If
your child participated in the 2008-09 testing cycle, and you are
unsatisfied the eligibility results, you may appeal the
decision.
Appeals should be in
writing, should include your child's name and ID number, and
include additional compelling information relevant to your child's
eligibility determination.
Deadline: The
deadline for the 2008-09 testing cycle is February 23, 2009 (or
February 13 for children who qualify for free/reduced lunch). For
families with eligibility letters dated February 6, 2009 or later,
the deadline to appeal is March 4, 2009 (or February 25 for
children who qualify for free/reduced lunch).
Appeals information
may include, but is not limited to:
- Additional assessments. Assessments should be administered by a
qualified, licensed professional provider. Private providers should
complete assessments in all areas needed for the desired
eligibility designation and/or in all areas where a student scored
below the threshold for the desired designation (see chart below).
We do not administer additional tests based on test information
submitted by parents.
Seattle Public Schools will provide in-house appeals testing for
families who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. Please
mail a signed statement requesting an appeal by the due date listed
in your eligibility letter. For questions contact consulting
teacher, Roger
Daniels.
List of
private providers.  Private
assessments from a provider not on this list should include a copy
of the practitioner's license.
- Written teacher comments. Teacher
comments can be compelling when they provide data and specific
information about your child's performance such as specific skill
levels in reading and math and the results of recent classroom
assessments.
- Evidence of classroom work that demonstrates
exceptional achievement. Classroom work may include:
writing samples; lists of books read; and examples of problem
solving in math.
We
do not accept e-mailed or faxed appeals. Submit no more than 10
pages, no larger than 8 1/2" by 11", no notebooks, plastic covers,
plastic sleeves, metal brads or fasteners. Submitted materials are
not returned. Mail appeals to:
Advanced Learning
MS 32-936
PO Box 34165
Seattle, WA 98124-1165
The
table below details the information needed at each grade
level.
|
Eligibility
Category
|
Information Needed for an Appeal Decision
|
|
Grades Tested
|
Cognitive
Ability
Testing* |
Cognitive Ability
Testing Criteria |
Reading & Math Achievement Testing**
|
Reading & Math
Achievement Testing Criteria |
| Academically Highly Gifted (eligible for Accelerated
Progress Program or Spectrum) |
K-7
|
Full scale, verbal,
and performance standard scores on a nationally-normed intelligence
test |
Threshold at the
98/99th percentile |
Broad reading and math standard scores on a
nationally-normed achievement test
|
Threshold at the 95th
percentile |
| Academically Gifted
(eligible for Spectrum) |
K-1
|
Full scale, verbal,
and performance standard scores on a nationally-normed intelligence
test |
Threshold at the 90th
percentile |
Not needed
|
|
| Academically Gifted (eligible for Spectrum) |
2-7
|
Full scale, verbal,
and performance standard scores on a nationally-normed intelligence
test |
Threshold of the 87th
percentile |
Broad reading and math standard scores on a
nationally-normed achievement test
|
Threshold of the 87th
percentile |
|
*Approved Intelligence
tests include the DAS, the WISC-IV, or the Stanford-Binet V. The
Appeals Committee will consider results from privately administered
intelligence tests that have been completed within the last three
years. For this year's testing cycle, results from cognitive test
administered starting in January 2006 will be
considered.
|
**Approved
standardized achievement tests include the Woodcock-Johnson III
Achievement, Form B, the WIAT-II, and the KTEA-II. Only
achievements tests that have been completed no earlier than April
2008 will be considered.
|
There are three common
reasons for appeals not being successful.
Reason 1: The
additional testing information submitted did NOT demonstrate
performance levels in ALL areas needed for program
qualification.
Reason 2: The
evidence provided was insufficient to support a decision
change.
Reason 3: No
evidence was provided beyond a cover letter asking to appeal the
original decision resulting in insufficient information to support
a decision change.
Information concerning
the appeal process, timelines, and materials needed are included in
the eligibility letters. These letters will be mailed on or around
January 30, 2009.
Appeals decisions are
final; there are no appeals of appeals. The Advanced
Learning office has limited resources and has additional
responsibilities that requires a shift to other work once appeals
have been decided.
Private assessments
are not accepted as the basis of initial eligibility -- all
students MUST participate in the district testing
cycle.
Click here for
answers to frequently asked questions concerning
appeals.
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Updated
08/21/2009
|
