Alexandria City Public Schools PROPOSED TALENTED & GIFTED (TAG) PROGRAM

Transcription

1 Alexandria City Public Schools PROPOSED TALENTED & GIFTED (TAG) PROGRAM Donna Brearley Talented & Gifted Coordinator Adele Morris Chair, Talented and Gifted Advisory Committee

2 Definition of Gifted Students Virginia Board of Education 8 VAC et seq. Gifted students means those students in public elementary and secondary schools beginning with kindergarten through graduation whose abilities and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require special programs to meet their educational needs.

3 Essential Questions How does the proposed Talented and Gifted Plan meet the needs of talented and gifted learners in ACPS? How does ACPS find and support underrepresented talented and gifted students across all cultures and socio-economic groups within the division?

4 Goals To provide talented and gifted learners with a continuum of services which allows A differentiated curriculum that provides Challenge and engagement at a high level Opportunities for accelerated learning Career and college planning Social and emotional support Community involvement

5 Review of the Existing Program Student enrollment data Meetings with stakeholder groups TAG Advisory Committee TAG Designees TAG Teachers Psychologists Community Groups Steering Committee Representatives from Parent advisory committee Psychologists TAG Teacher Administrators (School and Central ) TAG Designee (Guidance counselor) Survey data Administration and staff Students Parents

6 Enrollment Data Ethnicity # % of Total Division Demographics Unspecified 56 5% 5% Native American 0 0% 0% Asian 74 6% 5% Black % 34% Hispanic % 31% White % 25% Native Hawaiian 0 0% 0% Total 1208

7 Surveys # Highly Satisfied Highly Dissatisfied Recommend Parents 175 current 4 th -5 th gr services current DEP and Middle School services more services for Science and Social Studies Students 153 teachers and level of instruction nothing noted more students participate Administrators & Staff 58 Existence of policies and procedures Identification process More time to collaborate with TAG tchr and professional development

8 Highlighted Changes Plan Proposed Plan Areas of Giftedness Specific Academic Ability Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies K-12 Visual-Performing Arts K-12 Areas of Giftedness Young Scholars Nurturing Program General Intellectual Ability K-12 (phased in beginning with K-3 in 2013) Specific Academic Ability Gr 4-12 Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies

9 Highlighted Changes Plan Proposed Plan Screening Tools 2 nd grade CogAT Teacher observations (Kingore/Purdue Rating Scale/VPA Screening Checklist) Screening Tools 1 st gr Ability test 3 rd gr CogAT Scholastic Reading Inventory Scholastic Math Inventory Success For All assessment data Criterion-Referenced Tests Standards of Learning Student work (portfolio/honors/awards) teacher observations grades

10 Highlighted Changes Plan Proposed Plan Referral Process 2 nd gr CogAT-automatic Teacher Parent Student Referral Process 1 st gr Ability testautomatic 3 rd gr CogAT- automatic A combination of any two screening data -automatic Teacher Parent Student

11 Highlighted Changes Plan Proposed Plan Eligibility 4 out of 5 criteria Ability test Achievement test Work products Teacher rating Classroom performance Eligibility 3 out of 5 criteria (reflects changes in 2010 VA regs) Ability and/or achievement test (SAA)* Ability test (GIA)* Work products (portfolio, student work samples ) Teacher rating Classroom performance Interview *required

12 Young Scholars-Nurturing a Talent Pool Designed to find and nurture potential in early elementary students 3 Target elementary schools will pilot in Curriculum Focus on thinking skills, enriching experiences, academic vocabulary.

13 K-3 (beginning 2013) General Aptitude K-12 Service Delivery Students clustered in homerooms with a teacher trained in gifted education, when possible. Differentiated Education Plan designed for General Aptitude services allows general education teacher or TAG teacher to meet regularly with students to provide creative activities and projects based on individual students interests, develop leadership, build thinking skills and provide enrichment beyond the regular classroom phased in beginning 2014

14 Specific Academic Aptitude Continuum of Services K-12 Grade K-3 In class differentiation (to be phased out replaced with general aptitude) K-3 Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) Grades 4-5 Full time instruction with TAG teacher Math - Compacted and Accelerated curriculum Language Arts advanced vocabulary, grammar and literary analysis; includes appropriate level reading selections Students in Success For All (SFA) will be instructed in a group that is on their reading level and may have additional TAG support provided through independent reading and writing opportunities Grades 4-5 In class differentiation Science and Social Studies Differentiated Education Plan Grades K-5 Subject or grade level acceleration options on an as needed basis per existing School Board policy

15 Specific Academic Aptitude continued Middle School Open enrollment Honors classes with gifted education trained teachers, TAG students clustered Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics Acceleration and enrichment direct and/or online Differentiated curriculum and transfer tasks Opportunities to earn high school credit in math Exploring opportunities for high school science credit in future years High School Honors classes and Advanced Placement direct and/or online Science Research Class Dual-enrollment in NVCC

16 Professional Learning & Certification Current status of certified staff holding gifted endorsement POSITION Assistant Principal Associate Principal Coordinator English Teacher Fifth Grade Teacher First Grade Teacher Fourth Grade Teacher Mathematics Teacher Mathematics Teacher Science Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher TAG Teacher

17 Professional Learning & Certification Professional development for teachers of gifted students will include College coursework leading to gifted endorsement Required for all TAG teachers within three years of employment Local endorsement for those teaching gifted students less than full time One of the above required for middle school honors teachers within two years Local workshops on topics in gifted education, strategies for finding and supporting underrepresented populations in gifted programs, cultural competence and awareness and outreach to families. Elementary to Middle School collaboration, observation and planning (new for 2013) School level inservice on gifted topics and differentiation Support for other professional activities specific to the gifted

18 Parent Outreach & Communication Parent informational sessions held annually at school PTA meetings and community centers Parenting Workshop series- featured speakers on topics of interest to parents of gifted students Website links for parents with information about opportunities and resources for gifted students Brochure in multiple languages to assist in the recruitment and support of traditionally underrepresented populations. (new for 2013)

19 Questions?