The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) in Determining the Appropriateness of Whole-Grade Acceleration The Annual NAGC Conference November 10, 2007 Minneapolis, MN Leslie Forstadt, Susan Assouline, Nicholas Colangelo

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Purpose Introduce the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) Validation Study Report results of the validation study Discuss qualitative and quantitative results in the use of the IAS as a decision-making tool

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Iowa Acceleration Scale A more objective look at the student An analysis of the major factors to be considered in making a decision Guidelines for weighting the relative importance of the major factors Documentation of the student’s strengths and concerns A numerical range to guide the discussion and decision of acceleration A standard of comparison with students who have had successful accelerations

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Iowa Acceleration Scale The IAS was developed as an administrative tool to help educators and parents make a decision. Modeled after the Light’s Retention Scale Multiple versions: Yellow, Green, Blue 1 st, Blue 2 nd In process, Blue 2R, 2008

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Subscales Academic Ability and Achievement Developmental Factors School and Academic Factors Interpersonal Skills Attitude and Support GRAND TOTAL –1 st edition max score of 97 –2 nd edition max score of 80 –Recommendations: Excellent, Good, Marginal, Not Rec

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Effectiveness of the IAS Decision-making process: It is not a test! The items have numerical ratings as a means to provide structure to the process, but it is possible for educators (and others) to misuse the numerical ratings: Internal Structure Evidence –Do the items contribute positively toward the recommendation ? –Do the different parts provide unique information?

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Effective Items (Lipscomb, 2003) Effective School-related Extracurricular Activities Positive attitude about learning Peer relationships Student’s view School system support Prior Planning Moderately Effective Motivation Not Effective Non-school related extracurricular activities

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development 2003… “New and Necessary” Extensions of Validity Research –Decision Who: The students for whom the IAS was used were already carefully selected as candidates – therefore it was likely that the IAS process would produce successful candidates “Was the IAS more useful in generating a consensus among the decision-makers?” –Decision making process

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Rationale for the Current Validation Study evaluate the utility of the IAS in the acceleration decision-making process collect post-acceleration achievement test information as an indicator of student success after an IAS-based decision

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Validation Study Surveys were distributed to teachers or coordinators of gifted programs, which addressed the experience of using the IAS as well as multiple outcomes for the students. Outcomes included social, extracurricular, and academic measures. n = 136 (1 st Edition), 44 (2 nd Edition)

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Results Recommended –Excellent (1 st Ed: n = 15, 2 nd Ed: n = 32) –Good (1 st Ed: n = 57, 2 nd Ed: n = 12) Marginal –(1 st Ed: n = 16) Not recommended –(1 st Ed: n = 1)

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Results

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Sex of Candidate

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Age of Candidates Median = 8

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Grade Level at Time of Acceleration Mean age = 8.2 Early grade accelerations 63% of the accelerations between K-3

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Not recommended (n = 1): A Profile Female Age 8 Grand total = 40 –Academic Ability and Achievement subscale = 15 –Developmental Factors subscale = 4 –School and Academic Factors subscale = 11 –Interpersonal Skills subscale = 4 –Attitude and Support subscale = 6 Decision: whole grade acceleration “All standards were met and she performed well academically and socially”

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Decision Made Based on IAS Decision Excellent candidates higher rates of whole grade acceleration than good or marginal Good candidates, higher rates of single subject acceleration than excellent

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates (n = 116) Males = 56% (n = 65) Females = 44% (n = 51) Average age = 8.6 Median age = 8 years 1 st Edition = 62% (n = 72) 2 nd Edition = 38% (n = 44) How do excellent and good candidates differ in their score profiles?

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Grand Total

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Developmental Factors

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development School and Academic Factors

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Attitude and Support Scale

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Academic Ability and Achievement

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Interpersonal Skills

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates: Outcomes

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates: Comments (Whole-grade accelerated) His needs were very high in language, so along with full- grade acceleration, he is receiving extended acceleration in language. (Single-subject accelerated) Student was moving into a student government position and would have missed it if whole-grade acceleration had been decided upon.

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates: A Profile Male = 73.3% (n = 11) Female = 26.7% (n = 4) Mean age = 7.6 years Median age = 7.4 years Grand total average = 49

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates Acceleration Decision

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates: Comments (Whole-grade accelerated) Even though this was a questionable acceleration, child was ready…Lack of above-level test scores depressed IAS Total. (No change to curriculum) This was a parent request....decision would not have changed had we not had the IAS.

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates: Outcomes

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Was the process useful for participants?

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Team “The IAS provided an excellent framework for us to use for a thorough study.” “EXTREMELY beneficial. The team was glad it was used.” “Using the IAS helped evaluate the total child.” “We have learned that concerns raised during the IAS process continue to be problematic.”

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The School System “Collin’s success has made converts of the middle school staff involved. They now believe it can be good to whole grade accelerate.” “The IAS has been adopted as part of board policy on acceleration.” “It helped the school to recognize the magnitude of this child’s intellect.”

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Family “I have talked with the parents a number of times, and they are pleased.” “The parents decided not to transfer their son to private school because they felt this school sees their son clearly and has a definite plan to meet his needs.” “They felt that all areas of their child’s life were examined and taken into consideration-given the unusual nature of their child’s academic life.”

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Suggestions from users Maybe some type of social or emotional intelligence score? Many early grades do not have extracurricular activities and young students may be penalized in their scores for “not participating.” Can you recommend other tests if schools don’t administer social studies or science subtests?

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development In Conclusion The IAS does what it was intended to do: –“the process was comprehensive...parents, teachers, & administrators [commented] to me about how nice it was... This process did a great job explaining the data...not all questions were black & white and that allowed for some discussions about school vs. home life.” It is important to document its impact through research

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Present and Future Acceleration Research as Proactive Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA) Current IRPA projects include: –National survey of attitudes, practices, and prevalence of acceleration –Use of national data sets to examine acceleration practice and outcomes –Acceleration among English Language Learners

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Ordering the IAS The Iowa Acceleration Scale 2 nd Edition A Guide for Whole-Grade Acceleration K-8 Published by Great Potential Press Fax: (602) Toll-Free