Gifted and Talented Identification for Special Populations Hello, I am Kathie Anderson. I am the Gifted Education Consultant for the Diverse Learners Branch for KDE. I taught in the classroom for 16 years and have had many experiences. My original degree is in Music Education and my Masters is in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technology. Through my 16 years of teaching, I have worked with all types of students – students with special needs, behavior disorders, gifted and talented and also twice exceptional. Twice exceptional or “2E students” as they are sometime called are both gifted and talented and have special education needs. Kathie Anderson: Gifted Education Consultant for the Diverse Learners Branch - Kentucky Department of Education

704 KAR 3:285 - Programs for the Gifted and Talented Gifted and Talented children are included within the definition of Special Education Programs in the category of "exceptional students“ (KRS157.200 (n)) “Gifted and Talented student” means a pupil is identified as possessing demonstrated or potential ability to perform at an exceptionally high level 704 KAR 3:285 is the regulation which guides Gifted Education in the state of Kentucky As you can see, Gifted and Talented students are defined as part of the Special Education Program Through this regulation, districts are instructed on what gifted policies, identification, and instruction should look like. This regulation mandates that the state must have an education program for gifted students and that all districts are required to have a gifted education program kindergarten through 12 for its students

Identification Groups Primary Talent Pool – students who may be formally or informally identified age kindergarten – end of third grade 4th – 12th grade – student are formally identified at the end of 3rd, beginning of 4th There are two main groups of students in GT. The first group is the Primary Talent Pool or PTP. These are students who are in a “watch for” group. We should be keeping records and watching to see if they truly do have gifted characteristics. They may be formally or informally identified. They are students who are in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Formally identification usually occurs at the end of 3rd grade or the beginning of 4th. Formally identified students must have a Gifted Student Service Plan or GSSP. Students may be identified anytime between the end of 3rd up until 12th grade. Once a student is identified, services should be offered to the student until he graduates from high school.

Categories for Gifted and Talented General Intellectual Ability (GIA) Specific Academic Aptitude (SAA) Creative and Divergent Thinking Leadership Fine Arts – Visual, Music, Dance, Drama These are the categories for Gifted and Talented students (Read Slide) In the next several slides, I will give you just a few of some the distinguishing characteristics or each category. There are many more. Students may exhibit many of these characteristics, or just a few.

General Intellectual Ability (GIA) is an avid reader has a wide range of interests has a power of concentration an intense attention that excludes all else Read screen

Specific Academic Aptitude (SIA) has a long attention span in areas of interest learns rapidly, easily and with less repetition in one or a few specific areas (probably not all subject areas) spends time voluntarily beyond ordinary assignments on projects of interest to him or her Read screen

Creative and Divergent Thinking provides multiple solutions or responses to problems has a keen sense of humour, seeing humour in situations others don't doesn't accept authoritarian pronouncements without own judgement is bored with memorization and recitation Read screen

Leadership organizes others interacts with others easily showing social skills is often asked for ideas and suggestions is looked to by others when something must be decided Read screen

Fine Arts Visual and performing arts Music has good sense of rhythm is well-coordinated discriminates musical and other sounds well Dramatics demonstrates interest and enjoyment in dramatic activities readily shifts into role of another character, animal or object uses voice to reflect changes in mood Art draws a variety of objects puts depth into drawing, showing planning and good proportion pursues art in spare time Read screen

There must at least three evidences to be identified: 1. Evidence from portfolios demonstrating student performance 2. Inventory checklists of behaviors specific to gifted categories 3. Continuous progress data 4. Anecdotal records 5. Peer nominations 6. Formal testing data specific to gifted categories 7. Parent interview or questionnaire 8. Primary review committee recommendation for those entering the fourth grade 9. Self-nomination or petition system 10. Student awards or critiques of performance or products specific to gifted categories 11. Other valid and reliable documentation There must be a least 3 evidences from this list For GIA and SAA, students must score in the 9th stanine, unless there are special considerations We will talk about special considerations in a few moments

GIA evidence: 9th stanine on NRT on IQ test may also include: High performance on additional individual or group intellectual assessment; Observation of applied advanced reasoning ability; or Checklist inventories of behaviors specific to underachieving or disadvantaged gifted learners. GIA and SAA have specific assessment requirements. They must take a norm referenced test and qualify in the 9th stanine or in the 96 or above percentile The other categories also have suggested evidences, but they are both formal and informal in nature.

SAA evidence: 9th stanine on NRT of academic achievement may include: High performance on an additional individual or group test of academic aptitude; Student awards or critiques of performances; Off-level testing; Portfolio of high academic performances; or Student progress data.

Screening Process for Special Populations (3) A local school district shall provide a system for diagnostic screening and identification of strengths, gifted behaviors and talents which provides equal access for racial and ethnic minority children, disadvantaged children, and children with disabilities. There are two sections in the GT regulations that discuss identification for special populations. (Read screen) In Section 3, number 3 the regulation states that a district must have a diagnostic screening process for minorities, disadvantaged and children with disabilities. As you can see, GT it should be for ALL students not just a select population

Section 4.2 Special Considerations for Eligibility (2) Exceptions and special considerations for eligibility. School personnel shall take into consideration environmental, cultural, and disabling conditions which may mask a child's true abilities that lead to exclusion of otherwise eligible students, such as a student who qualifies as: (a) An exceptional child as defined in KRS 157.200; (b) Disadvantaged (c) Underachieving The second section that mentions these special populations is section 4 number 2. (Read screen) This section says that if student’s abilities are being hidden due to his being exceptional, disadvantage, or underachieving – that a committee, which can be comprised of the gifted education coordinator and/or teacher, counselor, classroom teacher, administrator, or counselor, and other appropriate personnel, can meet to determine a child’s gifted identification. So, for example, if a student did not make the 9th stanine on an IQ test but exhibits behaviors characteristic of a student with a high IQ (avid reader, asks many questions, wide range of interests etc.), this student could be considered due to these three factors: exceptional, disadvantaged, underachieving.

What is Exceptional? Exceptional children and youth mean persons under twenty-one (21) years of age who differ in one (1) or more respects from same-age peers in physical, mental, learning, emotional, or social characteristics and abilities to such a degree that they need special education programs or services for them to benefit fro the regular or usual schools in the districts in which they reside. This definition of exceptional children is from KRS 157.200. This KRS covers a broad range of exceptional students. Gifted students are defined in this KRS along with hearing impaired, visually disabled, and autistic.

Who are the Disadvantaged? Students who are operating under conditions detrimental to normal cognitive or affective growth due to socioeconomic limitations, cultural factors, geographic isolation, or various combinations of these factors to a degree that requires special considerations Disadvantaged students are affected by poverty, where they live, or their culture – or a combinations of these factors

What is Underachieving? the development of a significant gap between a student's potential ability and demonstrated achievement to a degree that there is an overall diminished ability to achieve at the expected level of ability The underachieving student has shown that he is not performing at the level at which he is capable For example, on a norm referenced test such as the ACT or Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (KPREP) a student makes in the 96 percentile or above. This means he is scoring better than 96 percent of the nation or in the top 4 % of the nation, and yet in the classroom he is failing or making average grades. I want to add that Underachievement is a significant problem for GT students. When there are no services or inadequate services for student, many of them sit in classes where they are bored or already know the material. They become disillusioned with the educational system and begin to disengage. They think, “What is the use?” and give up. This is why it is so important to support these students and to give them the services they need to grow and to maintain continuous progress.

Application of Regulation Students may qualify for gifted and talented program and services, if the students meets these special considerations They would still need 3 evidences The GT committee would decide the student’s identification based upon evidences and the criteria that has been written into their district policy concerning “Special Considerations” What does this regulation mean? It means that gifted and talented students can be identified from all walks of life. There should be a screening process in each KY district for students with disabilities, minorities, student who live in poverty, or are isolated due to where they live We should also be looking at students who are not “measuring up” so to speak to the levels at which we know they should be achieving This could look like boredom, or may manifest itself as disruptive behavior If a student understands what is already being taught, sooner or later, the student will learn to say “Why bother? I already now this stuff.” Students need to be challenged!

I want to end with this quote (read quote) Gifted and Talented students are around us everywhere – they are not just our teacher pleaser, book loving, hand raising “pick me” students. However, these students have needs – and we are expected to identify them and provide challenging, engaging services for them.