Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: gifted talented lawsuit, pearson nnat2 test, pearson olsat test
According to the Wall Street Journal, a lawsuit claims New York City’s gifted and talented testing process is flawed. A group of parents filed the lawsuit against the Dept. of Ed. late in the afternoon Thursday, May 16, 2013. The group of parents claim the sibling preference in scoring isn’t fair due to the number of limited seats available for the must sought after gifted and talented program here in NYC. The DOE did change the sibling policy for scoring preference in October 2012 but soon retracted it due to parents complaining about the change – all of whom have more than one child so it was somewhat of a self-serving complaint against the DOE. The DOE did originally stated in their G&T handbook in October 2012 that there will be a drastic change to the sibling policy for G&T placement which was basically making it a fair playing level field. This was then removed from the gifted and talented testing handbook in January 2013.
I do feel for these parents who had to go to the extreme of filing a lawsuit against the department of education but when there’s little to no communication from this establishment there’s no other recourse except working through the legal system. We’ll see what happens next. Just when I thought the ongoing snafus from the department of ed. would end…well, I was totally wrong on that one. We’ll see how this impacts the future scoring of the NNAT-2 test and OLSAT test for this coming school year. That is, if the DOE will even use these tests any longer due to Pearson’s (the test publisher) screw ups.
Filed under: nnat test, OLSAT Test | Tags: citywide gifted programs, nyc district wide, nyc gifted talented results
Well, the updated gifted and talented test results have arrived! Since the big snafu with Pearson, the test publisher of the Naglieri Non-verbal Abilities Test (NNAT-2) and Otis Lennon School Abilities Test (OLSAT). Yep, the 4 year olds in New York City are by all standards a cut above their peers across the nation. This NYC water does taste super crisp and clean but now I’m wondering if there’s a shot of G&T prep sprinkled in to get these types of results that go way outside the standard deviation of when the test was actually developed with a national sample.
According to the results below almost 32.4% of the children who took the gifted and talented test this year qualified while a mere 24.5% from last year. I suppose you’re asking yourself, how is this even possible with the addition of the much more difficult NNAT-2 test. Yes, I have the same question myself.
Test results of the NYC gifted and talented for 2012-13 of qualified district and city-wide seats.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: gifted and talented scores, nyc dept of ed, pearson scoring
Well, it looks like the NYC dept of ed miscalculated thousands of test scores for the recent gifted and talented exam given to the talented tots in New York City. This is the third fiasco in the past seven days over the recent test. So, not sure where to begin but here are the highlights that we know so far:
- Pearson, the publishers of the NNAT-2 test and OLSAT test are the vendor responsible for the G&T assessments. It seems that Pearson made a serious error in calculating students’ results.
- Here’s the contact person at Pearson, if you feel the need to voice your concerns: Susan Aspey, Public Affairs, susan.aspey@pearson.com or 347-421-2473
- Families will receive an updated score report and application by April 29, 2013 . The previous application deadline of April 19, 2013 is extended for all families until May 10, 2013.
- If you already submitted your application you can update your gifted and talented school selection if you’d like but you don’t need to re-submit unless you are changing your choices.
- The DOE has set up a gifted and talented hot-line if you have questions. Hopefully they’ll actually answer the phone. Here’s the phone number: 1-888-705-9417.
- You can read all the FAQs and other tidbits on the Dept of Ed website.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: composite score nyc, missing test scores
Well, it looks like the NYC Department of Education loses 400 test scores for the NNAT test and OLSAT test that were given to thousands of children this past January and February. I realize there were changes this year but to lose test scores? Good grief! In the era of modern technology how is this even possible without realizing it 3 days before gifted and talented applications are due by parents. Here’s what one parent said about the missing scores for their son. It’s unimaginable what these parents are going through without any help from the DEO. And the Dept of Ed wonders why people have little faith in their abilities? Well, DOE read this:
My son’s test is missing and no one told me what the issue was. Like the parent in this article I had to make so many phone calls and send way too many e-mails and DOE staff was not helpful at all …. very frustrating! But at least now I know I am not the only one fighting to get my child’s score.
Read the full article here about how 400 test scores are missing.
I also haven’t been impressed with the way the DOE is handing the process this year and at best has given misinformation to parents about the composite scoring dilemma. Oh, you haven’t heard of that fiasco either? Well, in the fall of 2012 the NYC gifted and talented handbook indicated the child’s placement into the G&T program would be based solely on the composite score. The DOE now changed that policy without telling anyone until this week – a few days before the applications are due.
Here’s an article about how getting a perfect score is now not a guarantee for a city-wide seat from the amazing resource for NYC schools on DNAInfo. Another one for the DOE to add to their laundry list of faux pas this testing season.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: city wide gifted, district wide gifted programs, nyc gifted test scores
Well, according to a recent Wall St. Journal article fewer students qualified for gifted and talented spots in New York City. Here are the highlights from the article:
- Only 7% of pre-K students who took the NNAT test and OLSAT test got a 99th percentile when compared to last year only 11% received the coveted perfect score.
- There are only 350+ spots available for five citywide G&T programs going into Kindergarten next year and 1,863 students qualified with a 97th to 99th percentile ranking.
- It looks like the change to the NYC gifted and talented test helped lower the scores since there was a 13% increase of children qualifying for a district-wide seat. The child must score in the 90th to 96th percentile to qualify for a district wide program in NYC.
The results did come in for TestingMom.com members where the average score was 96.4th percentile based upon recent survey for their members.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: G&T school tours, nyc gifted test results
Well, the department of education has officially announced the NYC gifted and talented test results will be released tomorrow by 9am (Saturday, April 5, 2013). I suppose the Saturday delivery is to give parents the weekend to digest the results and to reduce the number of angry parents calling in to the DOE.
Here’s the email that was sent to parents earlier today:
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Gifted & Talented test results will be mailed to families today. If you submitted the Request for Testing form online, you will receive an email on Saturday by 9am, which will allow you to log in to the online site (https://prod.semsnycdoe.com/parentsite) to see your child’s results, and if eligible, begin the Gifted & Talented application for placement.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 718-935-2009.
Sincerely,
Gentian Falstrom
Director, Elementary School Admissions
__________________
It’s nice they are sending the test results before the school tours that begin this Monday. Next week will be crazy for all the gifted and talented schools in NYC who will now have to accomadate tens of thousands of parents wanting to tour their schools. The deadline for the application is Friday, April 19, 2013 so parents only have less than 2 weeks to figure out the best fit for their child and cross their fingers for their first choice!
With the new NNAT-2 test coming into play this year it will be interesting to find out if fewer students score in the 99th percentile compared to previous years. Stay tuned on those details.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: nyc gifted test results, OLSAT test results, PS 33 Chelsea Prep
Well, the countdown has started for the NYC gifted and talented test results! According to the NYC department of web site the test results will be released in April. According to the site the test scores will come out in April and the applications are due by April 19. This most likely means parents should find out the scores some time in early April. Since there’s no sibling preference change many parents who already have children in the NYC Gifted and Talented program can breath a sigh of relief since the sibling preference from the past is still in place.
As you know, my daughter is in the gifted and talented program at PS 33 Chelsea Prep in district 2. All I can say is that this program at PS 33 is simply amazing. Our daughter is now in 3rd grade and we have really seen tremendous academic excellence over the years since Kindergarten. Stay tuned as we all anxiously await OLSAT and NNAT test results.
Also, I’ve heard from several parents who made it through the second round at Hunter Elementary and got accepted to Kindergarten this fall. Congrats to all the parents who made it through this treacherous process and no matter if your child made it into the Hunter or not, I’m sure you’re relieved the entire process is over.
Filed under: nnat test, NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test | Tags: nnat test prep, NYC Gifted and Talented, OLSAT test prep, testing mom
- Although the Principal said that the gifted and talented test was supposed to last one hour, and maybe a bit longer most of the kids were out by 40 minutes. This is true for the kids testing in the session before us, and also for our session.
- My son went in at 10:40 and was out at 11:20- that included climbing up and down 2 half flights of stairs to the next floor and getting into the classrooms where the test was being administered.
- He was not the only one- about 4-5 other young boys that had gone a few minutes before him, all came back out together after taking the OLSAT test and the NNAT test. The girls were still inside when we left 5 minutes later.
- When I asked him about the gifted and talented test, he said some questions were hard so he said “I picked the wrong answer”. When I asked why he did that, he said the teacher did not say anything or tell him to try again.
- He said he had never seen any puzzles like this before (He has an almost photographic memory of the questions. One he has done some, he tends to remember them).
- He also did not remember the name of the teacher (test proctor) with whom he went. It is highly likely that they did not engage with the kids even while walking them up.
Filed under: OLSAT Test, Stanford-Binet, Stanford-binet test | Tags: hunter second round
Hunter Elementary cut-off score for second round is 146 for this year (2012-13) for the necessary score on the Stanford-Binet test given to the talented 4 year-olds in New York City! This is actually lower than the past 2 years where last year was 148 and the year prior was 149. I suppose it means the little ones this year just aren’t as smart as in the past?
Now it’s time for Round 2 at Hunter for the 250-300 gifted kids to see if they can get through the next round. There is always quite a bit of speculation of what they look for in round 2 at Hunter Elementary school. Stories vary about the secret sauce that’s used for the selection criteria. I suppose it’s the best way to make sure all the kids who make it to round two are vetted properly before they are given one of the coveted spots going into Kindergarten which is harder to get into than Harvard.
I’m sure there are many parents who found out their child didn’t quite make the necessary score on the Standford-Binet 5 but don’t worry, there’s always the NYC gifted and talented test where your child can show their stuff on the OLSAT test and the NNAT-2 test!
Filed under: NYC Gifted and Talented Program, OLSAT Test, OLSAT test prep | Tags: testing mom, testingmom.com
The team at TestinMom.com is hosting New York City Gifted and Talented seminars next week for parents going through the testing process. Here are a few of the discussion items at this seminar:
Here’s what you’ll learn at this must-attend seminar for any parent going through the gifted and talented testing
- Learn all about NNAT®-2 test (Naglieri® Non-verbal Abilities Test) which now accounts for two-thirds of the score
- The OLSAT test explained and how it’s now only the verbal section of the OLSAT which is one-third of the schore
- How moms and dads can prepare a child for testing without “prepping””
- How to read and interpret test scores along with tips on what to do when you review your child’s test
- Is your child shy? Learn how you can help him or her overcome testing anxiety as it relates to shyness
- Does your child have ADHD? or just can’t sit still? Learn how to help a rambunctious child sit through the entire test
- Things you can do at home to help your child prepare for testing
