Fredericksburg City Public Schools 2015-2020

Fredericksburg City Public Schools

Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted

2015-2020

LEA# / Fredericksburg City Public Schools
Superintendent / Dr. David Melton
Mailing Address / 817 Princess Anne St. Fredericksburg VA 22401
Gifted Education Coordinator / Pam Steinkoenig / Title
Address
Telephone
E-mail / Director of Pupil Personnel Services
Fredericksburg City Public Schools,
200 Gunnery Road, VA 22401
540 372-1127

Local School Board Chairperson / Mrs. Patricia Green
Date Approved by School Board / August 3, 2015

Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted

Each school board must review and approve a comprehensive plan for the education of the gifted. That plan must provide specific explanations of the school division’s implementation of the Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students. School divisions, working in conjunction with their school boards, should determine the appropriate timeframeof applicability for their division’s gifted plan. Historically, division plans span five years. For the technical review, the DOE will request a division to send their most current, approved plan at the time of the review. The applicable timeframe for the division’s plan does not need to correspond to the collection year of their technical review. Information on the DOE technical review schedule can be found at the gifted education homepage at the Virginia Department of Education’s Web site

Section 8VAC20-40-60A of the Regulations states that, “Each school board shall submit a comprehensive plan for the education of gifted students to the Department of Education (DOE) for technical review on a schedule determined by the Department. Each school board shall approve a comprehensive plan for the education of gifted students that includes the components identified in these regulations.”To assist school divisions and school boards in complying with section 8VAC20-40-60A, the Virginia Department of Education has created this template for developing Local Plans for the Education of the Gifted (revised January 2011). This public document addresses all aspects of local services for gifted students, including, but not limited to, the area(s) of giftedness the school division will serve, an operational definition of giftedness in the division and its supporting identification procedures, program services, professional development, curriculum development, and parent/guardian and community involvement.

Each section of the plan should address specific procedures and information for each area of giftedness identified by the school division. If a school division identifies students in general intellectual aptitude (GIA) and specific academic aptitude-mathematics (SAA-M), then the section for referral procedures, for example, should reflect the specific referral procedures for GIA and SAA-M. Throughout the local plan template, school divisions may need to copy and paste the drop down boxes, theinsert text form fields, and any pertinent information for each area of giftedness identified by the division. In order to be able to ‘choose an item’ from a drop down box, simply right click on the highlighted ‘choose an item’ wording and the drop down arrow should appear on the right. Right clicking on the arrow will then allow the drop down box choices to appear. If certain procedures or policies apply to more than one area of giftedness, simply copy and paste the drop down selection box to reflect all areas of giftedness that are applicable to the procedures or policy.

Once the completed comprehensive local plan for the education of gifted students has been approved by the local school board, the plan shall be accessible to the public through the division’s Web site. The division shall ensure that printed copies of the plan are available to citizens who do not have online access. For more information, contact the Virginia Department of Education specialist for Governor’s Schools and Gifted Education at 804-225-2884.

General Information regarding the Gifted Program inFredericksburg City Public Schools

Area of Giftedness Identified by Fredericksburg City Public Schools / Grades Served
General Intellectual Aptitude (GIA) / K-12
Visual and/or Performing Arts Aptitude (VPA): instrumental/choral music / 3-12
Visual and/or Performing Arts Aptitude (VPA) : Visual Arts / 3-12

(Part I: Statement of Philosophy and Local Operational Definition of Giftedness for the School Division

  1. Division Statement of Philosophy for the Education of Gifted Students

Fredericksburg City Public Schools recognizes that outstanding talents are present in children from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavors. Services for students who are academically talented must be part of an overall educational program. It is our responsibility to discover, nurture, and develop the potential of each student.

These exceptional children require a differentiated academic program that considers individuals learning styles and unique capabilities. Fredericksburg City Public Schools is committed to identifying gifted students through grade twelve, and to provide these students with services that challenge them to expand their critical and creative thinking abilities.

B. Division Operational Definition of Giftedness

This section should include an operational definition for each area of giftedness identified and served by the division. An operational definition provides the concrete, observable, and/or measurable criteria for ‘giftedness’ used by the division in the identification process. Such a definition might include a listing of the evidence of student readiness for gifted educational services, e.g. evidence of gifted behaviors as determined by a valid and reliable teacher checklist or evidence of superior academic performance based on a norm-referenced assessment of aptitude.

General Intellectual Aptitudes (GIA):

Giftedness in the area of general intellectual aptitude represents a student’s aptitude to reason, learn and problem-solve at a level that substantially exceeds their same-age peers. Students are identified as gifted in the area of GIA by demonstrating superior verbal and nonverbal reasoning skills in various areas that can include classroom settings, home settings, norm-referenced assessments, and work output. High levels of creativity and academic skills are also used as further evidence of a student’s aptitude to reason and learn at a superior level.

The operational definition for GIA is evidenced by the following criteria used to determine eligibility for services:

The student must demonstrate giftedness in at least 5 out of 7 areas to be eligible for full placement. If the student is from an underserved population (LSES, 504, SPED, ESL), 4 areas of giftedness would allow the committee to make a provisional placement if deemed necessary. When both tiers of the evaluation are completed, areas evaluated and scored are: cognitive assessment, achievement assessment, parent/guardian survey, teacher survey/input, creativity assessment, portfolio and/or grades, and an interview.

Visual and Performing Arts (VPA):

Giftedness in the area of visual and/or performing arts represent students who demonstrate or havethepotentialto demonstrate superior creativereasoningand imaginativeexpression; persistentartisticcuriosity and/or advanced acquisition and master of techniques,perspectives, concepts andprinciplesbeyond their age-level peers in visual orperformingarts.

The operational definition for VPA is evidenced by the following criteria used to determine eligibility for services:

The student must demonstrate giftedness in at least 4 out of 5 areas listed below to be eligible for full placement. If the student is from an underserved population (LSES, 504, SPED, ESL), 3 areas of giftedness would allow the committee to make a provisional placement if deemed necessary. This identification occurs twice a year, typically in each semester. The areas evaluated and scored are: parent/guardian survey, teacher survey/input, an interviewand a creativity assessment. Additionally, we evaluate and score for Visual Arts anationally normed assessment of music ability,and a portfolio and for Performing Arts there is anaudition evaluated and scored.

Part II: Program Goals and Objectives

A.Identification:

Goal: To provide a systematic identification process based upon research-based best practices that align with the delivery of services.

♦Continue to provide staff development for teachers and administrators in referral and identification of gifted students for both GIA and VPA; trainings will be documented through logs and/or agendas.

♦Collect data and analyze current identification practices to determine level of effectiveness for the screening and identification process for the K-1 population in GIA.

♦Research best practices related to the identification process for the visual andperforming arts programs.

♦Review the VPA process to determine if it needs to be aligned to coincide with best practices.

  1. Delivery of Services:

Goal: To provide a continuum of services in grades K-12, which address the needs of students,identified as gifted.

♦Create a process by which the gifted students’ progress within their gifted services can be measured and documented in both the GIA and VPA programs.

♦Initiate the International Baccalaureate Diploma/classes and the IB philosophy in the HS and explore the middle school.

♦Explore other enrichment opportunities and/or needs for gifted students identified in GIA at the secondary level.

  1. Curriculum and Instruction:

Goal: To provide a differentiated curriculum and instructional opportunities, which reflect the unique needs of students identified as gifted.

♦Develop and/or update pacing guidesin all gifted education classes.

♦Explore the possibility of one or more staff members being charged with the responsibility of ensuring and supporting differentiation within the general classes for students identified as gifted throughout the division.

♦Have teachersof GIA create lessons on problem solving and critical thinking skills granting electronicaccess to all teachers.

♦Have teachers of VPA create a list of possible options to use the skills of the gifted VPA student in a grading opportunities. Distribute or post electronically to give access to all teachers using “teacher share” or some other electronic means.

  1. Professional Development:

Goal: To traingeneral teachers ondifferentiation as an extension of the general classroom and how to implement differentiated instructionforstudents identified as gifted.

♦In-service teachers on a variety of differentiation techniques for gifted students in the general education classroom.

♦As funds allow, the division willsupport teachers with requests of professional development in the area of differentiation for gifted students identified as either GIA or VPA.

♦Building level administrators will monitor differentiation.

♦Provide inservice training to administrators and teachers 1st through 8thon Measures of Academic Progress®, a computer adaptive interimassessment that measures student growth to help teachers differentiate instruction.

♦Provide inservice opportunities for teachers and parents to understand the expectations of an International Baccalaureate Diploma and the IB philosophy (6-12 grade students/parents/staff).

  1. Equitable Representation of Students:

Goal: To ensure that all eligible students are afforded opportunities for participation in gifted programs and services.

♦Research best practices for screening and/or identifying students from underrepresented populations.

♦Explore and as funds dictate initiate an annual screening in an elementary grade using a standardized cognitive assessment.

♦Provide staff development to teachers in the characteristics and needs of students from underrepresented populations for both GIA and VPA.

♦Monitor data of students identified as gifted (both GIA and VPA) to determine percentages of identified under represented populations.

  1. Parent/guardian and Community Involvement:

Goal: To promote awareness of the gifted education programs and the needs of gifted students among parent/guardians, school staff and the community.

  1. Create an informational packet for parent/guardians whose children have been referred for services. It would include, but not limited to, GE brochure, timelines, eligibility criterion, appeals process and contact names for each school.
  2. Disseminate information on programs and opportunities for the gifted students through email, websites, informational packets, and brochures.

Part III: Screening, Referral, Identification, and Service Procedures

  1. Screening Procedures (8VAC20-40-60A.3)

This section should provide screening procedures for each area of giftedness identified and served by the division.These procedures should include the annual review of student data used to create a pool of potential candidates for further assessment. Specific references pertaining to each area of giftedness identified by the division should be clearly indicated.

Screening Procedures for General Intellectual Aptitude:

Guidance counselors, gifted resource teachers and/or content area specialists, and classroom teachers review benchmark tests and other performance assessments for evidence of giftedness. Classroom teachers (K-12) monitor their students for signs of giftedness and work with the gifted resource teacher for input.All students 1st grade through 8th grade will be given anationally normed assessment and the district is exploring the use of a primary grade cognitive assessmentto assess underachieving students for possible giftedness. These tools will be used as additional screeners for students not identified (possibly due to the social economic status or another special population) during the general screening process. During the Kindergarten year the gifted resource teacher will provide enrichment lessons for all kindergarten students. This procedure provides services to students in addition to identifying students who may need more services and thus would be referred for eligibility in a pull out program in their first grade year.

Screening Procedures for Visual and/or Performing Arts:

Music and Art teachers3-12 regularly review classroom performance and individual interests/talents of their students and refer to evaluation if appropriate. General education teachers 3-12 regularly review classroom performance and individual interests/talents of their students. Both groups in addition to administrators monitor for signs of Visual and/or Performing Arts giftedness throughout the year.

  1. Referral Procedures (8VAC20-40-60A.3)

This section providesreferral procedures for each area of giftedness identified and served by the division. These procedures shall permit referrals from parent/guardians or legal guardians, teachers, professionals, students, peers, self, or others. These procedures should include to whom referrals are submitted and the timeline for the division to provide parent/guardians/guardians with the results of the eligibility process.Specific references pertaining to each area of giftedness identified by the division should be clearly indicated.

General Intellectual

Referrals:

Referrals for General Intellectual Programming Services are accepted for all students throughout the school year (September- early June in accordance with building level timelines) from educators, parent/guardians, community members, peers, or students themselves. The referral is submitted to the counseling department at the school the student attends. Eligibility determinations occur, typically within a 65-business day timeline period, however depending upon the situation can occur within a maximum of 90 business days of the receipt of parent/guardian permission to assess. Student placement for General Intellectual Services typically occurs at the beginning of the following nine week period/semester (depending upon schedule), following the eligibility determination. Students may be referred for evaluation starting in the fall of their 1st grade year.

Re-referrals will be accepted only after or during the third quarter following the previous referral. For example, if a child is referred during the first quarter, a re-referral will be accepted during the fourth quarter, and if a child is referred in the second quarter, a re-referral will be accepted the first quarter of the next school year. If a re-referral is received for the

same gifted area, the areas which did not indicate giftedness will be re-assessed. If any component is over a year old it will be re-administered to determine the student’s current

status. Transfer students who provide assessment data that aligns with the FCPS plan, may have those results considered in determining eligibility for placement if the assessment was administered within one year of referral.

Checklists of traits of gifted learners are provided for the teachers at the beginning of the school year. Special emphasis is placed on the recognition of gifted characteristics of underserved populations. Information about underserved populations is presented at faculty meetings, in-services, and articles from professional journals that are shared with teachers.

The Director of Pupil Personnel,Gifted Coordinator, building level administrators, gifted resource teachers, and guidance counselors, are available for conferences concerning the characteristics of giftedness and the referral process. Information about gifted education and the referral process is included in the school newsletters for parent/guardians of students in grades K-12 during the school year.

Transfer Students’ Records Reviewed

Students who transfer into the division with an identification of giftedness from a previous school division, either in Virginia or outside of the state, will be treated as a new referral in accordance with established timelines. Participation in another locality’s gifted program does not guarantee placement in the FCPS Gifted Program. FCPS reserves the right to test all students referred for gifted services.

Visual and Performing Arts:

Referrals

Referrals for the Visual and Performing Arts Program are accepted twice a year for students in grades 3-12 from educators, parent/guardians/guardians, community members, peers, or students themselves. Referral forms are available to all parent/guardians of students in grades 3-12 and can be obtained from the schools’ guidance departments. The guidance department collects the referral forms. Eligibility determinations occur once each semester, typically within a 65 instructional timeline period, however depending upon the situation they can occur within a maximum of 90instructional days of the receipt of parent/guardian permission to assess. Checklists of traits of gifted visual or performing arts students are provided for the teachers during a faculty meeting at the beginning of the year and again at a spring faculty meeting. Special emphasis is placed on the recognition of gifted visual or performing arts characteristics of underserved, culturally diverse, low socio-economic populations. Information about underserved populations is provided at faculty meetings, in-services, and articles from professional journals shared with teachers.