Building a Gifted Program: Brick by Brick

Building a Gifted Program: BLOCK by

BLOCKThe Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Education

SymposiumJune 14-18, 2009Austin, Minnesota

Kris Happe

Year One

•Hired as a Change Agent•Assessment Report

•Providing Basic Service

Being a Change Agent

• Survey all levels to check expectations (teachers, building administration, district level administration)

• “Who is my boss?”• “Enrichment is a PRIVILEGE--NOT a right.”• “We don’t really have any gifted students here…there are

a few, but everyone is afraid to work with them…”• Start to set up the components of reporting out and key

communication• Begin to put together an assessment report

What is an “Assessment Report?”

The purpose of this tool is to provide an objective look at the program being

assessed by considering a variety of factors, including research based Best Practices,

stakeholder needs and available resources.

Table of Contents

• Needs Assessment, K-12• Audit of Program Services, K-12

• Vision and Recommendations

• Appendix

Needs Assessment, K-12

Summary of District Focus Group and Survey Data

Parent Focus GroupsStudent Focus GroupsTeacher Survey Feedback

Current National and State Articles and Research

National and State Research TrendsRationale for Funding Gifted Education State Legislative Support HistoryPre K-Grade 12 National Association for Gifted Children Program StandardsMinnesota Department of Education Report CardBest Practices in Gifted EducationNational and State Program ModelsDistrict Key Performance Indicators

Audit of Program Services, K-12

Current School Board Policy Program Mission

Definitions of Gifted and Talented Students Identification Principles Categories of Service

Elementary Programming Services and Identification Presentation Information

Current Job Description for Gifted Education Coordinator

Vision and Recommendations

Program Vision and General RecommendationsCurriculum Advisory Phases (Elementary, Middle School, and High School)

Assessment, Development, Implementation, Measurement & Adjustment

AppendixBright Child vs. Gifted Learner documentElementary Program DocumentsResearch Journal ManifestBest Practices SummaryUnderstanding Giftedness SummaryNew York Times article (March 2004), “Schools, Facing Tight Budgets, Leave Gifted Programs Behind”“Cipher in the Classroom,” Jan B. Hansen, Ph.D.“Comparison of Trained and Untrained Teachers of Gifted Students,” Jan B. Hansen, PhD, John F. Feldhusen, Purdue University

VisionA respect for excellence is the very heart of a civilized society. It is the determined effort of individuals committed to excellence and nurtured in a supportive and challenging environment that will improve the quality of life for all citizens. Commitment to the future demands that the abilities of gifted, talented and creative youth be fostered and developed. To deny such students the opportunity to become the best of what they are capable of becoming is to deny excellence itself, and to place in jeopardy the future of the individual, the nation and our global society.

If we are to have inquiring scientists, creative artists, dedicated teachers, wise government leaders and inventive problem solvers, and if we are to find and encourage the Einsteins, Curies, DaVincies, Bachs and Aristotles of the future, we must identify and educate appropriately our gifted, talented and creative young people. Our obligation to these youth and to the future requires a strengthened commitment to excellence in education for all learners.

RecommendationsThese recommendations are made based on feedback from all stakeholders in the district, review of current research and best practices, interviews with area consultants and knowledge of resources available to the district.

Develop grade acceleration policy and procedure based on the Iowa Acceleration Scale.Formalize a district enrichment policy K-12.

Develop plan in partnership with grade levels, to create cluster classrooms at each grade level (elementary and middle school) to support academically talented students in the areas of adequate academic challenge, and social/emotional support from an intellectual peer group.

Provide training for cluster elementary and middle school teachers so they may articulate and document the differentiated instructional plan for their classroom to best meet the needs of academically talented students.

Provide staff development opportunities to achieve proficiency in a variety of instructional and management strategies.

Topics may include:Characteristics and needs of gifted and talented studentsDifferentiationCompactingFlexible GroupingAbility GroupingUnderachieving and at-risk gifted students

•Provide more student contact time with Gifted Education Specialists and staff (via final recommendation).Systematically expand Advanced Placement opportunities at the high school level.

Develop middle school courses that prepare students for Advanced Placement classes at the high school level.

Systematically expand Advanced Placement opportunities at the high school level.

Develop middle school courses that prepare students for Advanced Placement classes at the high school level.

The operational budget for Gifted Education and Enrichment Services should be clearly defined through the same allocation formula for all buildings. Based on the Minnesota Department of Education’s (formerly the DCFL) recommendation of $5 per student (1999), due to all students receiving some level of enrichment services, the following budget amounts are recommended:

Liberty Elementary 890 students$4450

Independence Elem. 840 students$4200

BL Middle School 800 students $4000BL High School 840 students $4200(the student numbers are projections for fall of 2004)

According to national standards for exemplary programs, every school should be staffed with a full time Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Specialist. Realizing that staffing requests are difficult to meet when there is no state mandate for gifted education and state funding is limited, the following is a recommended staffing allocation to be reached in the next five years to develop an exemplary program:

Liberty Elementary (890 students) one full-time specialistIndependence Elem. (840 students) one full-time specialistBL Middle School (800 students) one half-time specialist BL High School (840 students) one half-time specialist

(student numbers are projections for fall of 2004--they do not reflect number projections for five years from now)

Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007

Phase I:Assessment PlanEvaluate/Analyze CurriculumDescribe results relating to high standards

Gifted Education-Completed assessmentreport

-Established elementary

identification process-Purchase curriculum

Phase II:DevelopmentWrite outcomesWrite district assessmentsDevelop curriculumSelect resources/materials

Gifted Education-Pilot curriculum-Develop EA curriculum-Differentiation training-Choose and train cluster teachers

Phase III:ImplementationImplement new curriculumProvide staff developmentReview student work

Gifted Education-Establish cluster classrooms-Continued staff development-Review quality of student work from set curriculum

Phase IV:Measurement and AdjustmentReview student workMake adjustments

Gifted Education

-Survey stakeholders on program satisfaction and effectiveness-Make recommendations for adjustments

Big Lake Schools Elementary Curriculum Phase Recommendations:Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007




Gifted Education-Work with high school English and math to develop course outline for “pre-AP” courses at middle school


Gifted Education-Pilot pre-AP courses in English and Math -Work with high school science and social studies departments to develop course outline for “pre AP” courses at middle school


-Gifted Education

-Pilot pre-AP courses in science and soc. studies-Evaluate success of pre- AP courses-Make adjustments

Big Lake Schools Middle School Curriculum Phase Recommendations:Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007




Gifted Education-Facilitate process of establishing AP courses in the English and MathDepartments (courses to begin 05-06) -Train AP teachers-Plan for recruitment of students for AP classes-Recruit students


Gifted Education-Begin AP math and English courses-Facilitate process of establishing AP courses in the Science and Social Studies Departments (courses to begin 06-07)-Train AP teachers


-Gifted Education-Begin AP science and social studies courses-Plan for other Depts.. AP offerings-Eval. AP success

Big Lake Schools High School Curriculum Phase Recommendations:Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

GIFTED EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT SERVICESDISTRICT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Number of students who participate in advanced courses, special interest classes, and enrichment seminars. Quality of assessments completed by students in advanced courses, special interest classes, and enrichment seminars. Number of students who participate in academic challenges and competitions.Number of staff offered professional development to meet the needs of gifted and talented students.Satisfaction surveys completed by parents, staff and students.

The number of staffing allocations for gifted and talented services in the district who are responsible for direct instruction of identified students, building academic challenges and opportunities, and a support resource to classroom teachers in working with students and differentiating instruction. (As determined by staffing) Number of students able to take part in individualized learning plans and individual research projects.Number of opportunities for students to interact with peers of similar ability in a specific program area.number of academically rigorous courses offered and completed at the middle school and high school level.The number of students scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams (once courses are offered).Number of students taking the ACT or the SAT test.The average score of students taking the ACT or SAT exam.

What’s Next?

Form a task force to determine the feasibility and timeline of investing in the financial recommendations.

Suggested members:

•School Board member

•Director of Finance and/or Director of Human Resources

•Director of Teaching and Learning

•Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Coordinator

•Principal

•Classroom Teacher

•Parent

Year two• Staff development

– Book Studies– Article Studies– Targeting cluster teachers– Faculty meetings– School Board Meetings

• Parent/community education– Websites– Newsletters– Book Studies/clubs– One page mini- “newsletters” to send home

Year Two Continued• Implement Elementary Program

– Identification procedures– Access/opportunity for all parents/students– Purchase/develop curriculum for pull-out– Look for a variety of opportunities to serve gifted students with

different strengths (I.e. Junior Great Books for linguistically strong students, Continental Math League for strong problem solving/math students…

• Partner with community education or volunteer groups– Inform, inform, inform staff

Year Three

• Explore providing College in the Classroom classes• Provide support and supplies to high school teachers who wish to teach a CIC class• Determine which will fit into the scope and sequence of the high school offerings• Track data on students to see if we experience a decrease in number of students

going to a PSEO program

Year Four• Introduce Vertical Teaming

– College Board Training Core Content– Two full days per secondary department

• Vertical Team Steering Committee– Stakeholders represented– Discuss Secondary Program

• What do we have to offer via secondary programming?• What do other comparable districts offer?• Where can we strength our program to meet the needs of all learners?

• High Performance Programming Discussed• Decision to proceed with this programming for the following school year• Train volunteer HP teachers in English, Math, Science and Social Studies

grades 6-10• Determine timeline for an HP application process • Parent and student meetings and presentations regarding the High Performance

classes

Year Five

• Implement High Performance classes in English, Math, Science and Social Studies in grades 6-10

• Hold HP forums to provide support to HP teachers and discuss issues as they arise

• Discuss implementing more AP classes at the high school

Year Six

• Continue to monitor HP programming

• Add AP US History to 09-10 schedule

• Train teacher to teach AP US History

• Train staff on using NWEA MAP data to change instruction to impact student academic growth

• Facilitate discussions regarding the quartile of students are growing the least according to MAP data results

Key Lessons Learned:

• GT program being placed on Curriculum Cycle adds validity, importance and accountability

• Teachers haven’t been taught about GT--- you must fill in the gap (often they really DON’T get it…)

• Use Best Practices and Research• Survey neighboring districts• Survey districts with similar demographics and size• Use data, data, and more data• One thing at a time• Be strategic in planning• Slow and steady wins the race!

Kris HappeEnrichment Services and Gifted Education

CoordinatorBig Lake Schools

[email protected]

Building a Gifted Program: Brick by Brick

Documents

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