red-shirting

Banty wrote:

That's why our district added a second screening
test a few years ago. They found that the CogAT was too
verbal to pick up a number of kids with limited English
proficiency who were nevertheless gifted (or gifted kids
with learning disabilities that affected their verbal
skills, or whatever), so they added a completely nonverbal
screening test. Since they did so, the mandatory screening
pool demographics have changed considerably. (The top
whatever percent of scores on the screening tests are
automatically screened by the central committee, in addition
to anyone whose referral makes it past the school screening
committee.)

In what way did the demographics change?

The big one has been increasing the racial/ethnic
diversity (probably due to picking up more kids whose first
language isn't English). I've heard rumors that it has
changed some other variables as well (gender mix, maybe?),
but I haven't been able to confirm that. The new screening
test was added before my kids went through the process, so
I didn't see the change myself. It wouldn't have made much
of a difference for DS1, but DS2 showed something like a
15-20 point difference between the two screening tests,
so it likely made a difference for him.

Best wishes,
Ericka

In article ,
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

No; it's only of relevance near cutoff. The more significant issue here is
the culture-bound nature of some of the tests, particularly for verbal
aptitude.

That's why our district added a second screening
test a few years ago. They found that the CogAT was too
verbal to pick up a number of kids with limited English
proficiency who were nevertheless gifted (or gifted kids
with learning disabilities that affected their verbal
skills, or whatever), so they added a completely nonverbal
screening test.

Any idea what it is? Our school counsellor probably needs something like that.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

Chookie wrote:
In article ,
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

No; it's only of relevance near cutoff. The more significant issue here is
the culture-bound nature of some of the tests, particularly for verbal
aptitude.
That's why our district added a second screening
test a few years ago. They found that the CogAT was too
verbal to pick up a number of kids with limited English
proficiency who were nevertheless gifted (or gifted kids
with learning disabilities that affected their verbal
skills, or whatever), so they added a completely nonverbal
screening test.

Any idea what it is? Our school counsellor probably needs something like that.

Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

Best wishes,
Ericka