Advanced Learning - Appeal Process
Appeal Process for 2012-2013 Initial Review
All nominations received by October 4 will be reviewed to determine if further testing is warranted (see table below). If your child did not have Spring 2012 MAP scores in the eligible range, you will be notified by mail sent out on October 31. You may appeal the Initial Review decision by November 21. The process is explained below. Decisions on appeals will be mailed by the end of November.
Appeal Process for 2012-2013 Testing Cycle (for Final Eligiblity Results Mailed On Or Around January 31, 2013)
If your child participates in the 2012-13 testing cycle, and you are unsatisfied with the eligibility results, you may appeal the decision.
Deadline: Eligibility letters with test scores and eligibility results are mailed on January 31, 2013. The appeals deadline is February 22 (or February 14 for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and who are providing documents in support of assistance with additional appeals assessments).
Appeal Guidelines
Appeals should include a signed statement from the parent/guardian with your child's name and ID number. You will need to provide compelling information that demonstrates that the test scores in your eligibility letter are not representative of your child's abilities.
Appeals information may include, but is not limited to:
- Additional assessments. Additional assessments must cover all areas needed for the desired eligibility category. Depending on the test scores in your eligibility letter, students may need cognitive tests (e.g., an IQ test) and/or reading and math achievement tests (see chart below). We do not administer additional tests based on test information submitted by parents or private providers.
Seattle Public Schools will provide in-house appeals testing for families who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. In order to assist you, parents or guardians must provide support letters and/or classroom work that demonstrates exceptional achievement by the date indicated in your 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. (See page limit below.)
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 following table below details the information needed if providing additional assessments for an appeal.
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Eligibility Criteria for an Appeal
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| Eligibility Category |
Grade When Tested
|
Full scale and GAI. Please send complete report of scores from nationally-normed intelligence test.* |
Broad reading and math standard scores on a nationally-normed achievement test**
|
Enrollment Options |
| Academically Highly Gifted |
K-8
|
98/99th percentile |
95th percentile or higher
|
Accelerated Progress Program (Grades 1-8) Spectrum (Grades 1-8) APP/IB at Ingraham (Grade 9) |
| Academically Gifted |
1-7
--- K |
87th percentile or higher ----- 90th percentile or higher |
87th percentile or higher
----- No achievement scores required |
Spectrum (Grades 1-8) |
|
*Approved Intelligence tests include the WISC-IV, the Stanford-Binet V, or the WPPSI. 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 IQ tests administered no earlier than January 2010 will be considered. Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores from the ERB if done in a school setting no earlier than March 2012 will be considered for an appeal. |
**Approved standardized achievement tests include the Woodcock-Johnson III Achievement, Form B (Grade Norms), the WIAT-II, WIAT-III, and the KTEA-II. ERBs, MAP, and other standardized nationally-normed reading and math achievement tests done in a school setting may also be submitted. Only achievements tests that have been completed no earlier than March 2012 will be considered. (Because the 2012 Fall MAP was not available to all children in all Seattle Public Schools, we are unable to use 2012 Fall MAP scores for initial consideration of Advanced Learning eligibility. 2012 Fall and 2013 Winter MAP scores, if available, may be used to support an appeal.) |
Most Common Reasons for Unsuccessful Appeals
There are three common reasons for unsuccessful appeals.
Reason 1: The additional testing information submitted did NOT demonstrate performance levels in ALL areas needed for program qualification. (The most common error is to only provide intelligence test assessments (IQ) when both IQ AND reading and math achievement tests are required. Please review your child's test scores and read the chart above carefully.)
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.
Eligibility results letters with test scores will be mailed on or around January 31, 2013. Appeals deadlines are included in these letters. We recommend that you enroll as if your appeal will be successful, ranking your choices in the desired order. If your appeal is not successful, those choices for which your child is not eligible will be dropped automatically by the Enrollment Services office. See the Enrollment Services website for Enrollment forms.
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.