Program Evaluation in Gifted Education Rebecca Mann EDPS 540

Underlying Assumptions NAGC Standards for Programs for the Gifted and Talented NAGC Standards for Programs for the Gifted and Talented –viable set of guidelines Goals for evaluation process Goals for evaluation process –School corporation should be instrumental in setting Multiple perspectives Multiple perspectives –Expertise of a team of professionals needed Credibility Credibility –Use multiple sources of data

Standards – Curriculum and Instruction Need differentiated curriculum PreK-12 Need differentiated curriculum PreK-12 Must have subject and grade skipping options Must have subject and grade skipping options Continuum of curriculum options and instructional approaches Continuum of curriculum options and instructional approaches Flexible instructional pace Flexible instructional pace

Standards – Program Administration Qualified personnel to direct services Qualified personnel to direct services Integrated into general education program Integrated into general education program Must include positive working relationships with constituency and advocacy groups Must include positive working relationships with constituency and advocacy groups Necessary resources and materials must be provided Necessary resources and materials must be provided

Standards – Program Design Not a single program, but a continuum of services Not a single program, but a continuum of services Gifted must be equally funded Gifted must be equally funded Flexible grouping to facilitate differentiated instruction Flexible grouping to facilitate differentiated instruction Must be able to adapt program Must be able to adapt program

Standards - Evaluation Must be purposeful Must be purposeful Must be efficient & economic Must be efficient & economic Must be conducted competently and ethically Must be conducted competently and ethically Must result in written report Must result in written report

Standards – Social & Emotional Must provide differentiated guidance efforts Must provide differentiated guidance efforts Must provide career guidance services designed for unique needs Must provide career guidance services designed for unique needs Must be provided affective curriculum Must be provided affective curriculum Underachieving GT must be served, not omitted Underachieving GT must be served, not omitted

Standards – Professional Development Must provide comprehensive staff development Must provide comprehensive staff development Only qualified personnel should be involved in education of gifted Only qualified personnel should be involved in education of gifted School personnel need support for efforts related to education of gifted School personnel need support for efforts related to education of gifted Educational staff must be given time and support to prepare and develop differentiated educational plans Educational staff must be given time and support to prepare and develop differentiated educational plans

Standards – Student ID Comprehensive student nomination process Comprehensive student nomination process Instruments used must measure diverse abilities, strengths, talents, and needs Instruments used must measure diverse abilities, strengths, talents, and needs Must develop student assessment profile to help plan appropriate intervention Must develop student assessment profile to help plan appropriate intervention Must have provisions for informed consent, student retention, reassessment, exiting, and appeals Must have provisions for informed consent, student retention, reassessment, exiting, and appeals

Evaluation Process Identify significant audiences and interest groups Identify significant audiences and interest groups Collect data Collect data –Curriculum guides –Program brochures and documents –Evaluation questions –Existing identification and achievement data –Lesson plans Review data Review data

Evaluation Process School visits School visits –Classroom observations –QUestionnaires –Interviews – with protocal Parents Parents Students Students Teachers Teachers Administrators – building and district level Administrators – building and district level School Board School Board

Evaluation Process Data analysis Data analysis Report Report –Commendations –Issues, Concerns, and Problems –Recommendations

Common Pitfalls - Philosophy Unclear, ambiguous Unclear, ambiguous Based on outdated literature Based on outdated literature Poorly written Poorly written Lack of community consensus on definition Lack of community consensus on definition Over-reliance on programs history – protection of status quo Over-reliance on programs history – protection of status quo

Common Pitfalls - Curriculum Absence of curricular framework Absence of curricular framework Inconsistencies across grade levels Inconsistencies across grade levels No scope and sequence within or across No scope and sequence within or across Inconsistencies between program philosophy, definitions, and services Inconsistencies between program philosophy, definitions, and services Lack of consistent challenge Lack of consistent challenge Mismatch between written curricular framework and actual classroom practice Mismatch between written curricular framework and actual classroom practice

Common Pitfalls - Curriculum Lack of trained teachers Lack of trained teachers No clear standards for assessment of student work No clear standards for assessment of student work Expectations too low Expectations too low Unrealistic expectation for products without instruction that leads to expected quality Unrealistic expectation for products without instruction that leads to expected quality

Common Pitfalls – Program Design Program design used to segregate or separate students Program design used to segregate or separate students Design inconsistent with community values, beliefs, and attitudes about giftedness Design inconsistent with community values, beliefs, and attitudes about giftedness Teachers and other stakeholders not fully educated about key components of program model and design Teachers and other stakeholders not fully educated about key components of program model and design

Common Pitfalls – Social & Emotional Counseling perceived as remedial Counseling perceived as remedial Isolation of departments and administrators Isolation of departments and administrators Teachers expected to take on counselor role Teachers expected to take on counselor role

Common Pitfalls - Identification ID based on application process ID based on application process Placement based on available openings rather than needs basis Placement based on available openings rather than needs basis Instruments not aligned with criteria for placement Instruments not aligned with criteria for placement Use of scores from tests without reliability and validity Use of scores from tests without reliability and validity Lack year-to-year consistency in ID process Lack year-to-year consistency in ID process Lack of management of data Lack of management of data