Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): Turning Legislative Success into Gains for Gifted Learners March 7, 2016 Jane Clarenbach Director, Public Education M. René Islas Executive Director

Gifted Students in the U.S Total student population = 50 million  51.7% White  23.6% Hispanic or Latino  15.9% Black/African American  12.3% Students with disabilities (IDEA)  9.6% English learners  4.7% Asian Number of identified GT students = 3.2 million  60.8% White  16.9% Hispanic or Latino  9.5% Asian  8.8% Black/African American  2.7% English learners  2.4% Students with disabilities (IDEA) Source: Office of Civil Rights, State and National Estimations

Children in Poverty / Low-Income Families In 2013, 21% of school-age children were living in poverty (up from 15% in 2000). Roughly another 41% of school-age children were living in low-income families in Low-income high achieving 1st graders are less likely (7%) to rise to high achieving status by end of 5 th grade than are high achieving non low-income 1 st graders (17%) 44% of high achieving low-income 1 st graders fall out of top achievement quartile in reading by 5 th grade 3

Leaving Math Talent on the Table 2015 NAEP 4 th Grade Mathematics - % “Advanced” 10% White 3% Hispanic 1% Black/African American 2% school lunch eligible – 13% non SL eligible 2015 NAEP 8 th Grade Mathematics - % “Advanced” 11% White 3% Hispanic 2% Black/African American 2% school lunch eligible – 13% non SL eligible 4

Leaving Reading Talent Behind 2015 NAEP 4 th Grade Reading % “Advanced” 12% White 3% Hispanic 2% Black/African American 3% school lunch eligible – 15% non SL eligible 2015 NAEP 8 th Grade Reading % “Advanced” 5% White 1% Hispanic 1% Black/African American 1% school lunch eligible – 6% non school lunch eligible 5

Need for Professional Development in GT Few pre-service teachers receive more than a few clock hours of instruction in the nature/needs of GT students. GT students receive most of their instruction in the regular education classroom. 5 states have policies requiring PD in GT for general education teachers; others have no policies or leave it to LEAs. 6

Jacob Javits GT Students Education Act Authorized in 1988 Funds demonstration grants and national research center on GT. Has also funded statewide, capacity- building grants Focus on underrepresented populations Currently 13 demonstration grants, 8 statewide grants and 1 grant for the NCRGE $12 million in FY 2016 $12 million in President Obama’s FY17 budget request 7

ESSA Opens Door to Computer Adaptive Assessments 8

9 Federal GT Advocacy Messages (TALENT Close achievement gaps at the advanced level Lack of accountability for learning of students above proficient level Lack of attention to high-ability students in poverty Lack of data on GT students Assessments not able to pinpoint student mastery Teachers not prepared (pre-service, in-service) to spot talent and support it New provisions in ESSA address virtually all of these concerns

10 Every Student Succeeds Act ESSA is the 2015 reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Replaces No Child Left Behind For the first time, addresses learning needs of gifted and talented students and will require districts and states to make changes

11 Title I: Improving Academic Achievement of Disadvantaged (1)Funds may be used to identify and serve gifted and talented students (2) Requires disaggregation of student achievement data at each achievement level on state & local report cards (3) States may develop computer adaptive assessments used for accountability purposes

12 Title II: Professional (1)State plans must address gifted students (2) Districts receiving Title II funds must provide training to address the learning of gifted and talented students (3) Districts may provide training to support the ID of GT students, including high-ability students who have not been formally identified as GT [includes examples of strategies that may be taught]

13 Title IV: 21st Century Reauthorization of the Javits Gifted & Talented Students Education Act Focus on underrepresented GT student populations Develops best practice through system of applied research grants Does not include separate grant program for states

ESSA Opens Door to Computer Adaptive Assessments 14 “at the state’s discretion,” student achievement and growth can be measured “through a single summative assessment” or “through multiple, statewide interim assessments during the course of the academic year that result in a single summative score.” EdWeek Inside ESSA 12/18/2015

ESSA Opens Door to Computer Adaptive Assessments 15 (Sec. 1111(b)(1)(J) such assessment— “(aa) shall measure, at a minimum, each student’s academic proficiency based on the challenging State academic standards for the student’s grade level and growth toward such standards; and “(bb) may measure the student’s level of academic proficiency and growth using items above or below the student’s grade level, including for use as a part of a State’s accountability system under subsection (c).

Implementation New law will take effect in stages. NCLB Waiver provisions end on July 31, 2016 Most Title II provisions go into effect in school year Title I accountability provisions (including new report card format) go into effect in school TALENT Act is now dormant, will expire at the end of the 114 th Congress. 16

Practicing Your Pitch to Title I & Title II Directors

Messages for Capitol Hill - ESSA ESSA Thank you for including GT students in ESSA; the new provisions can make a real difference. Please hold the Dept of Ed and states accountable for implementing the new provisions in ESSA through Congressional oversight. Funding for Javits Program Please support continued funding of $12 million for the Javits Gifted & Talented Students program in fiscal year Senate: please cosign the Grassley-Casey letter on javits. House: please include a request in your letters to the Labor/HHS approps subcmttee 18

Legislative Materials Hill Packets State of the Nation State Fact Sheet Sheet for Javits Funding Sheet for ESSA “Dear Colleague” letter for Senate (need 2) Also for your Visits Visit report sheets (take a couple; form is online) Hill Map Congressional directory MEET AT 7:30 am in Lobby 19

THANK YOU!! 20

Use of Title I funds for GT Sec Local Education Agency Plans (p 131) (b) Plan Provisions (p 134) (13) any other information on how the local educational agency proposes to use funds to meet the purposes of this part, and that the local educational agency determines appropriate to provide, which may include how the local educational agency will— (A) assist schools in identifying and serving gifted and talented students; (p138) 21

Title II – Include GT in State Plans Sec Formula Grants to States (p 308) (d)(2) (p 326)) State Application Contents: Each application described under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (J) A description of how the State educational agency will improve the skills of teachers, principals, or other school leaders in order to enable them to identify students with specific learning needs, particularly children with disabilities, English learners, students who are gifted and talented, and students with low literacy levels, and provide instruction based on the needs of such students. (p 328) 22

Title II – LEAs include needs of GT Sec Local Uses of Funds (p 335) (b)(2) Types of required activities (p 336) (b) TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.—The programs and activities described in this subsection— (2) shall address the learning needs of all students, including children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted and talented students; 23