Talented and Gifted Program - Sioux City Community Schools · 2020-04-21 · learners. › Support gifted learners as they become self-directed, life-long learners through acquisition

Talented and Gifted Program

During the 2015-2016 school year, a group of Talented and Gifted staff attended workshops titled “Designing

Comprehensive Gifted Programming.” This series of meetings began a comprehensive review of the Talented

and Gifted Program within the Sioux City Community School District. As a part of this process, a Talented and

Gifted Advisory Group was formed.

What this document includes are the recommendations resulting from this comprehensive review in the areas

of:

Vision, Mission, and Belief Statements

Program Goals

Identification

Program Design

Parent Involvement

Professional Development

Program Evaluation

Vision Statement

Gifted learners will work toward achieving their full potential through self-directed learning and challenging

opportunities provided by the Sioux City Community School District.

Mission Statement

Supporting the Philosophy & Mission of the Sioux City Community School District, and in recognition of the differentiated needs of gifted learners, the Talented and Gifted Department will provide opportunities designed to:

› Broaden and extend the learning process of gifted learners through a continuum of services available in all grade levels.

› Support the social/emotional needs of gifted learners. › Support qualitatively differentiated curriculum commensurate with the unique learning needs of gifted

learners. › Support gifted learners as they become self-directed, life-long learners through acquisition of skills in

taking initiative, diagnosing needs, establishing goals, identifying resources, implementing strategies, and evaluating outcomes.

Belief Statements

› Administrators, Talented and Gifted teachers, classroom teachers, support staff, parents, and the community share responsibility for meeting the needs of gifted learners.

› Talented and gifted programming should adapt to meet the unique social/emotional and learning needs of gifted learners.

› Gifted learners need learning opportunities in the company of their intellectual peers. › Gifted learners come from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. › Ongoing support and professional development for staff is an important aspect of the continued

academic, social and emotional growth of learners. › Gifted learners need challenging curriculum that is tailored to their unique abilities, interests, and

learning styles. › A sound identification system is an integral part of determining a gifted learner’s needs.

Identification

The Sioux City Community School District will identify students for Talented and Gifted services through the

following processes and will focus on general intellectual and specific ability aptitude. Referrals can be

completed at any time.

Referral

Referral

•Teacher and/or Parent Referral

•Standard District Screening conducted in Winter for 2nd grade and new students to the District.

Talent Pool

•Standard marks of 5 or 6 consecutive marking periods in reading or math, or

•FastBridge scores of 80%ile (building norms) or better in reading and/or math, or

•Subgroup FastBridge scores in the top 20% of subgroup

•ISASP scores will be used in grades where available

Additional information

gathered

•Talent pool will be given Cognitive Abilities Test

•Additional Checklists will be given to parents and teachers

Identification

considered

Assessment info

• 1.Cognitive Abilities Score of 125 or greater in any domain, or

• 2.FastBridge score (2nd grade), score of 95%ile and above in reading and/or math, or

• 3.ISASP (3rd grade and above) score of 95%ile and above in reading and/or math, or

• 4.Subgroup assessment scores (FastBridge, ISASP) in the top 5% of the subgroup

Additional info

• 4. Gifted Characteristics of 50+

• 5. Motivation Scale of 29+

• 6. Parent Checklist of 75% or more

• 7. Need for services beyond what the general classroom can provide

Identification

•A committee of school personnel will review all data before the end of the school year to determine student needs

•If talented and gifted services are deemed necessary, parents will be notified. A Personalized Education Plan will be developed and reviewed annually.

For students who are nominated for Talented and Gifted services at the secondary levels, the Purdue

Academic Rating Scales will be utilized in place of the Motivation Scale. A score of 50 or above would be

expected.

The above pieces of information provide largely objective information and can be applied systemically. The

information collected will be reviewed in committee format (an administrator from each level, TAG staff, an

elementary general education teacher, middle school reading teacher, high school English teacher, a middle

school math teacher, and a high school math teacher). This committee will determine which students will be

identified as Talented and Gifted.

For students for whom Talented and Gifted Services are deemed necessary, a Personalized Education Plan will

be developed and reviewed annually by a committee of individuals including the TAG Specialist, general

education teacher, principal or guidance counselor, parent, and student.

Parent permission will be required for Talented and Gifted Services. This will be documented on the

Personalized Education Plan.

Program Goals

Goals are included with the Talented and Gifted Program. The goals are consistent with the overall district

goals and with the mission, philosophy, and belief statements of the Talented and Gifted Program.

Goal #1:

The Sioux City Community School District Talented and Gifted program will identify and serve students

representing the diversity of the district.

a. The program will identify students using local norms by gender, socioeconomic status, English Language Learner, special education, and at-risk, and race/ethnicity.

b. The program will use multiple criteria to identify students for all K-12 services.

Goal #2: The Sioux City community School District Talented and Gifted Program will provide effective

programming that adapts to meet the unique social emotional and learning needs of gifted students.

The curriculum within gifted education will:

a. Be compacted and accelerated. b. Reflect a higher degree of complexity than the regular classroom. c. Provide a framework for further study in an activity. d. Provide an environment that allows for maximum development of the gifted child’s thinking,

learning, and creative abilities. e. Promote ongoing self-understanding, awareness of their needs, and cognitive and affective growth

of gifted students. f. Perpetually change to meet immediate and long-range needs of gifted students. g. Provide for differentiated learning experiences not offered in the regular classroom. h. Use community resource personnel, mentorships, and field trips/competitions to enhance the

program. i. Provide opportunities for students to learn and collaborate in the company of their intellectual

peers.

Goal #3: The Sioux City Community School District Talented and Gifted program will provide on-going

professional development to teaching staff.

Professional development opportunities will:

a. Share information with regular education personnel in order to develop a better understanding of the characteristics of gifted learners, differentiation strategies, social/emotional needs, and programming options.

b. Include in-service opportunities for teachers and administrators. c. Support parents in learning about gifted children. d. Share information regarding the program with the public.

Student Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate self-knowledge with respect to their interests, strengths, identities, and needs in social-emotional development and in intellectual and academic domains.

2. Possess a developmentally appropriate understanding of how one learns and grows; recognize the influences of beliefs, traditions, and values on learning and behavior.

3. Demonstrate understanding of and respect for similarities and differences between self and peers and others in the general population.

4. Access resources from the community to support cognitive and affective needs, including social interactions with others having similar interests and abilities or experiences, including same-age peers and mentors or experts.

5. Recognize preferred approaches to learning and expand the repertoire. 6. Identify future career goals that match talents and abilities and resources needed to meet those goals.

Program Design

The program delivery for the Sioux City Community Schools is viewed as a continuum of services. The

continuum considers all services available in the district and provides appropriate services based on the

unique needs of individual students.

Role of the Talented and Gifted Teacher Example services available to students by a

variety of school staff

Direct student involvement Grade Acceleration

Subject Acceleration

Pull out class for specific purposes

Identified Cluster grouping

TAG AP and Honors classes (MS and HS)

Dual enrollment

Mentoring

Member of Professional High achieving students who Differentiated instruction

Learning Community May not be TAG identified, but need Small group work

Something beyond what the regular AP classes or dual enrollment

Classroom provides. Differentiated instruction Collaborate All Teacher/Students

Consult

Coach

By utilizing all services that the Sioux City Community School District has to offer, we are able to continue to

provide a model of service that recognizes that students have different needs.

Each student identified for Talented and Gifted Services will complete a Personalized Education Plan. This plan

will provide an avenue to identify the services that students will receive and to establish goals as a result of

participation in those services. The plans will be reviewed annually with the student, parent, TAG specialist,

general education teacher, and principal or guidance counselor.

It is also important to note that though students may qualify for gifted programming, they may lose interest in

the program. The Personalized Learning Plan is intended to keep students motivated by aligning services with

needs, however, the program does have an Exit Policy for Talented and Gifted services should it be necessary.

Student: Grade:

Address: Birthdate:

Parents/Guardians: Phone:

TAG Advisor: Date of Plan:

Current Services:

Additional advisors:

Current Assessment Data:

State Assessments Test Year Reading Science Math Core Total

Classroom Assessments Qtr./Year Reading Math Science Soc. Studies

Cognitive Abilities Test Test Level Verbal Quantitative Non-Verbal Composite

(circle one) Screen / Full Battery

Key area(s) of interest:

Other Services Needed: (e.g.: IEP or ELL) End-of-Year Recommendations: (To become next-year’s goals.)

GIFTED & TALENTED EDUCATION PERSONALIZED EDUCATION PLAN

School

S t u d e n t R e s p o n s e : W h a t a r e y o u r s t r e n g t h s ?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ W h a t a r e y o u r n e e d s ?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ H o w d o y o u l e a r n b e s t ?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I d e n t i f i e d a r e a s o f G i f t e d n e s s

G e n e r a l I n t e l l e c t u a l

S p e c i f i c A c a d e m i c

M a t h

R e a d i n g / L i t e r a c y

O t h e r / s p e c i f y

S e r v i c e R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s ( c h e c k a l l t h a t a p p l y ) :

D i r e c t s e r v i c e s b y T A G t e a c h e r ( s p e c i f y )

C l u s t e r G r o u p i n g

F l e x i b l e G r o u p i n g M e n t o r s h i p P r o g r a m

C a r e e r e x p l o r a t i o n E x t r a c u r r i c u l a r P r o g r a m ( s p e c i f y )

A c c e l e r a t i o n ( s p e c i f y ) A P o r d u a l c r e d i t c o u r s e s ( s p e c i f y )

O t h e r ( s p e c i f y ) C u r r i c u l u m c o m p a c t i n g

C l a s s r o o m d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n

G o a l s (At least one long-term and one annual goal is required.) LONG-TERM GOAL:

Action Step Target Outcome Data to Collect Review Date

OUTCOME

ANNUAL GOAL:

Action Step Target Outcome Data to Collect Review Date

OUTCOME

UPDATED ANNUAL GOAL:

Action Step Target Outcome Data to Collect Review Date

OUTCOME

Student’s Signature Evaluating Advisor’s Signature ____________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature (indicates permission for participation)

Date Notes

Talented and Gifted Services

Exit Procedures

Step 1: Determine reason(s) for consideration of exit from services:

_____ Routinely does not complete assignments

_____ Voices dissatisfaction with the class/program

_____ Is unable to keep up with material in the class

_____ Student is failing the class

_____ Teacher request (explain) __________________________________________________

_____ Student request (explain) __________________________________________________

_____ Parent request (explain)___________________________________________________

Step 2: Intervention (ALL POINTS LISTED MUST BE ADDRESSED)

_____ Discussion between student and teacher Date: _____________

_____ Discussion between student and TAG teacher/counselor Date: _____________

_____ Student, TAG teacher/counselor, teacher develop action plan Date: ______________

_____ Action plan is shared with parent Date: ______________

_____ TAG teacher/counselor follows up with student Date: ______________

Step 3: Determine appropriate services

_____ Conference with parent/guardian

_____ Discussion between TAG Supervisor, TAG teacher/counselor, teacher, principal

Options:

_____ Exit TAG services for remainder of year, document with letter, re-examine eligibility and need following

year.

_____ Continue TAG services. Establish parameters for student’s ongoing participation through goals in

Personalized Education Plan.

Staffing Provisions

Each elementary building shall be assigned a Talented and Gifted Specialist to serve their students on a part

time basis. These specialists will provide services to identified students via both by collaborating with general

education teachers for modification strategies and by providing resource room type services to students.

Social and affective needs are most often addressed in a resource room, small group setting.

At the middle school level, talented and gifted staff are available to provide collaboration and coaching

support to general education teachers for differentiation and enrichment. Students will be cluster grouped

with peers of similar ability and need. Enrichment activities will be planned for each core content area. In

addition, we will have Pre-AP courses via Belin-Blank for our identified talented and gifted students in middle

school who meet prerequisites. These courses are on-line, but proctored by school staff.

At the high school level, Honors English courses are available. There are numerous advanced course, AP

courses, and dual enrollment courses available as well. Several extracurricular activities are available for most

interest areas. Staff assist students in making appropriate choices among all those available to meet their

needs.

At all levels, acceleration is available and these processes are guided by talented and gifted staff. In addition,

the personalized education plans are monitored by the talented and gifted staff.

A K-12 Talented and Gifted Counselor is also employed to ensure that affective needs are addressed.

Professional Development

Professional development will be an ongoing opportunity. By providing time for Talented and Gifted

Specialists to coach other staff members, professional development becomes a job embedded practice. In

addition, the District will continue to have professional development days when sessions related to Talented

and Gifted youth will be available.

Talented and Gifted staff attend the Iowa Talented and Gifted Conference annually. This conference is held in

Des Moines each October.

Buildings also have Monday afternoon PD opportunities available.

Talented and Gifted staff are available to participate in PLC meetings to offer Professional Development as

needed as well.

Parent Involvement

Parents will be involved in multiple ways:

1. Parents will be able to nominate students for Talented and Gifted Programming 2. Parents will be notified if their students has been identified for additional screening. 3. Parents will be asked to complete a parent checklist if their student is being considered for talented

and gifted programming. 4. Parents will be a part of establishing a Personalized Education Plan if their student is considered in

need of talented and gifted services and they would like their student to participate. 5. Parents will be asked to complete a survey regarding their experience with talented and gifted

programming.

Parent groups may be available. For example, during 2015-2016, a SENG parent group was held and facilitated by

Talented and Gifted staff.

Program Evaluation

The District will collect information regarding enrollment data to ensure that we are monitoring goal #1

regarding identification relative to our population. In addition, we will collect and report information related

to students who are achieving at the advanced level on the identified state achievement test. We currently

have this information disaggregated by a TAG subgroup. We will review the Iowa AP Index annually. The

district will have the Talented and Gifted Advisory Committee complete the self-audit tool every three years.

Finally, we will collect information regarding the progress and completion of the annual goals written as a part

of the Personalized Education Plans.

The next review of the Talented and Gifted program will be in 2019-2020.