Parent: When Notifications came out, we were told that our child did not qualify as G/T. However, yesterday, the teacher sent home paperwork that says he is qualified. Could you take a look? :: hands me a copy of both the qualified matrix and the not qualified matrix ::
Me: I believe I know what happened ... your child was in a grade where we test everyone for G/T. The results are generated on the matrix for us. We call those pre-printed. From the numbers we had at the time, your child did not qualify. -- This was the matrix that was used to determine that your child did not qualify for the G/T Magnet program to which you applied. :: I show him the not qualified matrix. ::
Parent: Okay. I can see that.
Me: When the third quarter report card came out, the G/T coordinator at their current campus used that score, which improved your child's overall score enough to qualify. :: I show him the qualified matrix. ::
Parent: Okay. So, can he get back on the list at the G/T Magnet?
Me: Unfortunately, no. Everyone that applied to G/T Magnets during the first round of applications had one initial chance to qualify as G/T. Your child did not qualify at that time. The G/T Magnet to which you applied does not take round two applicants. You can, however, apply to G/T Magnet schools that do take applications for round two.
Parent: But he is nowly qualified! He should be considered!
Behind the Curtain: Everyone applying to grades 1 through 12 goes in the lottery, because the lottery is run before we get the test scores needed to write matrices. When this child did not qualify, his name was struck out from the list.
As a coordinator, I can see where this child would have been, if they were still active on the list. From what I can see, his waitlist number would have been in the triple digits for a campus that has not yet taken anyone for the grade to which he applied (and likely won't, or, if they do, maybe only take one or two students).
It is always a dilemma whether or not to share that information with parents. ... In the end, I rarely do, because it doesn't matter. The parent wants their child back on the list, but I can't do that because their child did not initially qualify and no mistake was made in calculating the initial matrix. As bad as I feel about not being able to meet the parent's request, being "nowly" qualified doesn't change the fact that they had one shot at qualifying for round one, and they didn't.
Me: I believe I know what happened ... your child was in a grade where we test everyone for G/T. The results are generated on the matrix for us. We call those pre-printed. From the numbers we had at the time, your child did not qualify. -- This was the matrix that was used to determine that your child did not qualify for the G/T Magnet program to which you applied. :: I show him the not qualified matrix. ::
Parent: Okay. I can see that.
Me: When the third quarter report card came out, the G/T coordinator at their current campus used that score, which improved your child's overall score enough to qualify. :: I show him the qualified matrix. ::
Parent: Okay. So, can he get back on the list at the G/T Magnet?
Me: Unfortunately, no. Everyone that applied to G/T Magnets during the first round of applications had one initial chance to qualify as G/T. Your child did not qualify at that time. The G/T Magnet to which you applied does not take round two applicants. You can, however, apply to G/T Magnet schools that do take applications for round two.
Parent: But he is nowly qualified! He should be considered!
Behind the Curtain: Everyone applying to grades 1 through 12 goes in the lottery, because the lottery is run before we get the test scores needed to write matrices. When this child did not qualify, his name was struck out from the list.
As a coordinator, I can see where this child would have been, if they were still active on the list. From what I can see, his waitlist number would have been in the triple digits for a campus that has not yet taken anyone for the grade to which he applied (and likely won't, or, if they do, maybe only take one or two students).
It is always a dilemma whether or not to share that information with parents. ... In the end, I rarely do, because it doesn't matter. The parent wants their child back on the list, but I can't do that because their child did not initially qualify and no mistake was made in calculating the initial matrix. As bad as I feel about not being able to meet the parent's request, being "nowly" qualified doesn't change the fact that they had one shot at qualifying for round one, and they didn't.
