Highly Capable/PAT Parent Information Night

December 3, 2014

Introductions

• Randy Stocker• Principal, Carnation Elementary• Coordinator, Elementary PAT Program

• Roni Rumsey• Director, Teaching and Learning, RSD• Coordinator, Secondary Highly Capable Services

• Mary Jacobson • PAT Program Assistant

…and you?....• Elementary• Middle School• High School• Other

Gifted? Highly Capable? PAT? Continuum of Services?• WAC392-170-035 Definition of Students who are highly

capable.

• As used in this chapter, highly capable students are students who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments.

• Outstanding abilities are seen within students' general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or creative productivities within a specific domain.

Gifted? Highly Capable? PAT?

WAC 392-170-036 defines learning characteristics of highly capable students as those who may possess, but are not limited to, these learning characteristics:

• (1) Capacity to learn with unusual depth of understanding, to retain what has been learned, and to transfer learning to new situations;

• (2) Capacity and willingness to deal with increasing levels of abstraction and complexity earlier than their chronological peers;

• (3) Creative ability to make unusual connections among ideas and concepts;

• (4) Ability to learn quickly in their area(s) of intellectual strength; and• (5) Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.

• In the Riverview School District, we define our Elementary Services as “Program for Academically Talented (PAT)” while the Middle and High School Highly Capable students are served through course offerings.

Highly Capable Services Mission• The primary focus for the RSD Highly Capable Services is

to help highly academically talented students achieve at their optimal level in their identified talent area(s).

• Teachers receive training to providing challenging curriculum and to establish and maintain high expectations for the Highly Capable students. Differentiation of process, product, procedure, and environment are key “anchors” of the training.

• Highly Capable students are placed in classes with more rigorous course work which helps teachers provide appropriate cognitive challenge.

PAT Program (Elem) and Highly Capable (Secondary Philosophy

• The Riverview School District is committed to providing opportunities for academically talented and motivated students through offerings that include:• accelerated learning in content areas; • curriculum compacting; • differentiated instruction; • academic content area grouping arrangements to serve identified

needs; • self-contained classrooms; • Honors courses; • AP courses; • and Independent Study opportunities.

Elementary Program Services• Students in Grades K and 1—Students in Grades K and 1 are identified through

district assessments and are served within their individual classrooms in a differentiated grouping instructional model.

• Students identified in either ELA or Math, or whose scores are not at the top two percent are served in the Building Based Program (BBP)---Within Building Based PAT Program (BBP), BBP students are assigned to one or two classrooms per grade level at each school site. Professional development in the areas of English/Language Arts, Math, and Critical Thinking happens throughout the school year. The classroom teacher determines and provides daily instruction tied to the district curriculum, with a focus on differentiated learning for identified BBP students.

• Students identified in both ELA and Math at the top two percent are served in the Full Day Program—PAT students attend a full day class with other PAT qualified students. This class is currently based at Carnation Elementary. The full day class provides curriculum acceleration, opportunities to study concepts in greater depth and cognitive and social interaction for second through fifth grade PAT students.

Middle/High School Offerings

• Tolt Middle School• Language Arts Pre-Honors and Advance Math class offerings• Both Language Arts Pre-Honors and Advance Math classes follow

the same core curriculum but with added rigor, additional assignment requirements, acceleration, and higher expectations.

• All academically talented and highly motivated students are offered these opportunities.

• Cedarcrest High School• Students are served primarily through a list of ever growing

Honors, AP and Independent Study courses. • Counselors are key resources in supporting students and

scheduling at both Tolt and Cedarcrest.

Identification/Nomination Process• All kindergarten and grade one students are automatically

screened for services based on district assessments.

• All first grade students will be screened by the District for possible selection to begin receiving PAT services the following year. Parents may choose to exclude their student from screening for PAT services by completing an Opt-Out form.

• Students in Grades 2-11 may be nominated by individuals (including students, staff, parents, guardians, and community members) for Highly Capable services for the following year.

• Nominations from individuals will be accepted between December 1 and December 17, 2014.

Program Qualification/Selection Elementary

• Kindergarten and First Grade students are identified through district administered assessment tools (Smart Start and AimsWeb) and are served through differentiated instruction within the classroom or grade level.

• In January of the First Grade year, the Cognitive Abilities (CogAT) Screener is administered to all First Grade students. Information gained from the screener, combined with information gained from AimsWeb, will determine the students who will move on to further assessments.

• Students who do move on will be given the full Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Renzulli Behavioral Scales. All of the information gained through the screening and assessment processes will be used to determine eligibility for PAT services. There is no need to refer First Grade students, as all students will be screened.

Program Qualification/Selection Elementary

• In grades 2-12, students, parents, guardians, teachers, and community members can refer students for PAT (elementary) or Highly Capable (secondary) services for the following year within the referral timeline.

• In grades 2-5, nominated students whose AimsWeb or MAP scores are at or near the top (typically the top 2 percent) will be eligible for the CogAT Screener and, if qualified for further assessment, the CogAT 7 and Renzulli Behavioral Scales assessments.

Program Qualification/Selection Secondary

• In grades 6-12, nominated students must have a MAP score at or above the 98th percentile for math or reading. In addition, students must have a Smarter Balanced cut score equivalent to the 98%. (Specific cut score numbers will be included in 2015-2016).

• The Renzulli Behavioral Scales will be given to teacher(s) of students who meet the requirements Students with scores of 95 % or better in the areas of Learning Characteristics, Motivation Characteristics, Planning Characteristics, Mathematics Characteristics and/or Reading Characteristics will be considered for Highly Capable services.

Highly Capable Services Selection• The Riverview School District utilizes a multidisciplinary team,

as defined by WAC 392-170-170, to review assessment data/results, approve selection of students for services, and review appeals. The multidisciplinary team follows the guidelines as set forth by WAC 392-170 in considering multiple assessment measures and learning needs of students to get as complete a profile as possible in determining selection and placement of students for services.

As a parent, what should I do?• Each child is different• What is right for one may not be for another• Look at child’s temperament & developmental level, maturity• Child’s drive to excel & be more challenged• Child’s abilities• Commitment to full 180 days of the PAT Program

Consider your child, your family commitments, educational desires,

and trust yourselves to make a good decision for your child.

Questions?

• If you haven’t done so, please sign in • RSD Website (under Teaching and Learning)• Nomination forms here, at school offices, and online• Thanks for coming!