder letters to families in those districts after they received their score reports, and maintained a straight story. Of course, even a straight story from the DOE doesn't make things too much easier for parents who feel shut out.

One final note: We know all of the G&T program options in many districts. But if you qualified in districts 4, 7-12, 16-21, 23-24, or 26-31, please tell us what schools will be hosting G&T programs next year!

UPDATE: Thanks for sending in the lists for districts 11, 20, 24, 26, and 28. We're still looking for 4, 8-10, 12, 17-19, 27, and 29-31.

G&T admissions: your take

Posted by Philissa at 2:01 PM

Through their anxiety — a few parents said the experience of testing and waiting ... and waiting may land them in therapy — many parents left sane, thoughtful comments on this weekend's post about G&T admissions. Here's a sampling:

From parents whose perspective returned not too long after receiving (or not receiving) their envelopes:

Congratulations to all of these kids on such an outstanding job. I do not believe the test was made child-friendly. The test administrator was a stranger, and I do not believe that the questions would be repeated more than once. (think about that.) I believe it was a difficult test, so if your child passes, they really gave it their best and if not in the 90%, that child is still bright just to sit there to attempt that test. Good luck parents!!

Resolved myself to thinking that we aren't in and made my peace with it. It's a beautiful day and I'm going to go and spend time with my beautiful, intelligent daughter and enjoy her for who she is not what she scores on a test.

And from parents who rightly have a whole new set of anxieties, despite their children's high scores:

I am only willing to consider one of the G&T schools in our district but would really prefer one of the citywide schools. I don't know how realistic our chances are for getting into a citywide school since (as ridiculous as it sounds) my DD only scored in the 98%tile.

I am in district 25, my daughter is entering kindergarten and scored in the 98th percentile. I want to make a united front on the fact that there are no new "K" programs in our district. ... Let's get as many people on board with this and make an aggressive, united move to change this system which is failing our children.

From parents with radical notions about the DOE:

Don't get me wrong - as the parent of a public schooler as well as a teacher in district three, I am no fan of the DOE. But in this case, they are clearly looking to improve schools for the greatest number of children, rather than the select few. ... Here's a radical notion, what if, regardless of a child's score all of us as parents made a commitment to improving our local schools? Now that would be radical.....

I wouldn't be bashing DOE all that much. They are under tremendous pressure to do something, and I think the fact that the testing is open now to the whole city as opposed to those who were willing to spend enormous amount of money on private psychologists who tested for Anderson and Hunter is a great leap forward. It wasn't exactly a smooth operation, and there will be always tons of people who are very unhappy. I think the thought process and the intentions of Board of Ed were good.

And from parent Chris Johnson, who understands how hard it is to keep up with what's going on at the DOE:

I am in Egypt and just spoke with my wife and our daughter apparently is 90%+ - she will fax me the letter. NOTE: Thank you InsideSchools for providing us parents with such a useful forum. I am sending another contribution and encourage others to do the same. (InsideSchools is a non-profit organization that needs every contribution, no matter how small.)

If you, like Chris, want to help Insideschools be able to continue to provide this kind of forum, here's how to make a tax-deductible donation. Thank you!

The G&T facts: what we know

Posted by Philissa at 7:17 AM

Most of the folks who could have answered your questions were out of their offices on Friday, but I am working on getting responses and as soon as I do I will share them with you. Until I can find out more, here's a roundup of what we already know, thanks in great part to your comments.

• We know where programs will be housed next year (see below for lists of schools in some districts); this information was part of the application mailed to families whose children scored in the 90th percentile or above.

• We know that in many districts in Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx, gifted programs continue to start in 1st grade, meaning that 90th percentile+ scorers entering kindergarten are without options (or are able to apply only to citywide schools if they scored in the 97th percentile or above). Some Queens parents didn't understand that the DOE didn't plan to change programs' entry years and now feel shut out and angry.

• We know that siblings get priority for admission; a lower-scoring sibling who qualifies for admission will beat out a higher-scoring child.

• We know that families must rank all district programs in order to be guaranteed a spot in one of them; applications are due May 9.

• We know that the Office of Pupil Transportation covers transportation costs for children who live at least half a mile's walk from their school when it's within their district. For elementary students, this often comes in the form of a yellow bus as long as the school has busing. The DOE doesn't provide any busing across borough lines.
  

• Yet again, we see that standardized tests can be capricious, especially for 4 year olds: some kids did extremely well on one of the two gifted assessments, but not the other, despite their skills, and according to parent comments, some children who made it to the second round of Hunter admissions didn't make the gifted cut this year.

• We know that when the DOE spokeperson emailed me Wednesday afternoon to say that letters hadn't yet been mailed, he must have been misinformed, because letters began arriving on Thursday. (Or maybe the mail is really that fast?)

• And we know, as we have long known, that it's hard for parents to get a straight answer from the DOE. In the comments on our last post, different parents reported getting different answers to the same questions when calling DOE officials, and one asked, "Why do they all have a different story?"

Where will district G&T programs be housed?
In District 1: PS 19 and PS 110
In District 2: PS 11, 77, 111, 116, 124, 126, and 130
In District 3: PS 9, 145, 163, 166, 185, and 191
In District 5: PS 129 and PS 154
In District 6: PS 98 and PS 153
In District 7: None
In District 11: PS 121 and PS 153
In District 13: PS 3, 9, 20, and 282
In District 14: PS 132
In District 15: PS 1, 10, 32, 38, and 230
In District 16: None
In District 18: PS 114, 115, 208, 276, 279
In District 20: PS 102, 104, 176, 185, 204, and 229
In District 22: PS 52, 152, 193, 195, 206, 207, 217, 222, 236, 277, and 312
In District 23: None
In District 24: PS 16, 91
In District 25: PS 21, 32, 165, and 209
In District 26: PS 18, 115, 188, and 202
In District 28: PS 101, 117, 144, 174

Day 3 of the G&T mailbox check: Letters have gone home

Posted by Philissa at 12:53 PM

It's the middle of school vacation week, which means it's the perfect time for the DOE to send out important letters -- letters that some Insideschools readers consider potentially life-altering. Did you get your G&T score notification letter today?

We'd love to see a copy of the letter, if you can scan and email it to us. Thanks and relax!

G&T letters update: will go home 'later this week'

Posted by Philissa at 5:44 PM

Today's word from the DOE: "Letters haven't gone out yet. They will go out later this week," according to a DOE spokesperson who just wrote to me. Our collective mailbox check can continue -- please keep sending in your helpful comments!

G&T score notification letters in the mail?

Posted by Philissa at 12:36 PM

After great uncertainty about dates -- at first it was supposed to be the end of March, then April 18, then the end of this month -- we're hearing that the first G&T letters have gone home. Have you checked your mailbox today? What's the word at your school and in your neighborhood?

UPDATE: I just wanted to note that we are not at all sure letters have actually gone home anywhere -- so don't be alarmed if you haven't gotten anything!

Even more G&T numbers: District 2 has most children qualifying

Posted by Philissa at 7:50 AM

Yoav Gonen has a short piece in today's Post with more details on the numbers of students applying and qualifying for G&T classes for the fall. His numbers (which vary from those reported in the Times yesterday) show that District 2 will likely see several new G&T programs this fall; it had the most students qualifying, at 517, but currently there are only five district G&T programs.

In addition, the Post's graphic showing the districts with the most and fewest children qualifying points out vast disparities. In District 2, 28 percent of applicants tested at the 90th percentile or higher; in District 3, the percentage was even higher, at 30 percent. But in District 23 in Brooklyn, only 3 percent of students tested reached the cutoff for inclusion.

Gonen writes that three districts won't have their own G&T kindergartens this fall, and eight districts will likely have only one G&T program. The DOE says equal access to testing is a move toward greater equity in G&T enrollment, but the numbers appear to say that equal access to testing may actually heighten inequities — and that, as we all expected, socioeconomic status and access to test prep continue to be key determinants for G&T admission.

More details on G&T admissions

Posted by Philissa at 12:07 PM

The Times has some interesting district-by-district G&T numbers in its coverage today of the sudden change in G&T admissions criteria.

First, the Times is reporting that 3,000 children will score high enough to be guaranteed seats in kindergarten and 1st grade in the fall. This is significantly more than the "more than 2,300" estimated in the DOE's press release yesterday and the 2,400 the DOE says are currently enrolled in the entry grades of G&T programs.

The Times reports that there are actually 4,649 students enrolled in G&T kindergarten and 1st grades right now, and that next year 4,916 students will be eligible for seats in those grades, either because they scored high enough or because they are already enrolled in a G&T kindergarten. (In some districts, gifted programs begin in kindergarten; in others, they begin in 1st grade. Children entering both grades citywide are guaranteed a seat if they meet the new standard. Read more about G&T programs. )

Also in the Times article: District 7 in the South Bronx wouldn't have been able to field a gifted program next year had the 95th percentile cutoff stood -- only five children would have qualified. Under the new rules, 13 children qualify -- so the district's kindergarten G&T landscape will shrink from two schools to one, where classes will be very small. Kids in District 16 won't be so lucky; the Times reports that even under the relaxed standard only five kids qualify for G&T, so they will have to travel to neighboring districts if they want to take advantage of their test-earned right.

And some surprising news: While District 22's kindergarten G&T programs will be slashed by at least two-thirds for the fall, there could be as many as 60 percent more children in G&T programs in District 3 -- the Times reports that 310 kids tested at the 90th percentile or higher, compared to 192 students currently enrolled in the entry grades. Still no word about District 2.

BREAKING NEWS: DOE announces it will guarantee G&T seats to kids scoring at the 90th percentile

Posted by Philissa at 4:30 PM

Confirming rumors floating earlier this week, the DOE has just announced that it will guarantee seats in gifted and talented programs in their entry grades to all children scoring at the 90th percentile or higher on the BSRA and OLSAT. The new G&T policy approved by the Panel for Education Policy earlier this year required children to score at the 95th percentile; the PEP will approve the change at a special meeting tomorrow morning, according to a DOE press release. Eligible children will receive preference at their older siblings' school.

Letters go home around April 18, giving parents of eligible students a few weeks to rank programs and assess their chances of admission to citywide programs before their preference forms are due May 9.

According to the press release, the DOE is anticipating offering 2,300 seats for the entry grades for the fall, almost as many as currently exist in those grades. The press release also says that the proposed change will almost double the number of students who qualify for gifted programs. I think it's safe to assume that the DOE decided it wanted to avoid the outcry from families who would have been shut out and from schools that would have lost their gifted programs.

At the same time, it's clear from the DOE's press release that even with this change, some districts might not have enough eligible students to field a gifted program. The PEP tomorrow is expected to approve a reduction in the number of students required for a program, from 10 to eight. Still, the DOE notes that "families that live in districts without sufficient numbers of qualified students will be asked to rank programs in nearby districts."

The change is good news for districts 3 and 22, where schools have been concerned about the prospect of having their gifted programs cut. But it introduces an interesting situation for other districts, such as District 2, where significant numbers of students are expected to qualify but where existing gifted programs are few and far between. This policy revision could hasten a culture change in those districts.

DOE could include sub-95th percentile testers in gifted programs after all

Posted by Philissa at 4:33 PM

Man, the DOE just can't keep its mind made up about anything, can it? When DOE officials announced the new policy for admission to gifted and talented programs earlier this year, they were emphatic that research has proven that gifted programs are useful only for students who score in the 95th percentile or above on certain standardized tests. But now the Daily News is reporting that the DOE might be considering children in the 90th percentile and higher.

The Daily News speculates that "officials may be reluctant to exclude large numbers of children" — more than 50,000 kids tested for G&T this spring. If the rumor turns out to be true, I'll wager that the change was made not because of the number of students who would be excluded with the higher cutoff but because of where those students live. In some districts that haven't had robust G&T or test prep cultures, too few students might have scored at the 95th percentile or higher to field an entire class. That wouldn't look too good for the DOE, which explained the policy change as an attempt to create equity across districts.

And perhaps the DOE is responding to the anger of parents and community leaders in districts where the new standard would almost certainly cut down on existing gifted programs, such as District 22 in Brooklyn. Their frustration and anger are nothing, of course, compared to that which the DOE can expect from parents whose kids narrowly missed the cut for G&T, no matter the cutoff ultimately used; letters will go home by the middle of this month, several weeks later than originally planned.

Lawsuits -- or at least headaches -- on the horizon for hopeful G&T parents

Posted by Philissa at 3:34 PM

Some parents are threatening to sue the DOE over the changes to the G&T admissions policy, according to an article in Crain's New York (subscription required). "We feel that redress in the courts is really the only way to get out the message of what the DOE is doing," a PS 166 parent who sits on the District 3 Community Education Council said in the article. The article doesn't specify on what grounds parents are seeking redress, but it's clear that many are frustrated by the change and frightened about where their kids will end up in the fall -- so much so that they are "shelling out thousands of dollars for consultants to help them navigate the application process."

The Crain's article makes sure to point out that not everyone's buying into the "collective madness" in G&T-heavy districts. Still, come the end of March, when parents find out whether their kids have made the 95th percentile cut, I predict the madness will be contagious.

REMINDER: G&T Request for Testing forms due Thursday (1/3)

Posted by Philissa at 5:15 PM

If you're like me, you're having trouble getting back into the workaday routine. Here's something to hasten your return: If you want to have your child to be considered for admission to Gifted and Talented programs in kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade for the fall, tomorrow (1/3) is the deadline to request testing. The Request for Testing form is in the DOE's G&T handbook; it must be returned to your child's school or to a borough enrollment office. Testing will begin Jan. 22.

This week, G&T presentations in other languages

Posted by Philissa at 7:09 PM

There are only two more nights, but you should still know that this week the DOE is holding presentations about the new Gifted & Talented admissions policy in the seven languages for which the DOE provides translation services. Tomorrow there will be presentations in Haitian Creole, Bengali, and Russian; on Thursday, Bengali and Spanish. Share this news with your school and families who might want to attend the forums, and see the Insideschools calendar for details about locations.

Unfortunately, the Arabic and Chinese presentations were tonight, as was the single presentation in the Bronx, but families should be able to get their questions answered in their own language by calling their District Family Advocate.

Anxious parents spending unnecessarily for G&T prep

Posted by Philissa at 11:03 AM

A tipster tells me that desperate parents, unable to believe that the DOE would provide useful resources, are shelling out $45 to buy an OLSAT test prep kit from a "Ph.D. testing specialist" who hawks her wares online. The sample OLSAT questions look pretty much identical to those in the G&T handbooks released this week. It's unclear whether Robin McFarlane set up shop before this year or whether she's taking advantage of New York City parents' nerves, but either way she must be thrilled that the OLSAT is the DOE's test of choice.

G&T handbooks available now

Posted by Philissa at 3:12 PM

It's December 3 -- time for the frenzy over G&T admissions to ratchet up a notch! Today the DOE released handbooks outlining the updated regulations and containing the Request for Testing form, as well as the hotly anticipated sample BSRA exams.

The basic handbook is online, but to get the test prep materials, you'll need to pick up the particular handbook that applies to your kid's age. To parents' annoyance, those handbooks weren't available today at the Manhattan Borough Enrollment Center on Seventh Avenue, but parents on the Upper West Side were able to pick them up at the District 3 office. Where else are they available?

And you will definitely need the handbook, because after the Daily News let people know that pretty much all you needed to buy the BSRA exam was a master's degree and a non-New York City address, the DOE had Harcourt Assessment pull the exam off the market.