Weekend update: First-grade G&T
Quick catch-up for parents looking for 1st-grade gifted and talented program information; we have answers from the Department of Education to some general questions (thank you, Andy Jacob), and look forward to details on a couple of specific questions tomorrow or early next week.
First, Jacob says, “Applications were mailed to all kindergarten and 1st-grade students, including those who qualified as entering kindergarteners in 1st-grade-entry districts last year.” If you haven’t yet received word from the DOE about your child’s application, contact the DOE’s Gifted and Talented program office at (212) 374-5165 or (212) 374-5972.
Second, parents have asked if their child’s kindergarten seat is at risk if they choose to apply for citywide G&T (provided their child tested this year and meets eligibility criteria, of course). Concerns about risking a seat are unwarranted, says Jacob. “Unless a child actually accepts another placement, she keeps her current placement.”
Third, we raised a number of questions that have to do with particular districts or particular schools: Regarding Queens’ District 30, the DOE plans to offer G&T programs in three schools come September: PS 150, PS 122 (both in District 30) and PS 217 on Roosevelt Island (District 2). (We are going back to DOE with questions about the commute.)
Readers raised questions about PS 122, which historically began G&T classes in 2nd grade, wondering whether beginning next year’s program in kindergarten would jeopardize 122′s current 1st-graders, some of whom might enter the school’s established G&T program next year. Jacob was unfamiliar with the specific situation, but promised to follow up with G&T staffers; we’ll stay on this.
In District 28, where parents had concerns about too few seats for the number of children who qualified for district G&T programs, Jacob says two additional schools are listed on the application — at PS 220 and PS 55.
Additionally, we have heard from two families of current G&T kindergarten students in Manhattan’s PS 9 who told us that scores for the tests their children took this year are missing. Despite thorough searching at DOE by G&T office workers, the parents say, there is no trace of the test results — or any record that the children actually sat for this year’s test. These parents rightly ask, what happened to the tests their children took? They also want to know what’s next if the tests are truly AWOL — will the DOE use eligibility scores from last year’s test? And finally, in a DOE whose professed hallmark is accountability and transparency, how can there be no paper trail — no physical record of who took which test when? Jacob will, we trust, offer answers to these questions soon.
In the interim, if your child sat for the G&T tests and you have not received notice of her or his scores from DOE, let us know, contact your parent coordinator, and call the DOE to report your concern first thing Monday morning. And if you’re among the families of PS 9 whose children’s tests seem to be missing, please be in touch, so we can try to track down what happened.
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I am a parent of a second grader, new to public schools (son will enter this fall), and my child took the OLSAT in March. We have no scores yet, and were told on Friday by someone at DOE “we don’t have that database yet.” In the meantime, we are unable even to register for certain school tours (like NEST), for which our son may or may not be eligible. When will we get our son’s results? Will we receive them in time to tour the schools? Our zoned school has a G&T (PS 282) and their tour is this Wednesday morning. If my son does well enough to qualify, will I know in time to visit schools he might be eligible to attend? Incidentally, we also waited very nervously all last week (checking the mail anxiously every day), as the DOE posted (and still has displayed online) that our scores were mailed last Monday. Why has that info not been updated by DOE to reflect what is really happening? Is there somewhere we can call or go in person this week to obtain scores for our rising 2nd and 3rd graders? Furthermore, our “application deadline” is still listed as 5/20, and I am concerned as tomorrow is already May 11th and we don’t even have scores yet! Will we be held to that May 20 deadline, if our children qualify? What if we don’t have scores in time? Finally, if we miss all the scheduled tours before we have scores, will schools allow us to visit before ranking any choice our children may be lucky enough to have? Thank you.
Comment by Jennifer — May 10, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
Jennifer, all good questions – we’ll try to get answers for you tomorrow.
Comment by helen — May 10, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
Thank you so much Helen for posting all the info above, and for trying to obtain answers for parents of older children too.
Comment by Jennifer — May 10, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
Could you look into the Catch 22 that many Brooklyn families face of not having had their kids tested for G&T because of the lack of citywide schools within commuting distance only to find out that there are in fact going to be two citywide G&T schools in Brooklyn this year. How could we know to be tested for schools that didn’t exist at test time? DOE should accept eligibility scores from last year’s test for any Brooklyn families that want to be considered for these brand new schools.
Comment by Jooltman — May 10, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
Helen I was reading Andy Jacob comment about” will kindergarten kids risk their district seats if they choose city G&T. His comment was if they took the test this year. But it clearly states on form that my kid WHO TOOK EXAM LAST YEAR and scored 99% was AGAIN allowed to SELECT CITY WIDE schools and district this year for 1st grade. I checked with 6 other people who also got 99% last year and were offered city wide this year. in our district 10 there was no kindergarten gifted class. So our question to Andy Jacob which is very important WILL WE RISK OUR DISTRICT SEAT IF WE PICK CITY SEAT 1ST. REMEMBER WE TOOK TEST LAST YEAR.
Comment by cathy — May 11, 2009 @ 7:16 am
Hi Helen,
Just wanted to report that I am a D30 parent who is still waiting for test results for my rising 1st grader, who retested this year. I have been in touch with the G&T office and was told by Angela Hardgraves on Thursday what my daughter’s score was and that she qualifies for the citywide program. However, I know from last year you cannot enter the tours for these schools without the scores in hand, and the tours are all this week. Not to mention I need the application in order to send it in!
I have been waiting for a call back from G&T since Thursday on how to proceed, but my follow-up calls have gone unanswered.
Another D30 parent I know, whose child also retested, is in the exact same situation, which leads me to believe something is going on with the test scores for D30 children who retested and qualified for citywide.
Thank you!
D30 parent
Comment by yet another D30 parent — May 11, 2009 @ 7:48 am
Cathy, thanks for your post — and sorry for any confusion. As your child qualified for G&T kindergarten last year, when no programs were offered in your district (as you write), her scores carry over to this year’s enrollment for district G&T, where she is ‘grandfathered’ in to district programs. My understanding from DOE is that only children tested this year for citywide G&T are eligible for citywide programs; check the paperwork to confirm that your child’s application can be made to both citywide and district programs. (Any other D 10 parents whose letters permit application to citywides on last-year’s scores, please let us know, as this is counter to what DOE has said.) Jooltman, you’re not alone in your frustration — but news was reported last year that DOE planned new citywides in the “outer boroughs,” so I doubt sincerely that DOE will consider old scores for the coming year’s citywides. D 30 parent, thank you for your note — we’ll try to find out what’s going on.
Comment by Helen — May 11, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Helen, I’m another D10 parent whose child scored 99% last year. She did not retest, yet our application also lists citywide and district schools.
Comment by kg — May 11, 2009 @ 8:31 am
We are in D28. My daughter qualified for citywide K last year and re-tested this year per DOE’s policy. We haven’t received scores yet. But I know someone in D28 qualified for citywide K last year and did not re-test this year already received applications listing all citywide and district wide programs.
Comment by Sarah Mom — May 11, 2009 @ 9:06 am
I know of at least 5 PS 9 families whose kindergarteners test results are missing.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2009 @ 9:47 am
My daughter tested lasted year and qualified for a district seat (grandfathered in for 2009-2010 as there were no kindergarten seats in district 30). We have not received this year’s test scores and application yet, though we have spoken with the G&T office and been told her score. According to the phone call, she qualifies for citywide this year. I have not received any documentation of that, however.
Thanks for all the help and information you’re providing here!
Comment by another d30 parent — May 11, 2009 @ 10:54 am
Helen,
I’m also D30 parent — my child scored above 97, and didn’t re-test this year. We received the application with all the city wide option + district option.
We don’t have intention to take any of those seat, but wonder what we should do if we just want my child to stay in current school. Just not to return the application? If you know of this, let me know!
Thank you for all the work.
We can’t survive without you!!
Comment by D30 parent — May 11, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Has Lower Lab (PS 77) been added on as a choice to anyone’s online application yet for 1st grade? Got email saying it had been but when we looked online to make the change, it wasn’t there.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2009 @ 11:05 am
Helen,
Thank you so much for these very helpful updates. I am in D3 and also did not get the mailed results but was able to get a confirmation from DOE that my daughter tested in 99th percentile. I still do not have the application.
I have since been struggling to figure out the odds. I am new to New York and not as familar with the school system here. Does anyone have statistics for what is the total number of 1st grade seats availible in the citywide programs and how many kids are eligible this year (ie how many out of the 1429 qualifying students for 1st grade tested above 97 percentale and how many in 99 percentile)? I saw somewhere that 75 new seats are availible, including 25 new seats at Anderson for a new 1st grade class. Is that correct? I heard that PS 9 will not have any spots in the 1st grade G&T. Is that correct? How do I ensure that I do not loose a spot in our zoned school (87), as if we do not get Anderson and if PS9 also has no spots, then that would probably be the best option?
Thank you for your insights!
Comment by MK — May 11, 2009 @ 11:32 am
I want to know whether anyone receives the test result for children currently in 2nd grade. Eventhough, the DOE listed the result (2nd and 3rd grade) was scheduled to be sent out on 5/4/09, I spoke to Angela at the DOE and she said that the result has not been sent out yet. It should be sent out in the week of 5/11. Also, if they really send out this week, will the deadline 5/20 still be remained the same? Can you please advise. Thanks.
Comment by Michelle — May 11, 2009 @ 11:47 am
My child also tested 99% last year. I didn’t have her retested because she loves the district g/t. I didn’t get anything in the mail, nor was I expecting it, so not sure why some parents who didn’t have child retested this year got something from DOE.
Not sweating it, just curious.
Comment by Anon — May 11, 2009 @ 11:49 am
My daughter is in private school kindergarten. Due to economics, I am considering public school for the first grade on. Her G&T score into Kindergarten was 99, ERB 97. She is
very bright. This year’s G&T score was 80. Any thoughts
on such a disparity?
Comment by Anon — May 11, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
Reply to #17: My thoughts on such a disparity are that the tests utilized are not particularly reliable. It’s ridiculous to assume the change is because your daughter has regressed in any significant fashion. By all means, however, contact the DOE to view her actual test. It would not be all that surprising to find that the DOE’s process was flawed, so do the due diligence…
Comment by a parent — May 11, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
It would be totally unfair to the rest of the kids who took the test if the DOE uses last year;s test scores. I feel for the PS9 kids/parents, but so unfair if they use last year’s results. All of the K G&T kids at PS 9 got a 99% last year. I am sure they would not be so happy if that were not the case. Just my 2 cents anyway. Best of luck to you all!
Comment by D3 parent — May 11, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
There is just so much fairness in this system. Last year, there were G&T programs for K in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but nothing for Queens, Bronx and Staten Island. Then DOE promised eligible scores carry over, yet only for district programs; anyone interested in this year’s 1st grade citywide has to be re-tested, now kids did not re-test still get applications for citywide… The more information I know, the more confused I am.
Comment by Sarah Mom — May 11, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Another D28 here. Tested and qualified last year, and retested this year. Still no scores yet. When I called last week, the DOE said they had mailed out the scores.
I detect a pattern emerging here!
Comment by QueensParent — May 11, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
Does anyone know if the results were mailed out for current 1st graders? It had been my understanding that they were mailed out on 5/4, but are they not being mailed out not until today? We haven’t receive the results yet.
Comment by Concerned Parent — May 11, 2009 @ 6:39 pm
Another D28 here. Our son tested and qualified for citywide last year, but there weren’t enough seats. No scores yet – but most of his classmates have gotten scores. I called today and was told that they were mailed out, and that mail in Queens is “iffy”.
This is ridiculous, but after last year, I had low expectations dealing with the NYC DOE.
Comment by reconsidering private school — May 11, 2009 @ 7:38 pm
Last year, 2007-2008, to be eligible for a G&T program, the cutoff was 95th percentile and above. This year the cutoff is 90th percentile. My question is 1) Will the first grade class being “grandfathered” in be eligible starting at the 90th percentile. 2) And will they be given priority over the children entering this year.
San.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
I live in D27 and there are only 2 district G/T programs here. My daughter got accepted into the district wide program. What is the chances that I will get my first choice, as I do not want her to go to the second choice (the school is too big- 1350 kids) What criteria is used to determine placement?
Comment by In the System — May 11, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
Helen IN RESPONSE TO #7 I can fax you a copy of my paper work received from DOE stating I CAN APPLY TO ALL CITY WIDE AND DISTRICT PROGRAMS. Cathy D10. Also just to let you know that alot of people in D10 have contacted DOE and were told that THAT THE HIGHEST SCORE WILL BE TAKEN FROM LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR RETESTING. My friend little boy took test last year and got 97%. She did not retest. Alot of kids who got 95% last year retested and got 99%. NOW THEY WILL BE TAKEN AHEAD OF HER FOR DISTRICT PROGRAM IN PS24 WHICH IS HIGH DEMAND. AGAIN HELEN DOE HAS STATED THAT THE HIGHEST SCORE WILL COUNT.
Cathy.
Comment by CATHY — May 12, 2009 @ 6:53 am
Reply to #17 & 18:
I’m in the same boat, I’m glad though to see that I’m not the only one. I just thought I would let it go but I’ll take the advice of calling the DOE to see if I can see the actual test. I don’t have high hopes but I guess it’s worth a shot. My daughter’s score just doesn’t make sense! Thanks!
Comment by anon — May 12, 2009 @ 12:53 pm
also district 10. 99% last year…this year’s application listed both citywide and district.
Comment by Anonymous — May 12, 2009 @ 7:52 pm
strange question…but what if you send your child to a district g&t and hate it, your child hates it and you both prefer returning to original zoned school, can you do that?
Comment by Anonymous — May 12, 2009 @ 7:53 pm