NAGLIERI NONVERBAL ABILITIY TEST (NNAT)

“Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.” ~King Whitney Jr.

Background  District Strategic Plan Revamp gifted education Improve overall quality Ensure equity and access  Board Item B-14, proffered by Dr. Martin Karp Evaluation of gifted education K-12 Evaluation of curriculum for gifted programs Plan to ensure that teachers of the gifted complete required courses for endorsement Plan to encourage teachers of the gifted to obtain ESOL endorsement

Task of the Gifted Task Force The Challenges:  Curriculum Content and Globalization  Diversity and Disproportionality  Equal and Equitable Access  Parental Support and Student Advocacy The Response:  Paradigm Shift  Policy Changes  Curricular and Instructional Adjustments

Goal of REGAL Plan REGAL Plan: Part I:Gifted Education Part II:Advanced Academic Programs Part III:Building Talented Learners To provide a three-year phase-in implementation timeline that ensures achievement of high academic standards for all students

Part I: Gifted Education Full Implementation  Equitable identification and referrals  Equitable services  Uniform standards consistently implemented  Effectiveness of teachers and programs  Engaged parents Initial Implementation  Greater identification  Consistent and ongoing referrals  Gifted services to all eligible K-12 students  Additional professional development  Strengthened parent connection

 Academic achievement  Unusual creative output  Rapid learning rate or unusually insightful conclusions  Multiple nominations from teachers and staff  Parental reports  Outstanding academic, creative, or leadership abilities Current Screening Practices

 Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) universal screening tool will be administered by the general education teacher to ALL first grader students EXCLUDING: Visually Impaired ESE Profound Students already identified as gifted  Students will be tested on April 18, New Gifted Screening

 The NNAT is: an equitable, culture-neutral, and language-free means of assessing a student’s general ability using a nonverbal stimuli. New Gifted Screening

 Identify potential in all students across the District with a uniform instrument.  Increase the opportunities for students of underrepresented groups to be referred for gifted.  Assess abilities of students not traditionally measured in the classroom. Goal of the NNAT

REGAL Plan “We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled but as candles to be lit.” ~Robert Shaffer