Best Practices in Gifted Education: Site Visit Preparation

Designing Services and Programs for High-ability Students is one of the best sources for guidance in the development of high quality comprehensive gifted and talented programming.

Vision/Mission/Beliefs

Vision: What we aspire to

Mission: Why we exist; our purpose

Beliefs: Those statements that identify the core principles to which we adhere

Commitments to Action: What we will do because of our beliefs

Sample

Identification

The purpose of identification for gifted and talented services is to find students with unmet educational needs in order to provide programming that fills that gap. Identification procedures must be in place K-12 but will not necessarily look the same at all grade spans. Ask "Which children are significantly discrepant from age peers (above the norm) in a given area?"

"If We Identify Gifted, We Must Support Them" - Teach a Gifted Kid blog post

"A Practical System for Identifying Gifted and Talented Students" Joseph S. Renzulli

A simple procedure for combining ability test scores, achievement test scores, and teacher ratings to identify academically talented children. - David Lohman and Joseph Renzulli

Identification Checklist

Purdue Academic Rating Scales (secondary)

Identifying Gifted and Talented English Language Learners - Iowa Department of Education and Belin-Blank Center

Gifted and Talented Identification Packet - a publication of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training

Identifying Gifted Preschoolers

Characteristics of a Gifted Preschooler

Iowa Early Learning Standards

Identification in Primary Grades - from Idaho Dept. of Education

Differentiated Program

A differentiated program is designed to meet student needs "beyond the regular school program." This means that when the regular curriculum and instruction provided for the majority of students is insufficient to meet the needs of gifted students, programming (curriculum and instruction) is provided that meets their needs.

"Differentiating for Gifted Children: It's All About Trust" Dorothy Knopper and Carol Fertig

"Differentiation for Gifted and Talented Students: Principles and Practices" Dr. Tracy Riley

Documenting Programming

Colfax-Mingo example

Continuum of Services Plan Sample

Program Goals

Program goals

are written at the program level and are different from student goals/outcomes
ensure the district is providing quality programming and services consistent with best practices across all grade spans
are specific, measurable, and attainable
may be both long-term (written more like a standard - "CSIP-ish") and short-term (think annual improvement goal)

Performance Measures determine

what success looks like
how we know when we get there
how good is "good enough"

Sample Program Goals

Sample Student Goals

Inservice Design

The word "design" implies a carefully developed plan for meeting the professional learning needs of teachers of gifted, classroom teachers, counselors, administrators, and parents and community regarding gifted and talented. That plan should address the nature and needs of gifted children, specifics of the district's programming and services (including strategies for meeting the learning needs of gifted children), and ways gifted "fits" in the bigger scope of building/district professional development.

Chapter 98 of Iowa Code (categorical funding rules) says that the gifted and talented funds may be used for professional development for teacher(s) of gifted.

Inservice Design template

Staff Qualifications

All teachers and/or coordinators of gifted are required to hold the State of Iowa Talented and Gifted Endorsement. This 12 credit hour program is offered through five institutions of higher learning in the state: Drake, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Viterbo, Buena Vista, and Morningside.

Program Evaluation

Program evaluation is undertaken to improve programming and ascertain its effectiveness for the students served.

Self-Audit/Reflection Tool

Arkansas Evaluation Initiative

large district

mid-sized district

small district

Borland Evaluation Table - This is a way to evaluate attainment of program goals.

The focus of Gifted Academy III is program evaluation.

Budget

Funding for gifted and talented programming and services is categorical funding. Each year on July 1, the funds for the current fiscal year are placed in the gifted and talented budget along with any carry over from previous years. These funds are used to meet the needs of identified gifted and talented students "beyond the regular school program." The district's gifted and talented budget amount is public record and may be accessed on the Iowa Department of Education Website. Click here for the FY15 budget by district in Iowa. According to Su McCurdy, Iowa Department of Education, because these funds are categorical, they are not affected by any across-the-board budget cuts the state may experience. Chapter 98 addresses rule for allowable expenditures of categorical funding. See page 6 of the document (link above) for specifics regarding g/t funds. Any gifted and talented funds remaining in this budget line at the end of the fiscal year are carried over and must remain in that budget line. These monies may only be expended under the same Chapter 98 guidelines referenced above..

Any gifted and talented budget questions not answered in Chapter 98 should be directed to

Su McCurdy, Administrative Consultant

Iowa Department of Education

Division of School Support and Information

Finance, Facilities, and Operation Services

Ph: 515.281.4738

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Best Practices in Gifted Education: Site Visit Preparation

Best Practices in Gifted Education: Site Visit Preparation

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