Anamosa Community Schools Linda Mazunik Katy Kash February, 2012

Why do we have a gifted program? Iowa Code, Chapter 281, Section 12.5 (256) states the provisions for gifted and talented students: Each school district shall incorporate gifted and talented programming into its comprehensive school improvement plan as required by Iowa Code section The comprehensive school improvement plan shall include the following gifted and talented program provisions: valid and systematic procedures, including multiple selection criteria for identifying gifted and talented students from the total student population; goals and performance measures; a qualitatively differentiated program to meet the students’ cognitive and affective needs; staffing provisions; an in-service design; a budget; and qualifications of personnel administering the program. Each school district shall review and evaluate its gifted and talented programming.

Who are the “gifted”? Iowa Code, Chapter 257, Section 44 defines gifted and talented children: 1. "Gifted and talented children" are those children who are identified as possessing outstanding abilities and who are capable of high performance. Gifted and talented children are children who require appropriate instruction and educational services commensurate with their abilities and needs beyond those provided by the regular school program. 2. Gifted and talented children include those children with demonstrated achievement or potential ability, or both, in any of the following areas or in combination: a. General intellectual ability. b. Creative thinking. c. Leadership ability. d. Visual and performing arts ability. e. Specific ability aptitude.

How do we identify “gifted”? We meet annually with teams composed of teachers, counselors, and administrators to use multiple criteria in selection for academic enrichment and acceleration. The academic areas which we emphasize include reading, language arts, and mathematics. The multiple criteria we use include objective measures such as CogAT, MAP, and Iowa Assessments. Subjective data taken into consideration may include teacher nomination, parent nomination, and even student nomination.

How are we funded? Iowa Code, Chapter 257, Section 46 states the funding rules: 1. The budget of an approved gifted and talented children program for a school district, after subtracting funds received from other sources for that purpose, shall be funded annually on a basis of one-fourth or more from the district cost of the school district School districts shall annually report the amount expended for a gifted and talented program to the department of education. The proportion of a school district's budget which corresponds to the thirty-eight dollar increase in allowable growth for the school budget year beginning July 1, 1999, added to the amount in [see chart on next page], shall be utilized exclusively for a school district's gifted and talented program. 3. If any portion of the gifted and talented program budget remains unexpended at the end of the budget year, the remainder shall be carried over to the subsequent budget year and added to the gifted and talented program budget for that year.

What is the funding formula? Talented and Gifted Funding included in the District Cost Per Pupil (DCPP) and required local match to be taken from the Regular Program District Cost (RPDC) % of funding included in DCPP % local match from RPDC Total Per Budget Enrollment

When do we provide services? Regularly scheduled enrichment and/or acceleration for identified students Occasional or trial work with individuals and small groups Extra-curricular opportunities, including contests and summer enrichment programs Collaboration assistance with teachers as requested (differentiation strategies, curricular planning for twice-exceptional or independent students) Counseling support

What do we do at elementary? Instructional Decision-Making Model (IDM) / Response to Intervention Model Intensive services for extremely capable learners Electronic portfolios for documentation Regularly scheduled classes for students in reading and math (3 rd – 5 th grades) Individual and small group work with students in pre- kindergarten through 2 nd grade, with formal identification at end of 3 rd grade Teacher collaboration for differentiation needs

What do we do in middle school? 6 th grade “challenge reading” group 6 th – 8 th grade ELP language arts classes 6 th – 8 th grade math enriched and accelerated classes Individualized differentiation plans for some students Collaboration with individual teachers for resources and strategies as requested Team collaboration as requested Affective needs planning / counseling support as requested Contests and extra-curricular opportunities

What do we do at high school? Independent study solutions as needed Advanced coursework collaboration Advanced Placement coordinating (we now have six onsite classes and 61 “seats” filled) Online mentoring and proctoring of tests Contest and scholarship opportunities Lunch meetings Counseling support

Why is there a parent group? Our parent group was birthed in controversy (scheduling issues at the high school) but has changed its focus to parenting education for dealing with gifted children. The balance of participation covers parents from all three buildings and community members, too. The parent group has a mission statement, specific objectives, guiding officers, guest speakers, and planned agendas.

What does the future hold? There may be changes including but not limited to some of the following ideas: Flexible grouping practices as scheduling allows Co-teaching and collaboration as scheduling allows Increased electronic portfolio documentation throughout all grade levels Competency-based testing to provide increased acceleration movement Support for a school-wide enrichment model