Doctoral Research Project Lindsey Reinert June 28, 2016 The Impact of Professional Learning on Colorado School Districts Action to Submit an Early Access Addendum Doctoral Research Project Lindsey Reinert June 28, 2016

Background of the study Lindsey Reinert Adams 50 Gifted/Talented Self-Contained Classroom Teacher 8/2005-6/2008 Masters of Arts: Educational Psychology Field of Study: Gifted Education & Talent Development Jeffco Gifted/Talented Resource Consultant 8/2008-Present 8 years Coordinator of the Early Access Process Gifted Education Associations GE-SAC member, CAEGTC member/governor, JAGC, CAGT, & NAGC member Gifted children come to us with theories, notions, and motivations to make sense of their world; they are not merely empty vessels to be filled with facts.  Our educational system as a whole fails to provide an adequate investment in services for the youngest gifted learners.   Coleman & Cross (2001) state “Gifted students need opportunities to be together with their intellectual peers, no matter what their age differences.”   The youngest gifted learners in our society are not being identified and served well in public education.

Colorado House Bill 08-1021 passed in 2008, now it is 2016 and only 60 percent of administrative units have a process registered with the state department of education. State of the Nation in Gifted Education report (2012-2013): Thirty-three states do not have early entrance policies or do not permit early entrance; Only eight states have legislation and detailed policy for early entrance into school.   Out of the eight states with legislation for early entrance, six states’ policies are not under the umbrella of gifted education.   Only two states, Minnesota and Colorado have early access legislation specific to identification of highly gifted learners and that is monitored through the state accountability annual reviews. Statement of Problem

Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to exam the impact of professional learning on Colorado school districts action to submit an Early Access Addendum.

The Research Questions How does professional learning impact Colorado school districts action to adopt an early access process? What are the barriers, real or perceived impacting Colorado school districts from adopting an early access process? Can professional learning increase the number of Colorado school districts who submit an early access addendum?

A Nation Deceived (2004) and A Nation Empowered(2015) contain many references where young gifted learners were helped when they were allowed to enter school ahead of age peers. Lupinski-Shoplic, Assouline, Colangelo, of the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center state, “Like the research on grade-skipping, the research conducted on early entrance to kindergarten and first grade portrays a positive picture for these young students.” During the almost two decades, research evidence supporting acceleration has continued to accumulate (Kulik 1984, Rogers, 1991; Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004; & Colangelo, Assouline, Van-Tassel-Baska, & Lupkowski-Shoplik, 2015). Despite the evidence, advocates remain concerned that educators continue to hold negative attitudes and that schools and district remain reluctant to implement acceleration models. Literature Review

Literature Review Failure to identify and develop talent in the very young children has been linked to subsequent negative outcomes in cognitive, academic, social, and affective development (Neihart, Reis, Robinson, & Moon, 2002). Despite this link, the literature highlights the reluctance of educators to formally identify talent in the early years of schooling, stemming from the belief that very young students should not be “labeled” or “pushed” to perform academically (Sankar-DeLeeuw, 1999). Eisner’s (1998) theory discusses “Cognitive potential depends upon the opportunities that children have to use their minds in the variety of ways minds can be used”(p.16).   As a researcher it is important to help children connect, experience purposeful learning, and grow as individuals developmentally, academically, and social-emotionally.  This study believes it is a disservice to students when society does not provide options such as early access to school for gifted learners.  When students do not have choice in expressing their mastery and understanding they usually do not make the real connections to their learning.

Literature Review Continued In spite of numerous studies showing benefits of academic acceleration, many educators remain skeptical and are sometimes even strongly opposed towards this option in gifted education. Several researchers point out that this negative attitude is based on presumptions; pedagogic, psychological, or political attitudes; or once-only experiences rather than on systematic observations (e.g., Gross; Heinbokel; McCluskey, Massesy, & Baker, 1997; Southern & Jones, 1991a). Plucker (2013) identified the factors of poverty, rural provincialism, limited resources, and negative perceptions of gifted programs, among others, as additional persistent challenges for delivery of services for gifted students in rural schools; however, relatively little is known about how those challenges influence instructional decisions and behaviors of teachers of gifted students in rural schools. This evidence in the literature will drive the design of survey questions/intervention content for both the CDE Gifted Education Directed Survey and CDE Lighthouse Intervention Post Survey.

Professional Development Professional Learning Literature Review Adult Learning Theory We often ask questions about how children learn, but not often about how adults learn. Professional Development Professional Learning Top down directed content Passive structure Lecture format Lack of cross over to implementation Utilizes educator feedback in the design of the content Interactive learning strategies Technology shift Educators as active partners in determining the content of their learning, How their learning occurs, How they evaluate its effectiveness Tied to Standards for Professional Learning Eisner’s (1998) theory discusses “Cognitive potential depends upon the opportunities that children have to use their minds in the variety of ways minds can be used”(p.16).   As a researcher it is important to help children connect, experience purposeful learning, and grow as individuals developmentally, academically, and social-emotionally.  This study believes it is a disservice to students when society does not provide options such as early access to school for gifted learners.  When students do not have choice in expressing their mastery and understanding they usually do not make the real connections to their learning. Hanover research group (2015) Joyce & Calhoun (2015) National Staff Development Council (NSDC), now Learning Forward (2011)

Literature Review Adult Learning Theory Learning Forward (2011) articulate that “Learning designers need to consider how to build knowledge, develop skills, transform practice, challenge attitudes and beliefs to affect active change.” Active engagement in professional learning promotes change in educators practice. Active engagement occurs when learners interact during the learning process with the content and with one another (Learning Forward, 2011). Eisner’s (1998) theory discusses “Cognitive potential depends upon the opportunities that children have to use their minds in the variety of ways minds can be used”(p.16).   As a researcher it is important to help children connect, experience purposeful learning, and grow as individuals developmentally, academically, and social-emotionally.  This study believes it is a disservice to students when society does not provide options such as early access to school for gifted learners.  When students do not have choice in expressing their mastery and understanding they usually do not make the real connections to their learning.

Literature Review Change Theory The greatest struggle is not the learning a new skill but in implementing it, something referred to as the “implementation dip” (Fullan, 2001). The implementation dip is literally a dip in performance and confidence as one encounters an innovation that requires new skills and new understandings. Implementation dip research reveals teachers change their underlying beliefs only after they learn about success (Guskey, 2002). Eisner’s (1998) theory discusses “Cognitive potential depends upon the opportunities that children have to use their minds in the variety of ways minds can be used”(p.16).   As a researcher it is important to help children connect, experience purposeful learning, and grow as individuals developmentally, academically, and social-emotionally.  This study believes it is a disservice to students when society does not provide options such as early access to school for gifted learners.  When students do not have choice in expressing their mastery and understanding they usually do not make the real connections to their learning. (Sinek, 2009) (McREL, 2014)

Methodology Creswell and Plano Clark (2011) cited Greene's definition of mixed methodology as multiple ways of seeing, hearing, and making sense of everyday life. Using mixed methodology allows researchers to rely on more than one data source (Creswell, 2009). The benefits of using a quantitative approach are described by Creswell (2009) as research that provides a numeric description of "trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population" (p. 12). On the other hand, Merriam (2002) explained that qualitative inquiry uses richly descriptive words to convey, "how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in the world" (p. 13).

Setting and Population Two different settings are established for this study. Phase One of the study utilizes an online distribution of a directed survey disseminated to the 103 Colorado administrative units who do not have a EA plan on file with CDE. Phase Two of the study is the Colorado state gifted directors fall face to face meeting. This is an annual scheduled meeting hosted by CDE gifted education department. Within this meeting there are whole group presentations and small group break out sessions called Lighthouse projects. Phase Two engages volunteer school district representatives (gifted directors, gifted coordinators, and/or school representative for gifted education) during a Lighthouse project break out session. This setting provides a differentiated intervention through a professional learning online model and post-intervention survey.

Proposed Participants Phase One: Directed Survey Majority of the 103 school districts that currently do not have an early access addendum on file with CDE are geographically located in rural settings throughout Colorado. Survey emailed to gifted directors, gifted coordinators, and/or school representative for gifted education. Phase Two: CDE Lighthouse Intervention Post-Survey Participants are volunteer whom have one of the following roles in their school district- gifted directors, gifted coordinators, and/or school representative for gifted education.

Research Design August 2016 September 2016 Phase One: Phase Two: CDE Gifted Education Directed Survey (needs assessment survey) September 2016 Phase Two: CDE Lighthouse Intervention Post-Survey (effectiveness survey) January 2017 Outcome: Increased number of AUs with Early Access Addendum on file with CDE

Professional Learning CDE Lighthouse Session Phase Two: Professional Learning CDE Lighthouse Session Online modules Allows for self selection of content needed Video of researcher Outlining: Sinek’s WHY Success Insight Talking points for implementing change Addressing strategies to shift barriers (real or perceived)

Data Analysis Qualitative Method Quantitative Method Merriam (2002) uses richly descriptive words to convey, "how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in the world" Colazzi’s (1978) phenomenology data analysis model highlights conceptual patterns and describes the process Phenomenological approach will be the use of textual and structural descriptions (Creswell, 2013) combined to convey the essence of the experiences. Coding for effect of professional learning on actions & behaviors of participants Creswell (2009) numeric description of "trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population" Run Descriptive statistics Distribution Central Tendency Dispersion Inferential statistics Correlation – t-test Coding for trends

Anticipated Limitations Saturation from the GT cohort requesting surveys to be completed by Colorado gifted educators such as (gifted directors, gifted coordinators, and/or school representative for gifted education). Population size of 103 school districts could yield a small response rate on the directed survey results. Phase Two: Professional Learning CDE Lighthouse Session is voluntary & optional. This could yield a small response rate on the participation of the intervention and the CDE Lighthouse Post-Survey.

Timeline Phase One: Directed Survey Phase Two: Professional Learning CDE Lighthouse Intervention April 2016- Establish community partner May 2016 -Meet with community partner July/August 2016 – Craft an introductory email July/August 2016- Craft a follow-up “reminder” email End of July 2016-Community partner announce August 2016- Distribute Directed survey to 103 school districts Mid-August 2016- Analyze Directed survey results to lift themes, trends, and patterns July through September 2016- Create content on website Compile resources, videos, and tips to load into each barrier tab. September 2016- Email invitation to CDE Lighthouse session- 103 possible participants Within all these months establish a check in meeting with community partner. September 2016- Provide Professional Learning- Implementation of Intervention of Professional Learning Post-survey focused on change of actions October 2016- Analyze Post-survey results November 2016- Develop checklist of components required of EA Addendum January 2017-Review CDE Early Access submissions

Thank you!