I'm a bit confused about the requirements for a Gold Seal certificate.
My first time signoff/pass rate is 9/7 and counting the retests (two) my total signoff/pass rate is 11/9. They were all foreign contract students (Chinese) so while I'd like it to be higher I won't beat myself up about it.

I understand that the two retests don't count towards the Gold Seal and I need one more fresh sign off/pass to qualify (bringing my first time signoff/pass rate to 10/8)

Does it hurt me to sign off a student for a retest who failed the first time with another instructor or would that count to lower my total percentage?

Trained and recommended at least 10 applicants for certificates or ratings, and at least 80 percent of these applicants must have passed the flight test on their first attempt;

I think you're lowering your ratio. Not sure how the FAA counts retests if you sign them off again but I'd guess each one is separate. In your record of signoffs you've got eleven entries and seven passed the first time. Now you'll have 12 and there's no way this one can up the first time pass ratio.

If it is YOUR first sign off for the student it can count. It could be the student's 25th attempt. It is a measure of your "instructional ability and judgement".

I'd like to think the FAA would realize that a retest is the same applicant for the same rating. If they counted retests again then true..I'd have 11/9/7 signoffs-total pass-1st time pass..mathematically I would need to have a run of 9 more signoffs AND passes to reach 80% again (20/16) which seems excessive. It would be counter productive to set up a situation where if I dumped a student my pass rate is 77% and one more qualifies me VERSUS retraining and passing two students gives me 63% and screws me. Thing is a Ive been allover the FAA website and can't find any guidance further than the basic requirements.

I hope you have your ground instructor rating also....just in case you forgot. I know you didn't mention this but you need this along with the 80% signoff. I just renewed my cfi with my pass rate but could get the gold seal cause of the above info.

AGI, IGI, more than 24 months instructing, all the signoffs within 24 months, no visible piercings and my mom tells the girls at work I'm pretty cute.

Not sure how that will help you at the FSDO.

You could sing off the student who failed with another instructor but it still wont count. It doesnt matter who sings them off first. if they are retesting (checks the box on the 8710) it doesnt count, regardless if it was you who failed him the first time or not.

Dont think so. it says "their first attempt" not your first attempt to sign them off.

It depends on how good looking you are, and how hard up the inspector is!

By the way never learned how to multi quote!