andrew king, ph · 2017-18 cas application for 9th grade students 2 for each cas course that you...

2017-18 CAS Application for 9th Grade Students

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The Gifted and Talented Office

341 S. Bellefield Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 Phone: 412-529-3082| Fax: 412-928-0576 Parent Hotline: 412-529-7920 | www.pps.k12.pa.us

Dear Families of Students Entering the 9th Grade,

Your student may qualify to participate in the Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS) program at their anticipated high school. CAS courses are high-level, accelerated courses offered at most of our high schools that have an additional .5 weight to account for the additional rigor that is infused into the curriculum.

To enroll, students not identified as gifted must meet specific course entrance requirements (please see application for details) as well as the following general requirements:

At least a 3.0 un-weighted grade point average (GPA); 90% attendance; Complete an essay and sign a contract; and Have a strong teacher recommendation in that content area.

To remain in a CAS content course from year to year, students must maintain at least an 80% average in the course and 90% attendance.

Application Process Timeline:

- Thursday, December 1st: Students interested in taking a CAS course(s) can receive an application packet to complete. Applications will be available through your school counselor, or online at pghboe.net/giftedandtalented

- Week of December 12th: Students can request a printed hard copy from their school counselor

- Friday, February 3rd: All CAS applications are due to the Gifted and Talented Office.

o No late applications will be accepted, unless you are new to the district. - Week of March 6th: Families will be notified of the student’s preliminary eligibility* status, based on available

data. Final eligibility* will depend on final grades, GPA, attendance, and standardized assessments, and will be known by the end of June.

o Schools will schedule students based on preliminary eligibility. - End of June (or earlier, depending on when final grades and standardized assessment scores become available):

Schools and families will be notified of final eligibility. Non-PPS students are responsible for submitted final grades, attendance, and standardized assessment scores no later than June 30, 2017.

Please note that course offerings may change as a result of enrollment, and placement is not guaranteed.

*Preliminary Eligibility: Whether the student currently meets CAS course requirements. Students may meet the requirements for some but not all classes they applied for. *Final Eligibility: Whether the student meets the requirements at the end of the year. Eligibility can change based on end of year GPA, attendance, and grade in previous course. Standardized assessment scores will also be reviewed, but will only positively impact a student’s eligibility.

../pghboe.net/giftedandtalented


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For each CAS course that you are applying to, please give your current teacher of that subject a recommendation form, found on page 20. For example, if you are applying for CAS Civics, your current Social Studies teacher will need to submit a recommendation form. Teachers can also complete a recommendation form online. The link is available at pghboe.net/giftedandtalented Schools will return teacher recommendations to the Gifted and Talented Office- students should not send teacher recommendations with the application. Students currently attending a non-PPS school are responsible for submitting all transcripts and standardized testing information along with the application. Some final guidelines for application submission:

Please write applicant’s name on all submitted forms

Please paperclip all forms together before submission

Submit complete applications only – incomplete applications will not be processed All applications should be sent to the following address:

The Gifted and Talented Office 341 S. Bellefield Avenue Room 462

Pittsburgh PA, 15213 Lastly, if your student currently attends a NON-PPS school and would like to take our local standardized reading and mathematics assessments, the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and the Scholastic Mathematics Inventory (SMI), please call our office to sign up for one of the two testing dates (below). The deadline to sign up is one week before each assessment date. Testing will occur at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School (2409 Shady Avenue). The score(s) on the SRI/SMI assessment(s) can be substituted for the standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.) administered at your student’s current school.

This is a wonderful opportunity for highly motivated students who are interested in an additional challenge. Over the past 3 years, over 1300 students have applied for 1 or more CAS courses through this application process. If you are unsure if a CAS course is the best fit, please see the document “What to Expect from CAS”(Appendix B), talk to your teacher or principal, or contact the Gifted and Talented Office at 412-529-3082 for more guidance. Sincerely, Emelda Jones Project Specialist, K-12 Gifted and Talented Kashif Henderson Coordinator, K-12 Gifted & Talented

SRI/SMI Assessment Dates for Non-PPS Students Wednesday, January 11, 2017: 5 pm (Deadline to sign up: 1/6) Saturday, January 21, 2017: 10 am (Deadline to sign up: 1/18) Thursday, February 26, 2017: 5pm (Deadline to sign up: 1/23) Saturday, January 28, 2017: 10am (Deadline to sign up: 1/25)

../Allison%20McCarthy/CAS/14-15%20Planning/Final%20Review%20for%20Website/pghboe.net/giftedandtalented


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Documents Included in the 9th Grade CAS Application

The following are required documents to be submitted as part of the CAS application.

Part Required Documents Page #

Part 1 of 6 Completion Checklist and Directions for

Completing the CAS Application REQUIRED

4

Part 2 of 6 Student Information Page

REQUIRED 5

Part 3 of 6 Student Essay

REQUIRED 6

Part 4 of 6 CAS Course Selection & Specific Course

Requirements REQUIRED

7-8

Part 5 of 6 Student & Parent/Guardian Contract

REQUIRED 9

Part 6 of 6 Transcript and Attendance Information REQUIRED for non-PPS students ONLY

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The following are reference documents for the CAS Application.

Appendices Page # CAS Course Requirements for Specific Courses 12-17

What to Expect from CAS 18

CAS Course Pathway 19

Teacher Recommendation 20-21


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Include this checklist as the cover page of your application.

Completion Checklist & Directions for Completing CAS Applications (REQUIRED DOCUMENT)

To successfully apply for a CAS course, all students must complete the following steps, listed on the checklist below. Important Notes:

- All CAS Applications are due to the Gifted and Talented Office by February 3, 2017. - Please only submit completed applications.

Student Name:

Current School:

If you have questions, please contact the Gifted and Talented Office at 412-529-3082 for more information.

Please mail all applications to:

The Gifted and Talented Office

341 S. Bellefield Ave. Room 462

Pittsburgh PA, 15213

Complete and Submit: Complete and

included?

PART 1: COMPLETION CHECKLIST (THIS PAGE) - Please complete this checklist and attach as the cover page of your application.

PART 2: STUDENT INFORMATION PAGE (page 5)

- Please complete all portions of the student information page and reference the CAS courses available at each high school.

- You may only apply to courses that are available at your anticipated high school.

PART 3: STUDENT ESSAY (1) (page 6) - Complete a 300 word maximum essay on the topic of your choice. - You only need to write one Student Essay, regardless of the number of courses you

are applying to.

PART 4: CAS COURSE SELECTION & SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS (pages 7-8) - Please check off the CAS course(s) you are applying to. Please note the specific

course requirements. Please return both pages in your completed application.

PART 5: STUDENT & PARENT CONTRACT (1) (page 9) - The contract must be signed by both the student and parent/guardian. - Only one contract needs to be submitted, regardless of the number of courses you

are applying to.

PART 6: TRANSCRIPT and Other Student Information (page 10 ) - NON-PPS Students ONLY: Please submit the required information listed. - PPS Students: The Gifted & Talented office will pull your official information.

A Teacher Recommendation is required for each course you are applying for. Schools will submit teacher recommendations directly—do not include in your application.

Part 1 of 6


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Student Information Page (REQUIRED DOCUMENT)

1. Student Name:__________________________________________________________________

2. School You Currently Attend:____________________________ Current Grade:_____________

3. Street Address:________________________________________ Zip Code: __________________

4. Phone: ______________________________ Email:_____________________________________ 5. Anticipated School for the 2017-2018 School Year:

o Pittsburgh Allderdice o Pittsburgh CAPA o Pittsburgh Perry o Pittsburgh U Prep

o Pittsburgh Brashear o Pittsburgh Carrick o Pittsburgh Obama o Pittsburgh Westinghouse

** Please note: Because they run a special program, Sci-Tech does not offer any CAS courses.

6. For ALL courses, you must have a 3.0 GPA and 90% Attendance.

o Non-PPS students: please attach copies of your most recent transcripts to Part 6 of this application, including attendance information. Please see your guidance counselor to obtain this information.

*Note: If you do not meet the GPA and Attendance Requirement, you will not meet the preliminary eligibility requirement.

7. Please reference the CAS courses available at each school before applying to one or more CAS courses. Please note that course availability may change pending student enrollment.

9th Grade Courses Please ensure that you have

met all the course pre-requisites before applying.

Schools that Currently Offer this Course: Please only apply to courses your anticipated high school offers.

CAS English 1 Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Obama, Perry, U Prep, Westinghouse

CAS Civics Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Obama, Perry, U Prep, Westinghouse

CAS Biology 1 Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Obama, Perry, U Prep

CAS Geometry Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Obama, Perry, U Prep

CAS Algebra II Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Obama, Perry, U Prep

CAS World Language Level I-II

Allderdice (Spanish, French, German), Brashear (Spanish, Italian, French), CAPA (Spanish I-II, French), Perry (Spanish I-II)

Part 2 of 6

Please list: Current Un-weighted GPA: _______________________

Total # of days you have missed this year: ___________________________

Applications submitted by English Language Learners will be reviewed on a case by case basis.


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Only one (1) Student Essay needs to be submitted, regardless of the number of CAS courses you are applying to.

Student Essay

(REQUIRED DOCUMENT)

Please write an essay (300 word maximum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below, and attach it to your application before submission. Please either type or print clearly. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself.

o Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced

and its impact on you.

o Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

o Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

o Describe a character in action, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that

has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

o A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational

mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to

the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity t

you.

o Topic of your choice

Part 3 of 6


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In addition to having a 3.0 GPA and 90% attendance, you must meet the following requirements to be considered for individual CAS courses.

I am

applying for this CAS Course

(check all that apply)

CAS Course

Teacher Rec.

Required

Minimum Grade Requirement in Relevant 8th Grade Course*

*Applicants with a grade of 80%-89% will be considered after the

relevant teacher recommendation is reviewed.

Reading Assessment Requirement

Mathematics Assessment Requirement

CAS English 1

YES

80% (B) in current English course*

PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Reading PSSA OR Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) score of 1100+ NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

N/A

CAS Civics

YES 80% (B) in current Social Studies course*

PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Reading PSSA OR Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) score of 1100+ NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

N/A

CAS Biology 1

YES 80% (B) in current Science course*

PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on 7th or 8th Grade Reading PSSA NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

N/A

*Applicants with a grade of 80%-89% will be considered after the relevant teacher recommendation is reviewed.

The Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and Scholastic Mathematics Inventory (SMI) are research-based, computer-adaptive assessments that measures students’ level of reading comprehension (using the Lexile Framework) and math achievement, skills and concepts (using the Quantile measure). The SRI and SMI score requirements are aligned to the Lexile and Quantile ranges set forth by the Common Core State Standards. These assessments are administered to all PPS 8th grade students in September and May. All 8th grade CAS applicants who did not reach the SRI/SMI requirement during the September administration will be assessed in school between January and February of this current school year.

CAS Course Selection & Specific Course Requirements (REQUIRED DOCUMENT)

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Part 4-A of 6


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In addition to having a 3.0 GPA and 90% attendance, you must meet the following requirements to be considered for individual CAS courses.

I am applying for

this CAS Course

(check all that apply)

CAS Course

Teacher Rec.

Required

Minimum Grade

Requirement in Relevant 8th Grade Course*

*Applicants with a grade of 80%-89% will be considered after the relevant teacher

recommendation is reviewed.

Reading Assessment Requirement

Mathematics Assessment Requirement

CAS Geometry

Students must take Algebra 1

before Geometry.

YES 80% (B) in current Math course*

N/A PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Math PSSA OR Scholastic Mathematics Inventory (SMI) score of 1030+ NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Math portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

CAS Algebra 2 Students

must take Geometry

before Algebra 2.

YES 80% (B) in current Math course*

N/A PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on the Algebra Keystone Exam NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Math portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

CAS World

Language Levels 1-2

YES 80% (B) in current World Language course*

PPS STUDENTS: Proficient or Advanced on 7th or 8th Grade Reading PSSA NON-PPS STUDENTS: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

N/A

*Applicants with a grade of 80%-89% will be considered after the relevant teacher recommendation is reviewed. The Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and Scholastic Mathematics Inventory (SMI) are research-based, computer-adaptive assessments that measures students’ level of reading comprehension (using the Lexile Framework) and math achievement, skills and concepts (using the Quantile measure). The SRI and SMI score requirements are aligned to the Lexile and Quantile ranges set forth by the Common Core State Standards. These assessments are administered to all PPS 8th grade students in September and May. All 8th grade CAS applicants who did not reach the SRI/SMI requirement during the September administration will be assessed in school between January and February of this current school year.

CAS Course Selection & Specific Course Requirements (REQUIRED DOCUMENT)

Part 4-B of 6


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Only one (1) Student Contract needs to be submitted, regardless of the

number of CAS courses you are applying to.

Student and Parent/Guardian Contract

(REQUIRED DOCUMENT) Please note: Only one (1) Student and Parent/Guardian Contract needs to be submitted, regardless of the

number of courses you are applying to.

o I understand that CAS courses are accelerated and rigorous, and I will move through material at a fast pace.

o I understand that there is a more significant focus on independent work in this course.

o I understand that if I am accepted into a CAS course, I must adhere to the drop policy at my school.

o I have reviewed the “What to Expect from CAS” (Appendix B) document and feel that I am prepared to

take a CAS course.

____________________________________________________________________________________ Student Name

____________________________________________________________________________________ Student Signature Date

____________________________________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Name ____________________________________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature Date

Student email address: ____________________________________________

Parent/Guardian email address: _____________________________________

Part 5 of 6


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Transcripts and Other Student Data All NON-PPS Students Please attach:

Transcripts that reflect both this and last year’s grades,

Attendance information,

All standardized test information, and

Any other relevant information. Please note: Parents are responsible for submitting final grades, attendance and standardized testing no later than June 30, 2017. Failure to submit final records before this date may affect placement in CAS courses for the 2017-18 school year.

If your student took an ERB assessment, we will look at the Reading Comprehension National Norm score for Reading, and the Mathematics 1 and 2 National Norm score for Math when considering the standardized testing percentile (80-99% required). If your student took the Terra Nova assessment, we will look at the Reading Composite National Norm % score for Reading, and the Math 1 and 2 National Norm % score for Math when considering the standardized testing percentile(80-99% required). If your student took the IOWA assessment, we will look at the Reading Total National % score for reading, and the Math Total National % score for Math when considering the standardized testing percentile (80-99% required). Please contact our office if your student has not taken any of the standardized tests listed above. ****If your student attends a non-PPS school and would like to take the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and/or the Scholastic Mathematics Inventory (SMI) Assessments, please call our office to sign up for one of two testing dates (below). The deadline to sign up is one week before each assessment date. Testing will occur at Pittsburgh Allderdice High School (2409 Shady Avenue).

All CURRENT PPS Students The Gifted and Talented Office will obtain your official student transcripts, attendance information, SRI/SMI scores, PSAT data, Keystone scores, and PSSA scores from District student information systems. However, please feel free to attach relevant additional information to this application.

Part 6 of 6

ALL Students Please use the Completion Checklist and Directions for Completing the CAS Application (pg. 4) as the cover sheet for your application, and to ensure that you are submitting all required documents:

Student Information Page (page 5)

Student Essay (page 6)

CAS Course Selection & Specific Course Requirements (pages 7 & 8)

Student and Parent/Guardian Contract (page 9)

Transcripts and Other Student Data (page 10)

SRI/SMI Assessment Dates for Non-PPS Students Please refer to page 2 of the application


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CAS APPLICATION APPENDIX


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DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR APPLICATION, IT IS ONLY FOR YOUR REFERENCE

In addition to having a 3.0 GPA, 90% attendance, and a teacher recommendation, you must meet the following requirements to be considered. For your reference, we have also included what we will look at to determine Final Eligibility. Please Note: Standardized Test Scores

If a student scored Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading PSSA, their SRI score will not be reviewed.

If a student did not score Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading PSSA, we will review their 8th grade SRI score.

Non-PPS students— please refer to page 10 for specific standardized test information.

CAS entrance requirements for this course:

Preliminary Eligibility will depend on:

Final Eligibility will depend on:

90% or higher in 8th grade English course 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade English course

Final grade in 8th grade English course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Reading PSSA OR A score of 1100+ on the SRI assessment NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

7th grade Reading PSSA OR

8th grade SRI score (We will accept whichever score is

higher)

7th grade Reading PSSA

OR 8th grade SRI score

(We will accept whichever score is higher)

CAS ENGLISH 1 CAS Course Requirements

Appendix A-1

Preliminary Eligibility: Whether the student currently meets CAS course requirements. Students may meet the preliminary eligibility requirements for some but not all classes they applied for. Final Eligibility: Whether the student meets the requirements at the end of the year. Eligibility can change based end of year GPA, attendance, and grade in previous course. Standardized test scores will also be reviewed, but will only positively

impact a student’s eligibility.


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If a student scored Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading PSSA, their SRI score will not be reviewed.

If a student did not score Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading PSSA, we will review their 8th grade SRI scores.





90% or higher in 8th grade Social Studies course 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade Social Studies course

Final grade in 8th grade Social Studies course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Reading PSSA OR A score of 1100+ on the SRI assessment NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

7th grade Reading PSSA OR

8th grade SRI score (We will accept whichever score is

higher)


OR 78th grade SRI score


CAS CIVICS: BE THE CHANGE CAS Course Requirements

Preliminary Eligibility: Whether the student currently meets CAS course requirements. Students may meet the preliminary eligibility requirements for some but not all classes they applied for. Final Eligibility: Whether the student meets the requirements at the end of the year. Eligibility can change based end of year GPA, attendance, and grade in previous course. Standardized test scores will also be reviewed, but will only positively

impact a student’s eligibility.

Appendix A-2


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DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR APPLICATION, IT IS

ONLY FOR YOUR REFERENCE


If a student scored Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading, their SRI score will not be reviewed

If a student did not meet the 7th grade PSSA score requirements, we will review their 8th grade SRI score.





90% or higher in 8th grade Science course. 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade Science course

Final grade in 8th grade Science course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on Reading PSSA NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)


Or 8th grade SRI score



Or 8th grade SRI score

(we will accept whichever score is higher)

CAS BIOLOGY CAS Course Requirements

Preliminary Eligibility: Whether the student currently meets CAS course requirements. Students may meet the preliminary eligibility requirements for some but not all classes they applied for. Final Eligibility: Whether the student meets the requirements at the end of the year. Eligibility can change based end of year GPA, attendance, and grade in previous course. Standardized test scores will also be reviewed, but will only positively impact

a student’s eligibility.

Appendix A-3

Appendix A-4


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In addition to having a 3.0 GPA, 90% attendance, and a teacher recommendation, you must meet the following requirements to be considered. For your reference, we have also included what we will look at to determine Final Eligibility. Please Note: Students MUST take Algebra 1 before taking CAS Geometry Please Note: Standardized Test Scores

If a student scored Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Math PSSA, their SMI score will not be reviewed.

If a student did not score Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Math PSSA, we will review their 8th grade SMI score.


CAS entrance requirements for this

course: Preliminary Eligibility will depend on:


90% or higher in 8th grade Math course. 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade Math course

Final grade in 8th grade Math course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on 7th grade Math PSSA OR A score of 1030+ on the SMI assessment NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Math portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

7th grade Math Score OR

8th grade SMI score (We will accept whichever score is

higher)

7th grade Math Score

OR 8th grade SMI score


CAS GEOMETRY CAS Course Requirements




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In addition to having a 3.0 GPA, 90% attendance, and a teacher recommendation, you must meet the following requirements to be considered. For your reference, we have also included what we will look at to determine Final Eligibility. Please Note: Students MUST take Geometry before CAS Algebra 2 or must take both courses concurrently. Please Note: Standardized Test Scores

Students taking CAS Algebra 2 must score Proficient or Advanced on the Algebra 1 Keystone Exam.





90% or higher in 8th grade Math course. 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade Math course

Final grade in 8th grade Math course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on the Algebra 1 Keystone NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Math portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

Proficient or Advanced on the Algebra 1 Keystone

Proficient or Advanced on the

Algebra 1 Keystone

CAS ALGEBRA 2 CAS Course Requirements



Appendix A-5


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If a student scored Proficient or Advanced on the 7th grade Reading PSSA, their SRI score will not be reviewed

If a student did not meet the 7th grade PSSA score requirements, we will review their 8th grade SRI score.





90% or higher in 8th grade English course. 80-89%: will be reviewed with the relevant teacher recommendation

1st Quarter grade in 8th grade World Language course

Final grade in 8th grade World Language course

PPS Students: A score of Proficient or Advanced on Reading PSSA NON-PPS students: A score in the 80-99th percentile on the Reading portion of another standardized test (ERB, Terra Nova, etc.)

7th grade Reading

7th or 8th grade Reading (we will accept whichever score is

higher)

Appendix B

CAS WORLD LANGUAGE (Levels 1-2) CAS Course Requirements



Appendix A-6


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What to Expect from a CAS Course: What is Centers for Advanced Study (CAS)?

CAS Course Design: The CAS curricula are based on the Purdue 3-Stage Model. The goals of the Purdue 3-Stage

Model are to teach high achieving and gifted students in an accelerated way, encourage creative and divergent thinking, enhanced problem solving skills, and to develop interests, self-

awareness and independent learning. CAS courses are given an additional .5 weight to account for the additional rigor of the course. Additional weights do not affect Promise Readiness or

Class Rank.

What to Expect: Rigor: Higher level textbooks, little classroom time spent on repetition and guided practice, more topics covered, supplemental assignments to enhance assignments, course moves quickly. Depth: Extensive content presented, multi- layered concepts, students are asked to hypothesize and synthesize often, and independent projects are done each unit. Enrichment: Research-based enrichment integrated into the curriculum. Independent Learning: Much of the course asks students to work independently, especially around research and presentation. Types of Thinking: Open-ended, analytical, creative problem solving and independent application of concepts. Homework: Approximately 1 hour of homework/reading a night per course.

Sample Assignments from the CAS Curricula:

English: Modernize a scene from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” while ensuring at least one of the key themes from the play is expressed. Math: Research the structure of bridges; create a toothpick bridge for a weight bearing competition. Civics: Students research a historical Pittsburgh change agent and write a first-person essay for that individual in their own words. At the completion of the research, they will join others in small groups and turn essays into a dialogue where their historical figures will have a conversation. They will discuss accomplishments, hardships, dreams, hopes, fears, etc. in character. Dialogues must be historical-fiction, based on the lives and accomplishments of the change agents. Science: Students work in small groups to independently research a system within the human body. Each group will create and present a working representation of a human body part to the class for mastery.

Appendix B


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CAS Course Pathway 9-12

This chart shows a potential CAS course sequence for each content area for grades 9-12.

Please talk to your counselor about appropriate placement, specific course requirements and pre-requisites. Most

students take CAS courses only in their areas of strength.

Course offerings will vary from school to school.

Only CAS and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are included in this chart.

Math and World Language placement may be dependent on the student.

Some schools offer CAS w/AP prep courses as well as AP courses. Please refer to each school’s CAS course offerings.

All students taking an AP course must submit an AP Contract to their school counselor.

Content Area 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

Social Studies Civics Be The Change CAS World History CAS AP World History

AP Human Geography

AP US History AP US Government

AP Psychology

AP European History AP US Government

AP Psychology AP Human Geography

English English I CAS English II CAS AP English III

AP English IV

Science Biology CAS Chemistry CAS

Biology CAS

Physics I CAS AP Chemistry AP Physics 1 AP Biology

AP Environmental Science

AP Chemistry AP Physics 2

AP Physics 2C AP Biology

AP Environmental Science

Math Geometry CAS Algebra II CAS

Algebra II CAS Geometry CAS

Elementary Functions CAS

Elementary Functions CAS AP Calculus AP Statistics

AP Computer Science

AP Calculus AP Statistics

Advanced Topics AP Computer Science

World Language Level I Level II Level III Level IV

*Additionally, there are a number of high-level semester electives and year-long courses that are offered at many of our high schools, generally taken at the 11th and 12th grade level. Semester Electives: Comparative Religious Studies, Anthropology, and Women’s Studies

Year-long Courses: African American History, African American Literature

Appendix C


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Directions: Teacher/Principal Recommendation

Students need one teacher recommendation form for each content area for which they are applying.

Students should contact the appropriate content teacher and provide them with a teacher recommendation form.

Teachers can submit the recommendation in two ways:

Teachers can complete the form and submit a copy to the school counselor, who will then send completed form to:

The Gifted and Talented Office 341 S. Bellefield Ave. Room 462 Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Starting December 1st Teachers can also access this form electronically at: pghboe.net/giftedandtalented

Please do not give teacher recommendation forms to students—they should come to the Gifted and Talented Office directly from the school or the teacher.

Appendix D

../pghboe.net/giftedandtalented


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Teacher/Principal Recommendation:

Directions for Teachers & Principals: CAS classes are designed to be accelerated and challenging. All students must submit a teacher recommendation for review for each content area they are applying to. Your confidential comments will help us to determine if this CAS course is the most appropriate placement for the student. Please complete the following information and evaluate the students on the following domains before making a final recommendation and offering comments. Student Name:________________________ Teacher or Principal Name: _________________________School:___________________________

Course Name:______________________________ Student’s Current Grade in course (%) _________

Please check the description or descriptions that most accurately describe the student:

Outstanding

(Top 1%)

Above Average

(Top 10%)

Average

(Top 50%)

Below Average

(Top 80%)

No Basis

Commitment to Studies o o o o o

Study Habits and Work Ethic o o o o o

Ability to Work Collaboratively o o o o o

Ability to Work Independently o o o o o

Ability to Follow Directions o o o o o

Effort and Perseverance o o o o o

Content Knowledge o o o o o

Ability to Acquire and Retain Information

o o o o o

Ability to Apply Various Thinking Strategies

o o o o o

Ability to Create New Ideas o o o o o

Enthusiasm and Interest in Learning o o o o o

Oral and Written Expression o o o o o

Do you recommend this student for the CAS course to which he/she has applied?

Yes Yes, but with reservations No

o o o Required Comments: Please offer relevant comments about this student, including examples of your comments above. If you selected “Yes, but with reservations”, please detail your reservations here. We read these carefully and will factor your feedback into our decision (attach separate paper as necessary).

Teacher/Principal Signature Date