[Ohiogift] Advocacy Advice Please

Fri May 22 12:37:47 EDT 2015

Robin,

I think the first step is to get him assessed, as you indicate you are doing, and have a diagnosis to follow, for the suspected learning disabilities/2E issues.  2E is still an area for teachers that is ambiguous.  Unless there is a base of experience in recognizing both giftedness and learning challenges, the teacher may view him as average, because it is possible that any gifted abilities he has are busy trying to compensate for the learninbg disability. (again, have this assessed for a possible diagnosis).There is a serious lack of professional develpment opportunities available to teachers on this topic.

I have a couple of thoughts here:

1) PARCC is not an approved testing tool for student identification of giftedness, in Ohio.

2) Outside testing done with a professional psychologist who used an instrument from the chart of approved screening instruments must be legally recognized as valid. The school cannot discriminate service if the test instrument meets the academic/cognitive criteria for gifted services.  If your son is 2E, he is most likely going to score higher in a one-on-one testing environment.

3) As I work in gifted education, exclusively, I am not sure about this next bit I will ask you to investigate:
I believe I read that there is a current trend towards 2E kids getting on an IEP (of course, if they qualify), and having delivery of gifted services (if they qualify) written into the actual IEP.  This may be an avenue to explore once you concluded any testing you may feel is necessary for your child.

Last, is there not a team meeting you could call that involves the school psych, the gifted coordinator, a GIS, and an IS (Intervention Specialist) or personnel from student services that could take place to discuss your child?  Most administrators and most teachers want to do what is right for the student. At times, even if a student is identified as gifted, a gifted class may not be the right place for him.  Investigate, talk with teachers and school officials, and perhaps ask the opinion of an educational psychologist with who you confer on the question of best placement setting.

Good luck,

Kathy Craig

Kathryn Craig, Gifted Intervention Specialist
Roxboro and Boulevard Elementary Schools
Cleveland Heights, University Heights
k_craig at chuh.org
216.371.7115, ext. 54445

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. "
                                                                                                            --  Aristotle

________________________________
From: Ohiogift [ohiogift-bounces at lists.osu.edu] on behalf of Robin Retzler via Ohiogift [ohiogift at lists.osu.edu]
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2015 4:45 PM
To: Ohiogift at lists.service.ohio-state.edu
Subject: [Ohiogift] Advocacy Advice Please

I’m looking for some advice on how to handle an advocacy issue with my 4th grader.  Our school system has recently changed its programming for gifted children to “better” its services (sigh).  I’m not sure this is the place to give all the details, but here goes anyway…

Prior to the change, LEAP pull-out classes were typically offered for 4th and 5th graders for Math.  Our elementary did 4th grade LEAP and sometimes for 5th graders accelerated them into 6th-grade math.  Perhaps the students had to take a test first and score an 85%, but as this did not apply to my older son who was already grade accelerated in math, I’m not certain of the details.  The District decided to offer a 5th/6th-grade math accelerated track, which I thought was a wonderful idea because I firmly believe that pacing is a BIG issue for gifted students.  However, it is not enough apparently that the student is gifted in Math, they must meet a certain score on a convoluted formula to be placed in the accelerated track.  If the student does not score enough on this formula, they are out of luck, NO gifted services for math.

The formula is based on scoring on the Fall Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Math test, the Spring MAP Math test, the Cog AT and a teacher rubric.  The tests are each worth a maximum of 9 points and the rubric is worth 4 points for a total of 31 points.  The student must score between 25-31 points in order to be in Math 5/6.  The points are earned based on the students percentile score on the tests.  For instance, 90-100 percentile is 9 points, 85-89 is 8.5 points, etc.

Now here is the issue for us – I suspect that my son may be 2e and we are in the process of having some evaluations done.  He has taken the WISC-IV previously and also has taken the WJ-III achievement tests for Math several times.  His GAI on the WISC-IV was a 135, as was his Perceptual Reasoning score.  In the Broad Math on the WJ-III, he has scored between the 96-98 percentile.  He has scored 99 percentile on both Calculation and Applied Problems, but his Math Calculation score is around the 55 percentile.  These tests were all given by psychologists.   When he has to take standardized testing in school, his scores are much lower.  He only scored a 117 on the OLSAT, and on the MAP testing that he has done this year (which is all on the computer), he scored a 73 and a 76.  I don’t believe the school actually gave the Cog AT, so it will be difficult for him to score on that one – but I’m guessing they may substitute the PARCC test Math score, as that was given in the spring.  I have heard though that the scores for PARCC are not expected until November… The gap in scores as well as other things leads me to my 2e suspicion (stealth dyslexia, dysgraphia and a known hearing issue are all candidates.)

Unless he scores really well on the PARCC Math test, his scores are not going to be enough to get him into the accelerated class.  I should also mention that his lowest grade on a math test this year was an 84% (he was absent for ear surgery for several days at that time), and he typically scores 95% or above.  I doubt that he will get the 4 on the teacher rubric as she believes he is an “average” student… I’m guessing that given his problems with standardized testing in school, he will not do well on the PARCC Math test.

Given his ability test scores, how quickly I know he picks up on math, and how frustrated he is at times from the repetition in the classroom, I think the accelerated class is made for him.  I’m guessing that the District must be able to legally exclude him from the accelerated class based on their criteria or they would not be doing it.  I also have enough experience with the District to know that they are going to be sticklers about him meeting the criteria, so just asking for him to be put in the class will not be enough.

Can anyone offer any advice or ideas as to what we might do?  Are there any legal avenues at all?  We would exhaust all other avenues before we go the legal route, but if there is already something out there it would be great to know.  I don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel if I don’t have to.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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