District Identification

Equitable

This school district is very diverse and educates students from all different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. In the district plan for gifted education it states that the background and environment of a student will not cause them to be overlooked for gifted education. If a student is identified, their services will be based on their individual needs, interest and abilities. According to Hunsaker (2012), "Regardless of race or culture, students who are gifted but under-identified and inadequately served have a greater probability of becoming turned off- unmotivated, and disengaged-which contributes to underachievement in a myriad of ways." (p.57). Not only is it important for these students to be serviced in an equitable way, they must also be identified in a way that understand them as a child and their background. The identification process in JCPS acknowledges the need of under-represented students.

Services

Within JCPS there are 167 different schools. In a district this large there is a set identification plan, but there should be set guidelines for the servicing of students. Each students service plan will vary based on their needs. In the district plan it states that the individual school will extend learning beyond the curriculum, provide flexible grouping and differentiated curricular experiences for student's needs, interest and abilities, and help students attain the goals set by the board. This allows schools to adapt curriculum and programs that meet the needs of their individual students. "The services stage is imperative in the identification process so that there is a logical connection between the measures and assessments used in the process and the services that students will receive." (Hunsaker, 2012, p.213). The variance of students service plans allows students to be represented in a way that best fits them.

Assessment

The district will formally identify all students in grades 4-12 for the Districts gifted and talented program. Students can also be informally assessed for Primary Talent Pool. The district will screen students for all areas of giftedness. These areas include general intellectual aptitude, specific academic aptitude, creative or divergent thinking, psychological or leadership skills, or in visual and performing arts. Currently the CogAT screener is used in JCPS. The district plan states that the identification process must use ongoing and long-term assessments from multiple facets. These include a variety of valid and reliable formative and summative assessments. All of these data points can be collected and used in the identification process.

Guidelines

Although the district plan states that data will be collected from a multi-facet approach, it also states that students will be selected for gifted and talented based on guidelines set by the superintendent or the gifted coordinator. This allows for the expectations to not be clearly laid out in the districts plan. The district says that they will provide a formal assessment, but it does not state all the ways a student can be identified for gifted education. I think that this is important in JCPS to meet the needs of those students who may be overlooked and to allow students to express their creativity in multiple data points. "All good talent identification programs rely on multiple sources of evidence when deciding whether a student needs special educational programming." (Hunsaker, 2012, p.225). Although there must be three evidence options stated by KDE, clear guidelines would allow students to be observed, interviewed and assessed in different ways that may not represent students from different backgrounds.

Advanced Program

While talking with my gifted coordinator, one topic of conversation was the difference in gifted education and the advanced program. In the district plan it states that students will be formally identified for the advanced program. The use of a single assessment score should not be the only data point used for student identification. The term advanced program is used interchangeably with gifted education throughout the district. To be gifted is much more than to be advanced with one composite score. The advanced program allows students to take courses that are accelerated. In order to be gifted and talented other factors will be observed. The district plan should not use these words together without clarifying, or using the time to explain the difference in these two terms or programs, due to the amount of confusion.

Primary Talent Pool

According to the Policy and Standard for Identification in this districts plan, there are few expectations listed for Primary Talent Pool. Students in primary talent pool should be given the opportunity to a differentiated education based on their needs/interest. Many of the policies for gifted education can be compared to those of primary talent pool. This can manifest students gifts and talents before they can be identified in fourth grade. In the district plan it states that students can be informally selected for primary talent pool. It does not include the services that are to be used for continuous services. My gifted coordinator stated that the lack of emphasis on primary talent pool has caused students to be overlooked or not supported. This especially includes students from minorities.

Colleagues

The district plan states that after data is collected, a selection committee will be created to review the data and make decisions based on the eligibility of the student. This committee consist of the principal, the school advanced program coordinator/gifted education teacher, classroom teacher, teacher of students with disabilities, counselor, and consulting professional. "Decisions are typically based on an understanding of the total school program and how different aspects of that program address the learner needs." (Hunsaker, 2012, p.206). Allowing multiple stakeholders to be involved in this committee gives the teachers a voice in their students education and the ability to advocate for what is right. The members of the committee must understand their school and the data collected on the student to communicate the best supports moving forward. Educators are involved in the identification process through this section of the districts policies.

Parents

"Educators provide parents and guardians with information in their native language regarding diverse behaviors and characteristics that are assosciated with giftedness and with information that explains the nature and purpose of gifted programming options." (NAGC, 2010a). In the district plan, parents have to give permission before a test is administered for the formal identification process. If the child is identified for gifted services there is a follow up with parents every year to review what is in the child's gifted student services plan (GSSP). In the district plan it includes that parents have a right to appeal the plan if they believe that apporpriate services are not being given. The district has assiged implementation coaches to schools around the district to take the lead in facilitating these meanings and reviewing students support services. With this initiative it is hopeful that parents are being given the opportunity to give their input and work with the support team, no matter their background or knowledge.

Services

"Uses, limiatations, and interpretation of multiple assessments in different domains for identifying individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from diverse backgrounds." (NAGC & CEC, 2006). This is where the guideline of multi assessments for identification are lacking in the district plan, but this is also where those assessments can be used to give students a service plan that fits their needs. In the district plan there is a section that states that their should be a variety of appropriate options for grouping students, multiple service options reflecting learning progress, parent input, a GSSP that matches students interest and the GSSP is reported to parents are least twice a year. In one section of the district plan it says that parents will be notified once a year and in another part, it says twice a year. The procedures ans strategies lay out a foundation for finding the best fit program for a student and reviewing it often to track progress or make changes.

Parents

To involve parents in the annual review of a students services plan, allows them to be involved in their students education. The parents have rights that they are given and the GSSP is reviewed with them. Parents can make input and decisions based on what they feel is best. The issue with this is that parents are not made aware of resources and information on gifted services in many cases. Parents will do what is best for their child, but they should be given resources to educate them on the policies and procedures in place. It is hard to advocate for what you believe is best if you do not know.

Teachers

Once again teachers are given the ability to give input on the students gifted services plan, but they are not given the proper training and resources. Through surveys and professional growth plans, teachers have identified a need for professional development on the identification and services of gifted students. The district does not have a plan in place that supports the professional growth of teachers. This hinders a teachers ability to identify students using a multitude of identification tools and it affects the services a student is receiving. In the district plan it states that all teachers will be given training on identifying and working with gifted students. Although this is stated, according to surveys and gifted coordinators it is believed across the district that this is not the proper training needed to fully implement these strategies and procedures.

Accountability

"Educators understand and implement district and state policies designed to foster equity in gifted programs." (Hunsaker, 2012, p.177). The accountability for teacher to understand and implement policies is not present in the district plan. The plan states that teachers working with gifted students should be encouraged to meet the requirements of a certificate endorsement. This means that teachers who do not take this recommendation are still able to support gifted students without all the training of district and state policies. The selection committee involves the gifted educator and the data that they collect from a student to chose the program that best fits. If this data is not completed with the proper training, it may hinder the education of the child.

Short-term goals

Parents will be presented information to gain a better understanding of gifted education.

Guidelines will be implemented into the districts plan based on the Kentucky policies and procedures to include 3 forms of evidence for identification acorss multiple measures.

Long-term

Goals

Gifted education teachers will be required to receive their gifted endorsement to better understand the state and district policies.

The district gifted and talented policies form will review the strategies and procedures for primary talent pool. These policies will be implemented across the district to meet the needs of students from all backgrounds.

Objectives

JCPS will involve all stakeholders in the process of identification and in the gifted student services plan. This committee will use data to best guide the direction of student support and will be reviewed to track student progress.

JCPS will provide gifted and talented services to students that supports their individual needs, interest and ability no matter their background (economically disadvantaged, underachieving, racial or ethical culture, or disadvantaged.