Programming Standards for Meeting the

Needs of Gifted & High-Ability

Learners: "Taking the Next Steps Together"

21st Century Skills for Success

• Thinking Critically– Meaning– Importance– Relevance

• Thinking Flexibly– What’s Fixed– What’s Adjustable

• Thinking Collaboratively– Points of View– Complementary Strengths

The objective of the Programming Standards and the forthcoming self-assessment is to provide you with effective guidelines for continually improving the programming provided for your most able learners.

Programming Standards for Meeting the Needs of Gifted & High-Ability

Learners• Recommendations for

promoting the cognitive and affective growth of gifted and high-ability learners in Georgia

• Our own guide to achieving educational excellence as defined by the Revised NAGC Pre-K-12 Gifted Programming Standards

Georgia’s Programming Standards for Meeting the

Needs of Gifted & High-

Ability Learners

Click here to access the Georgia Programming Standards for Meeting the Needs of Gifted & High-Ability Learnershttp://gagc.org/downloads/Progmng%20Strds%20Overview-%20RVSD%20Final%20Draft.pdf

Assessment

• How are students identified?

• How is student progress evaluated?

AssessmentStandard A1: The local education agency (LEA) uses the

research-based student identification process as established by Georgia Board of Education policy in order to ensure equitable access to appropriate services for all gifted learners.

Indicators> A1.1: The system employs multiple-criteria (mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation) for student identification using measures as required by GBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38.

> A1.2: The system ensures consistency and availability across the district in implementation of screening, referral, and identification processes for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or economic status.

> A1.3: The identification process of gifted learners is disseminated to school personnel, parents/families, students, and the community at large in a clear, comprehensive, and equitable manner.

State RuleGifted Program Assessment and Eligibility Options

SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38 EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

Information shall be collected in all four data categories. At least one of the criteria must be met by a score on a nationally normed standardized test. Any data used in one category may not be used in any other category. Assessment data must be current within two years.

Mental Ability

Achievement

Creativity

Motivation

Standardized Test of Mental Ability: Full scale or appropriate component score

Option 1: 99th percentile on the composite score (by age) for grades K-2; 96th percentile on the composite score (by age) for grades 3-12 Option 2: 96th percentile (by age) on the composite or appropriate component score for grades K-12

Standardized Test of Academic Achievement: Score the 90th percentile (by age or grade) on --

Total Reading, or Total Math, or Total Battery

OR

Superior Student-generated Product or Performance: Score 90 on a scale of 1-100 as evaluated by a panel of 3 or more qualified evaluators

Standardized Test of Creative Thinking: Score the 90th percentile (by age or grade) on the Total Battery

OR Standardized Creativity Characteristics Rating Scale: Score the 90th percentile

OR

Superior Student-generated Product or Performance: Score 90 on a scale of 1-100 as evaluated by a panel of 3 or more qualified evaluators

GPA 3.5 (as defined in Rule

and Regulation) on a 4.0 scale

OR Standardized Motivational Characteristics Rating Scale: Score the 90th percentile

OR

Superior Student-generated Product or Performance:

Score 90 on a scale of 1-100 as evaluated by a panel of 3 or more qualified evaluators

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

Option 1: A student must (a) score at the 99th %ile (grades K-2) or the 96th %ile (grades 3-12) on the composite of full scale score of a standardized mental ability test AND (b) meet one of the achievement criteria described above.

OR Option 2: A student must qualify through a multiple-criteria assessment process by meeting criteria in any three of the four data categories listed above.

AssessmentStandard A1: The local education agency (LEA) uses the

research-based student identification process as established by Georgia Board of Education policy in order to ensure equitable access to appropriate services for all gifted learners.

Indicators> A1.1: The system employs multiple-criteria (mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation) for student identification using measures as required by GBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38.

> A1.2: The system ensures consistency and availability across the district in implementation of screening, referral, and identification processes for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or economic status.

> A1.3: The identification process of gifted learners is disseminated to school personnel, parents/families, students, and the community at large in a clear, comprehensive, and equitable manner.

Traits, Aptitudes, &

Behaviors

Think – Jot… A1.2: The system ensures consistency and availability across the district in implementation of screening, referral, and identification processes for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or economic status.

Screening

Referral Identification

o What are the standard procedures in your district?o Might there be adjustments which would benefit

students?

AssessmentStandard A2: All teachers assess student progress in order

to develop and modify instructional practices.

Indicators> A2.1: All teachers routinely and systematically use qualitative and quantitative assessment data to identify students’ strengths to plan appropriate instruction and intervention.

> A2.2: The system uses nationally-normed (CogAT, ITBS, etc.) as well as alternative assessments for measuring gifted learners’ progress, including above grade level assessments as needed.

Using Data to Plan Instruction

1. Know the Curriculum:State Standards

2. Know the Students: Learner Characteristics

3. Plan for Engagement & Growth:Instructional Planning

State Curriculum Standard

SS5H3 The student will describe how life changed in America at the turn of the century.

b. Describe the impact on American life of the Wright brothers (flight), George Washington Carver (science), Alexander Graham Bell (communication), and Thomas Edison (electricity).

Learner CharacteristicsLearning Profiles

• Learning Styles & Modalities

• Intelligence Types• Expression Styles

Content ExperienceLevels• Novice

• Developing• Proficient• Master

Student Passions

• Interests

• Motivations

Learner Characteristics

Student Passions

• Interests

• Motivations

Learner Characteristics

Student Passions• Interests• Motivations

Learner Characteristics

Learning Profiles• Learning Styles & Modalities • Intelligence Types• Expression Styles

Learner Characteristics

Learning Profiles• Learning Styles & Modalities • Intelligence Types• Expression Styles

Learner Characteristics

Learning Profiles• Learning Styles & Modalities • Intelligence Types• Expression Styles

Learner Characteristics

Learning Profiles• Learning Styles & Modalities • Intelligence Types• Expression Styles

Learner CharacteristicsContent Experience Levels

Specific Subjects

Grade

Levels

Instructional Planning… Learning Styles

Instructional Planning… Learning Modalities

Instructional Planning… Intelligence Types

Instructional Planning… Content Awareness

Think – Jot… A2.1: All teachers routinely and systematically use qualitative and quantitative assessment data to identify students’ strengths to plan appropriate instruction and intervention.

QualitativeDataQuantita

tive

Data

Curriculum

Char

acte

ristic

s Instruction

o What qualitative and quantitative data do you gather about your students ?

o How might that data be used to improve instruction?

Curriculum Planning & Instruction

• How does the curricula address the needs of advanced learners?

• How do instructional practices address their learning needs?

Curriculum Planning & Instruction

Standard CP&I1: The LEA employs rigorous and relevant curricula K-12 to accommodate the range of academic and intellectual needs of gifted learners.

Indicators> CP&I1.1: State-adopted standards are articulated and applied in differentiated curricula that match the identified academic needs, abilities, readiness, interests, and learning profiles of K-12 gifted learners in the regular classroom and in gifted education delivery systems.

> CP&I1.2: The curriculum enriches, extends, and accelerates learning in gifted learners’ areas of strength.

> CP&I1.3: The regular classroom curriculum and instruction are adapted, modified, or replaced to meet the needs of gifted learners.

> CP&I1.4: Teachers use state and national standards to align, expand, and implement advanced curriculum to ensure that students achieve mastery in areas of student strength.

State Curriculum Standard

SS5H3 The student will describe how life changed in America at the turn of the century.

b. Describe the impact on American life of the Wright brothers (flight), George Washington Carver (science), Alexander Graham Bell (communication), and Thomas Edison (electricity).

Instructional Planning… Learning Styles

Instructional Planning… Learning Modalities

Instructional Planning… Content Awareness

Instructional Planning… Content Awareness

Instructional Planning… Intelligence Types

Think – Jot… CP&I1.1: State-adopted standards are articulated and applied in differentiated curricula that match the identified academic needs, abilities, readiness, interests, and learning profiles of K-12 gifted learners in the regular classroom and in gifted education delivery systems.

o How is your curriculum differentiated in order to meet the needs of your gifted students?

Learning Styles Learning Modalities

ReadinessIntelligence

Types

Curriculum Planning & Instruction

Standard CP&I2: The LEA employs diverse and effective instructional practices to address the learning needs of gifted learners.

Indicators> CP&I2.1: Teachers intentionally incorporate differentiation of content, process, product, and/or learning environment into daily practices in order to appropriately challenge and maximize engagement of gifted learners.

> CP&I2.2: Teachers consistently use a variety of ongoing student assessment data based on readiness, interests, and learning profiles to develop flexible groups and tasks in order to maximize achievement and engagement.

> CP&I2.3: The instructional pace is flexible in order to provide opportunities to enrich and accelerate in areas of student strengths.

> CP&I2.4: Teachers use a variety of research-based instructional strategies.

Academic Acceleration

Nurturing Potential Inspiring Excellence

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center

for Gifted Education and Talent Development

The University of Iowa College of Education

Presentation offered through the Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA) at the University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education

© 2007 IRPA

Click to link to the full version of this PowerPoint.

• 18 forms of acceleration identified in A Nation Deceived

• Those 18 forms fall into one of two broad categories

Subject-based acceleration- students typically remain with peers of same age and grade (Southern & Jones, 2004)

Grade-based acceleration (“grade skipping”)- students do not remain with same-age peers. Appropriate for the most highly talented students (Rogers, 2004)

Nurturing Potential Inspiring Excellence

Acceleration Talk

© 2007 IRPA

Click to link to the full version of this PowerPoint.

Acceleration Options

Cody ShaferSubject-matter acceleration in math, science, and social studies (elementary school), early high school graduation/early entrance to college

Justin HayesAP classes, subject-matter acceleration

Click to view videoClick to view video

Think – Jot… CP&I2.3: The instructional pace is flexible in order to provide opportunities to enrich and accelerate in areas of student strengths.

High School

Elementary Schoo

l

Middl

e Schoo

l

o What fine-tuning might better ensure gifted students have occasions for enrichment, and even acceleration, when

they are ready?

Learning Environments

• How is the district preparing advanced learners for global citizenship?

Learning EnvironmentsStandard LE1: The LEA requires learning experiences which

foster personal and social responsibility, multicultural competence, and interpersonal and technical communication skills for citizenship in the global environment of the 21st century.

Indicators> LE1.1: The curriculum includes interdisciplinary, real-world learning experiences which incorporate advanced research and communication skills.

> LE1.2: Resources designed to specifically address the needs of gifted learners, including critical and creative thinking, problem-solving activities, and social and self-awareness, are incorporated into the curriculum.

> LE1.3: The LEA provides opportunities for students to learn with and from intellectual peers and experts.

Honors Mentorship Program

Hall County student aims to prevent infectionMentor helps with MRSA brochure

Click to view Hall County’s HMP Website

Think – Jot… LE1.3: The LEA provides opportunities for students to learn with and from intellectual peers and experts.

o Who in your community might serve as a mentor for students in your school?

o What businesses and organizations do work that might be of interest to your students?

Programming

• How is gifted education programming organized to ensure continuous development of advanced learners throughout their entire educational career?

ProgrammingStandard P1: The LEA provides a full continuum of options to meet

the demonstrated needs of K-12 gifted learners in academic areas, the arts, and career technical education; services are comprehensive, structured, sequenced, and appropriately challenging.

Indicators> P1.1: The LEA provides additional funding for comprehensive services to meet the needs of gifted learners.

> P1.2: The LEA communicates to stakeholders information that details the range of available service options.

> P1.3: The LEA delegates responsibility for gifted education programming to district-level staff who have formal training in gifted education.

> P1.4: The LEA provides a process for accelerating instruction and appropriate placement options when diagnostic information indicates that acceleration is obligatory.

> P1.5: The LEA consistently uses appropriate criteria for clustering gifted and advanced learners according to their identified strengths within specified disciplines in grades K-12.

> P1.6: The LEA establishes and implements a process for evaluating the effectiveness of services based upon district goals for gifted programming.

Regulations Related to Program Delivery Models

(See Rule 160-4-2-.38. Page3. Section e, Curriculum and Services to Be Provided, Paragraph 2.)

• Cluster Grouping (K-12) – Identified gifted students are placed as a group into an otherwise heterogeneous classroom, rather than being dispersed among all of the rooms/courses at that grade level. To count any gifted student at the gifted weight when this delivery model is used, the regular classroom teacher must have the gifted endorsement. One or two segments per day provided in this setting may be counted at the gifted weight if the teacher documents the curriculum modifications he/she has made for the gifted students by way of (a) separate lesson plans and (b) individual student contracts which show the:

– Reason(s) why that particular student needs an advanced curriculum in that particular content area (e.g., pretest grades);

– Learning objectives for the gifted student;– Alternative activities in which the gifted student will be engaged;– Dates and amount of time (in segments) the student will be engaged in the higher-level

activities; and – Means by which the gifted student’s learning will be assessed (e.g., the expected

outcomes or products).

FAQs• How do we decide which students to

cluster? – Think Categories:

I. Gifted IV. Below AverageII. Above Average V. Significantly BelowIII. Average Average

– Think Groupings:Gifted Cluster Classes – Categories I – IVNon-gifted Classes – Categories II – V

– Note: Be sure to include enough category II students in the non-gifted classes

• How many students are in a gifted cluster?– No more than 6 – 8 gifted students should be in a

gifted cluster class

Cluster Grouping

From Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom; 2001, S. Winebrenner

Cluster GroupingFAQs• What criteria might be used to establish the

cluster groups?– Subject-Specific Rating Scale– Standardized Test Scores

• Norm-Referenced• Criterion-Referenced

– Progress Toward Mastery of Standards– Grades

FAQs• Isn’t cluster grouping the same as tracking?

– No. In a tracking system, all students are ability grouped for most of the day, and throughout most of their school careers.

• Isn’t cluster grouping elitist?– No. On the contrary, when regular classroom teachers

use gifted education strategies, more students are given opportunity to experience a richer curriculum.

• Won’t clustering the gifted students take away positive role models for non-gifted students?– Actually, when gifted students are clustered, “new

cream rises to the top” as new academic leadership emerges in other classrooms.

Cluster Grouping

From Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom; 2001, S. Winebrenner

Think – Jot… P1.5: The LEA consistently uses appropriate criteria for clustering gifted and advanced learners according to their identified strengths within specified disciplines in grades K-12.

o How is cluster grouping used in your school?

Professional Development

• How are gifted education specialists and other school personnel prepared for meeting the needs of advanced learners?

Professional DevelopmentStandard PD1: Gifted education specialists participate in

comprehensive professional learning that is relevant to needs of gifted learners.

Indicators

> PD1.1: Professional learning is aligned with the national standards for gifted education.

> PD1.2: Teachers and Coordinators who provide gifted and/or advanced level services have completed professional learning that culminated in endorsement in gifted education.

> PD1.3: Gifted education teachers receive time to plan, implement, and refine professional learning experiences.

Gifted Education Specialist

Requirements

Gifted Education Specialist

Requirements

http://www.gapsc.com/Rules/Current/Certification/505-2-.158.pdf

Gifted Education Specialist Preparation Program

Requirements

1. Foundations2. Development &

Characteristics3. Individual Learning

Preferences4. Instructional

Strategies5. Learning

Environments & Social Interactions

Preparation programs must address:

6. Language7. Instructional

Planning8. Assessment9. Professional &

Ethical Practice10. Collaboration

Authority O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200

Think – Jot… PD1.2: Teachers and Coordinators who provide gifted and/or advanced level services have completed professional learning that culminated in endorsement in gifted education.

School Need Possible Person Method

o What are the needs for gifted services in your school?

o What adjustments might be made in your school to improve services for gifted children in your

school?

Professional DevelopmentStandard PD2: All school personnel involved in the education

of gifted learners participate in professional learning that focuses on the needs and characteristics of gifted learners.

Indicators

> PD2.1: Administrators, counselors, teachers, and paraprofessionals receive ongoing professional learning annually in regards to the nature and needs of gifted learners and appropriate instructional strategies and curricula.

> PD2.2: The LEA actively supports participation in professional learning for gifted education.

Professional Development

Resourceshttps://www.learningplace.com.au/default_suborg.asp?orgid=23&suborgid=158

http://www.davidsongifted.org/edguild/Article/Educators_Guild___Presentations_431.aspx

Think – Jot… PD2.1: Administrators, counselors, teachers, and paraprofessionals receive ongoing professional learning annually in regards to the nature and needs of gifted learners and appropriate instructional strategies and curricula.

o Which personnel are trained in the nature & needs of gifted learners?

o What do you see as the most critical needs for training?o How might a nature & needs training cycle be organized?

For Additional Information and Support

Team MembersCelita Allen – Hall CountyRuth Cowan – Consultant Annette Eger – State Gifted Education SpecialistAnne Hertzog – Fayette CountySonya Porcher – Consultant Ann Richardson – Fayette CountyBeth Thornbury – Murray CountyGyimah Whitaker – Atlanta Public SchoolsSusan Winstead – Oconee County

GAGCTheGeorgia AssociationFor Gifted ChildrenAn affiliate of the National Association For Gifted Children http://gagc.org

www.gadoe.org/ci_iap_gifted.aspx

Resources• Coil, Carolyn. Standards-based Activities and Assessments for the

Differentiated Classroom. [Marion, IL]: Pieces of Learning, 2004. Print.

• Coil, Carolyn. Successful Teaching in the Differentiated Classroom. [Marion, IL]: Pieces of Learning, 2007. Print.

• Coil, Carolyn. Teaching Tools for the 21st Century. [Marion, IL?]: Pieces of Learning, 2005. Print.

• Kingore, Bertie. Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and Effective. Austin, TX: Professional Associates Pub, 2004. Print.

• Roberts, Julia L., and Tracy F. Inman. Strategies for Differentiating Instruction: Best Practices for the Classroom. Waco, TX: Prufrock, 2007. Print.

• Smith, Janet Aaker. 90 Instructional Strategies for the Classroom. [Marion, IL]: Pieces of Learning, 2006. Print.

• Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis: Free Spirit, 2001. Print.