State of our State 2009 East Carolina University 3 rd Annual AIG Conference Sneha Shah-Coltrane NC DPI, State Consultant for Academically/Intellectually Gifted

Why we are here… The General Assembly believes that public schools should challenge all students to aim for academic excellence. Article 9B AIG mandate. Every public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21 st century. SBE All of us here believe that the needs of AIG learners must be met.

Current Educational Landscape NCLB does not specifically address AIG students, focus on proficiency, Standards movement has moved to Assessment- driven. Equity and excellence are still seen as dichotomies. Tensions exist between traditional and innovative. Racial disparities have not been abated (gap, disproportionality, etc.) Competing values of standardization and personalization. STEM, Globalization, Economic Needs. Reach for excellence.

Our Goals at NC DPI: Build regional and local capacity Support program improvement, state-wide framework, program standards Provide professional development Support quality teacher preparation, IHE Serve all school populations, under-served Collaborate with other DPI initiatives, ACRE, RtI Use data more effectively Synergize all of our efforts Others based on your needs… let us know.

Gifted Education in North Carolina Led by… Article 9B, 1996, § 115C –State Definition –State mandate to ID & Serve (K-12) –Local plan required per LEA for K-12 –Local plan approved by LEA School Board –Local plan is in effect for three years –Local Plan reviewed by DPI with comments/recommendations; sent back to LEA

NC DPI AIG Child Count Summary NC WISE, April 2009 # of Total NC Public School Students # of total NC AIG students % of total NC AIG students 1,499,824161, % # of AIG Identified Twice-Exceptional Students FemaleMaleTotal ,277

Further Analysis Formally AIG identified, April 2009 # of students identified AIG by race/ethnicity NativeAsianBlackHispanicMultiWhite # of total NC AIG students 1,3237,05117,0475,6834,791125,971161,866 % of identified AIG within each group 6.0%22.8%4.4%3.8%9.0%14.6%

Questions to ask about the data.

AIG State Funding (PRC 034 funds) The General Assembly funds all LEAs for AIG programming. All LEAs receive PRC 034 funds regardless of the number of identified AIG students. LEAs receive funds based on 4% of ADM. These funds are allocated as part of the general student allocation from DPI. GA passed for FY an increase in the per pupil allocation for AIG as $1, The per pupil allocation FY was $ per AIG student. For year , NC LEAs received $66,949,383 to support AIG student identification and services. GA passed for FY the same allocation, even in this crisis! NC is in the top 4 funded states in US* * NAGC’s State of the States,

State Funding for Gifted Education in NC Fiscal Year *Amount Funded $46,677, $49,015, $51,789, $60,965, $66,949, Initial Allotment 66,985,569. * unavailable

NC AIG Program Standards Responds to Audit’s findings Articulates expectations to which LEAs should progress 6 Standards, with Practices –Student Identification –Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction –Comprehensive Services –Personnel and Professional Development –Partnerships –Accountability SBE approved in July 2009

NC AIG Program Standards SYNERGY! DIFFERENTIATED CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION PERSONNEL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIPS ACCOUNTABILITY STUDENT IDENTIFICATION AIG LEARNERS

NC leading in gifted education… 1 of only 5 states that provide funding to all LEAs by mandate* Legislation mandates ID and Service NCAGT, NAGC, PAGE, Duke TIP, AAGC IHE Consortium NCSSM, NCSArts, Governor’s School, NCVPS, AP/IB State Fee Grant Dedicated and high quality professionals

Next Steps… Continue to build local and regional capacity Strengthen AIG Programs: –AIG Program Standards serve as guide! –Local AIG Plan development; local AIG Program review process Collect, interpret and share AIG data Support teacher development, IHEs Communicate effectively, Website revision, Family component

… Failure to help gifted children reach their potential is a societal tragedy, the extent of which is difficult to measure but is surely great. How can we measure the loss of the sonata unwritten, the curative drug undiscovered, the absence of political insight? They are the difference between what we are and what we could be as a society. James J. Gallagher, Ph.D. Senior Scientist Emeritus, FPG CDC, UNC-CH

We must synergize our efforts to ensure that the potential of all AIG learners is optimized! Sneha Shah-Coltrane, AIG State Consultant NC Department of Public Instruction Academic Services and Instructional Support 6307 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC (919) Please write questions on cards and address.