High Ability

Introduction

Alexandria Community School Corporation (ACSC) recognizes that children with high abilities may have unique affective needs, including increased capacity to think beyond their years, greater intensity in response, combinations of varied interests, personality characteristics and conflicts that are different from those of their same age peers. We appreciate the importance of providing a systematic and differentiated program of affective services for our high ability students K-12. This proactive approach will facilitate development of our students' individual potential and promote their positive adjustment.

Core Concepts

Core concepts which will be emphasized throughout the K-12 curriculum include:

• Self-Advocacy
• Leadership
• Responsibility/Accountability
• Service to others
• Effective Communication
• Career Exploration
• Study Skills
• Accepting Diversity
• Friendships
• Bullying/Conflict Resolution
• Peer Pressure
• Justice/Fairness
• Perfectionism
• Intensities

Grades 1-6 High Ability students are provided with lessons two times per month to support their social and emotional wellness from the district's school psychology intern. The Ball State University Intern plans and delivers these lessons in conjunction with the classroom teacher and paraprofessional. These lessons are reinforced throughout the year. Topics include:

• Communication with peers
• Asking good questions
• Working as a team
• Creativity is valued
• Everyone has different strengths and needs
• Mistakes are part of learning

Beginning at the grade 3, ACSC recognizes the importance of emphasizing additional concepts:

• Understanding giftedness
• Planning/time management
• Stress
• Elitism
• Overcoming stereotypes

As students formulate their post-secondary goals, ACSC will provide guidance in the following areas:

• Scholarship
• College Choice
• Workforce Readiness

Guidance and Social Work Support Staff

Working in conjunction with our highly trained teaching staff supporting our high ability population, ACSC has two social workers: One at the elementary level and one at the junior/senior high school. Additionally, we have two guidance counselors at the junior/senior high school building. The Intermediate building also has social work interns, supervised through a partnership with Ivy Tech Community College.

Social workers provide services in the following areas:

• Home/school communication
• Individual/Group counseling
• Character development
• Behavioral support
• Referral to community agencies
• Service Learning

Guidance counselors provide services in the following areas:

• Individual counseling
• Academic advising/AP potential
• Career and college planning
• Home/school communication
• Testing coordination

Programs to Address the Affective Needs of High Ability Students

ACSC teachers and staff are an integral part of implementing programs and support for high ability students. Therefore, they participate in ongoing professional development in order to meet their affective needs. Affective themes and core concepts are integrated across the curriculum in the general education and high ability classrooms.

• Core issues are addressed at the grades 1-12 level through literature in the English/Language Arts classroom.
• Guidance counselors meet with high ability students once per grading period as a minimum, additionally as requested by student.
• Scholarship meetings, career and college, military, opportunities for Ivy League schools and the Indiana Academy.
• All students in grade 10 take the PSAT for use in determining Advanced Placement (AP) potential for grades 11 and 12.
• All High Ability students are encouraged to take as many duel credit and AP courses as they can to earn college credit while still in high school.

Jane Pauley and Aspire Community Services:

Jane Pauley is a regional, private, not-for-profit behavioral health care system offering a range of inpatient and outpatient services. They provide case management, behavior therapy, and psychological counseling and therapy within the school environment.

Aspire Indiana provides Behavioral Services, psychological testing for the purposes of medical diagnosis, therapy for children and families, parent education, and other mental health services within our school environment.

School social workers can make a referral to Jane Pauley and Aspire Indiana with permission from the parent if there is a behavioral or mental health concern outside of the scope of our educational expertise for treatment. High ability students may be referred for behavioral therapy and outside counseling/case management if needed. This is not a free service provided by the school corporation, so private insurance or Medicaid applies.

Elementary Level

• Early entrance to kindergarten will be considered on an individual basis by a child study team.
• Grade skipping will be considered on an individual basis by a child study team.
• Kindergarten -Identified students are in the general education kindergarten with pull out services during the spring semester after identification.
• Grades 1-6 High Ability Students are served in a Cluster group in a general education classroom--the teacher will differentiate instruction for those students for English/Language Arts and/or Math as well as students receive enriched and enhanced push-in and pull-out services by two teachers dedicated to serving High Ability students.  
• 6th graders who participate in the advanced course for math are given the opportunity to take Pre-Algebra as a 7th grader.

Middle School Level

• Grades 7-8 -Students identified as high ability in the general intellectual domain are placed in an advanced course for language arts and math. Students who are only high ability in the language arts domain are scheduled in the advanced language arts course. Students who are only high ability in the math domain are scheduled in the advanced math course.
• 7th graders who pass Pre-Algebra with a C or better are given the opportunity to take Algebra I as an 8th grader.

High School Level

• In grades 9-12, students who are identified as high ability will be encouraged to take honors, Advanced Placement, and duel credit courses whenever possible.
• The student’s graduation plan will reflect completion of an Academic Honors Diploma.
• We offer the following honors courses at this time: Honors English 9, Honors English 10
• We offer the following AP courses at this time: World History, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, U.S. History, Environmental Science, English Language and Literature, Literature and Composition (AP course grades are weighted).
• At our high school we offer duel credit in AP World History, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Language and Literature, AP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP U.S. History through Ivy Tech as a Transfer Indiana course.
• High School students may leave school half days to take college courses or duel credit options in Anderson or Elwood (through Ivy Tech and the Vocational Centers)

Other students not identified as high ability may be admitted to honors or AP courses through self or teacher nomination.

Introduction

Indiana mandates that high ability students be given access to enriched and accelerated replacement curriculum in the areas of English/Language Arts and Mathematics. Because high ability students are at many different instructional levels, students in high ability classes need differentiation in content, processes, and products.

High ability curriculum is qualitatively different in all aspects:

In Alexandria Community School Corporation we expect not just growth of our students, but high growth. Where a typical student would be expected for grow one grade equivalency each school year, Alexandria expects 1.5 years of growth. In order to do this, high ability teachers compact the curriculum wherever possible and much of the school day is spent on learning that is individualized for that student’s needs. Workshop approaches to learning are the norm in a high ability classroom. Whole group instruction is still present, but cannot be the main method of content delivery due to the variety of different levels even amongst high ability students. For this reason, high ability students must demonstrate good work ethic and the ability to self-monitor to get the most out of high ability classes. Students who lack skill in these two areas will need intervention in order to achieve success.

Considerable time and resources were spent in carefully choosing the curriculum materials for high ability student use in Alexandria. The table below lists the curriculum materials used to teach our students and links to websites for further exploration. This is a living document that will be updated annually as we reevaluate the program and the materials we use.

Link to High Ability Curriculum Matrix

Indiana

In July of 2007, the State of Indiana mandated services for all high ability learners:

Effective July 1, 2007, Indiana schools shall identify students with high ability in the general intellectual and specific academic domains and provide them with appropriately differentiated curriculum and instruction in core content areas, K-12 (refer to IC-
20-36-2-2).

The Indiana Code defines a student with high abilities as one who:

1. performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, an outstanding level of accomplishment in at least one domain when compared to other students of the same age, experience, or environment; and:
2. is characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests (IC 20-36-1-3).

For more information regarding state policies and legislation, visit the Indiana DOE High Ability Page or view the Indiana Code for High Ability Programs.

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Alexandria Community School Corporation / Academics / Office of Exceptional Programs / High Ability / High Ability Resources for Parents

Parent Guide

"Parent Guide to High Ability Education and Advocacy"

Articles

Read 'Is It a Cheetah?' by Stephanie S. Tolan

Websites

• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
• Hoagies' Gifted Education Page
• SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted)
• Davidson Institute

Advocacy

You can refer to Section III of the Parent Guide also listed on this page or use the following quick links to aid you in your advocacy efforts.

~ Contact your state and federal legislators to voice your support for funding high ability education. Not sure who your legislators are? View 2014 Indiana Legislators and type in your address to receive a listing of federal, state, and local legislators. Web sites and addresses are
included. You can often submit a brief email right online.

~ Or, if you would like to address a legislator in person, Click here to watch tips on what to share.

~ For tips on advocating for your child at school, click here.

Reading Material

1. "Genius Denied" by Jan and Bob Davidson
2. "Parenting Gifted Kids" by James R. Delisle
3. "Helping Gifted Children Soar" by Carol A. Strip
4. “Gifted Kids' Survival Guide For Ages 10 and Under” Judy Galbraith
5. “The Survival Guide For Parents Of Gifted Kids” (older kids) Sally Yahnke Walker
6. “Light Up Your Child's Mind” Sally Reis and Joseph Renzulli
7. Do searches on Amazon or Google for topics like: Parenting Gifted Children, Intensities of Gifted Children, Twice-Exceptional, Advocating For Your Gifted Child, Raising Gifted Kids
8. For more resources, please see the resource pages in the Parent Guide, also listed on the Parent Resource Center page.

National Association For Gifted Children

National Association for Gifted Children is an organization of educators, parents, and community people interested in the development of gifted people. The Association serves as a communication network for people seeking information related to giftedness. The Association publishes several books and pamphlets as well as a quarterly journal and newsletter. There is an annual subscription.

Address:

1707 L Street, N. W., Suite 550

Washington, D.C. 20036

202-785-4268

Association For The Gifted (Tag)

The Association for the Gifted (TAG) is a division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). For membership information write:

Address: The Association for the Gifted Council for Exceptional Children

1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091

(703 620-3660)

World Council For Gifted & Talented Children

The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children is an international organization designed to promote the educational and developmental well being of gifted and talented children throughout the world. It serves as a medium of exchange of ideas, program plans, research, curriculum, and publications. It publishes a quarterly newsletter and a semi-annual journal. There are annual dues.

World Council for Gifted and Talented Children
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd, #11030 | Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: 1 (270) 745-4123 | Fax: 1 (270) 745-4124
World Gifted Website

Indiana Association For The Gifted

The Indiana Association for Gifted is our state organization. It publishes a quarterly newsletter and holds an annual convention for parents, teachers, and administrators. There are annual dues.

Address: Indiana Association for the Gifted

10421 Fall Creek Road

Indianapolis, Indiana 46256

Supporting Emotional Needs Of Gifted (Seng)

This group holds a national convention each August for parents and teachers. It is a support group for interested parents. It is compiling a nationwide list of qualified psychologists and psychiatrists interested in working with gifted children and their families.

Contact: SENG-WRIGHT State University

P.O. Box 1102

Dayton, Ohio 45401

Norm-Referenced Aptitude Measure

(also referred to as cognitive ability or intelligence measure)

Elementary Level

Initial Evaluation in Kindergarten (second semester); Reevaluation in grades 2 and 4

Measures Used: Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) both the screener and full test; Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Middle School Students (SAGES)

Selection Procedures: 96th percentile or higher (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure); During spring semester of kindergarten and during grades 2 and 4, all students will take the CogAT screener as a checkpoint to be sure the school does not miss anyone who might be eligible based on Cognitive testing. The top 20% will take the full CogAT; For those who have not been identified previously who are nominated by a teacher or parent, a CogAT will be administered for eligibility determination (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure); a SAGES reasoning section will be given to confirm if there is an appeal.

Middle School Level

Reevaluation or data collection in grade 8

Measures Used: Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT); Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Middle School Students (SAGES)

Selection Procedures: For a student already in the high ability program in Alexandria, only data collection is appropriate unless there is a question concerning eligibility; For those who have not been identified previously who are nominated by a teacher or parent, a CogAT will be administered for eligibility determination (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure); a SAGES reasoning section will be given to confirm if there is an appeal of eligibility.

High School Level

Ongoing data collection

Measures Used: PSAT Scores

Selection Procedures: Use AP Potential tool to generate list of students likely to earn 3, 4, or 5 on AP exams; a student does not have to be designated as high ability to participate in AP or duel credit courses

Norm-Referenced Achievement Measure

(or other evidence of ability to perform above grade level)

Elementary Level

Initial Evaluation in kindergarten; Reevaluation in grades 2 and 4

Measures Used: NWEA; Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT); Test of Reading Comprehension (TRC)

Selection Procedures: For K-1, on NWEA the student must be at 98th percentile or higher (using local norms and with consideration of standard error of measure). For grade 2 and 4, 96thpercentile or higher (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure) for NWEA or a CogAT quantitative reasoning and/or verbal reasoning at 96thpercentile or higher (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure); TRC reading level is used if there is a question in grades K and 2.

Middle Level

Data Collection in grade 8

Measures Used: NWEA, Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), Moby Max Grade Equivalency, Scholastic Reading Inventory

Selection Procedures: NWEA at 96th percentile or higher (using local norms and consideration of the standard error of measure); CogAT quantitative reasoning and/or verbal reasoning at 96th percentile or higher (using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure)

High School Level

Ongoing Data Collection

Measures: Grades; PSAT; Lexile Measure/NWEA

Selection Procedures: Consistently high grades on previous report cards; Lexile above grade level

Qualitative Indicators

Elementary Level

Initial Identification in kindergarten; Reevaluation in grades 2 and 4

Measures Used:

K-5: Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS) Parent and Teacher form

Selection Procedures: Scoring 130 or above (with consideration of the standard error of measure);

Supporting evidence for other measures; evidence of higher order thinking skills

Middle School Level

Data collection in grade 8

Measures: Teacher, Parent, or Self nomination; Portfolio of work and/or writing samples

Selection Procedures: Supporting evidence for other measures; evidence of higher order thinking skills

High School Level

Ongoing data collection

Measures: Teacher, Parent, or Self nomination; Portfolio or work and/or writing samples

Selection Procedures: Supporting evidence for other measures; evidence of higher order thinking skills

Appeals Procedure

Students who were not identified as high ability through the identification process may appeal the decision of the committee before the start of the school year or within 10 school days of receiving the letter of non-acceptance. A High Ability Appeals form may be requested by a parent or student from central office in accordance with instructions accompanying the student's letter of non-acceptance. Once the form is received by the Director of Academic Programs, the building level child study team (consisting of the Director of Academic Programs, the building Principal, one high ability teacher, and one member of the building RtI team) will consider the current and any new data presented by the parent/student (this may include interviewing the student) and then determine whether or not to designate the student as high ability. The committee may or may not decide to administer further testing based on the strength of the current evidence. The decision after appeal is final.

***A student will not be evaluated more than once every two years and not more than two times total if they do not qualify.

Exit Procedure

Underachievement—A student may be exited from high ability placement and services due to chronic underachievement. A teacher providing high ability services may make a referral to the building level Response to Instruction (RtI) team if a high ability student is underachieving in class. The RtI team will provide assistance with ideas for intervention and the teacher and student will monitor progress and report back to the RtI team. If adequate progress is not made, the RtI team may recommend to the Director of Academic Programs that a conference be held to address underachievement with the student, parent(s), Director and any high ability service providers. At the conference, data will be presented concerning student performance and high ability expectations/curriculum standards. The members of the conference may create a contract to give the student a set period of time to make the necessary improvements and may make a recommendation to see a counselor and/or tutor at the school for support and encouragement. If that contract is not met, the student's parent will be notified of the end date for the services and a different placement will be chosen by the school principal.

If a parent no longer wants his/her child to be designated as high ability or to receive high ability services, he or she may request this in writing to the Director of Academic Programs. The Director will meet with the parent and at least one teacher providing high ability services to discuss the request and if the parent still wants his/her child to exit the program, the parent will sign a permission to “de-flag” the student for high ability placement and services. If a student is 18 years of age, he or she may sign permission to remove the flag for high ability placement and services himself/herself.

A student who is exited from services due to underachievement or by request may request reevaluation for services at the end of grades 2, 4, or 6. This request must be made in writing to the Director of Academic Programs by March 1.

***NOTE: Being designated as High Ability does not mean a student carries this designation throughout school. Reevaluation/data collection will occur in grades K, 2, 4 to determine high ability placement for the following grade levels.

Alexandria Community School Corporation (ACSC) expects core content teachers of students who are designated as high ability to participate in professional development in the area of high ability/gifted education. Licensure in high ability/gifted education is encouraged and supported by the administration through professional development funding when available.

Teachers of self-contained gifted classrooms are encouraged to obtain high ability licensure after being assigned that duty.

Options for professional development:

1. Seeking/Obtaining high ability/gifted licensure from a college or university.
2. Attendance at seminars or conferences with a focus on high ability/gifted education or differentiated instruction.
3. Becoming a Writing Teacher Consultant with the Indiana Writing Project.
4. Obtaining credentials or continuing education for teaching Advanced Placement or Duel Credit courses.
5. Professional reading concerning topics in high ability/gifted education (may purchase your own or borrow from the Office of Academic Programs).
6. Action research at the classroom level concerning topics in high ability/gifted education (with approval from the Director of Academic Programs)
7. Collaboration among staff to create accelerated and enriched units of study or other innovative ideas for ACSC high ability students.
8. Other activities approved by the Director of Academic Programs and Superintendent.

**Professional Growth Points are available for all professional development activities listed.