Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Information Meeting Huffman I.S.D. Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Information Meeting Thursday, January 8, 2015

Introductions Jack Fillbrandt-BBECC - Principal Janet Freeman – BBECC Assistant Principal Angela Rhodes - BBECC Counselor Trina Gore - Gifted and Talented Lead Teacher for BBECC, CES, and HIS

What is Gifted and Talented? Gifted and talented means a child or youth performs at or shows the potential for performing at a “remarkably” high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience or environment. Education Code 29.121 HANDOUT: Bright Child/Gifted Learner

Screening Phase - OLSAT Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) The OLSAT is designed to measure abstract thinking and reasoning ability. Students must score a Stanine of 8 or higher (89%ile - 95%ile) in either verbal or nonverbal ability. The test can be broken up into three parts. Each testing session length will be decided at the discretion of the test administrator and the endurance of the students. Usually no more than 30 min. – 1 hour.

OLSAT – Verbal Comprehension Following directions items assess the ability to match a verbal description to a pictorial representation. These items require students to hear dictated directions involving relational concepts such as “above,” “next to,” or “between,” and to apply these concepts in selecting the correct answer.

OLSAT – Verbal Reasoning Aural reasoning items assess the ability to visualize a given situation, integrate the relevant details, and form a complete picture of what has been described. Items of this sort assess understanding details, grasping main ideas, and drawing inferences or predicting probable outcomes.

OLSAT – Arithmetic Reasoning Arithmetic reasoning items assess the ability to solve verbal problems that draw upon numerical reasoning for their solution. Reasoning rather than computation is stressed.

OLSAT – Pictorial Reasoning Pictorial reasoning assesses the ability in very young children to reason using pictorial representations. These items assess the ability to infer relationships among objects, to evaluate objects for similarities and differences, and to determine progressions and predict the next step in those progressions.

OLSAT - Pictorial Reasoning Picture classification – assess the ability to determine which picture in a set of five pictures does not belong with the other four. Picture analogy – assess the ability to infer the relationship between two pictures and to select the picture that is related to the stimulus picture in the same way. Picture series – assess the ability to determine the nature of a sequential series and to predict the next occurrence in that series.

OLSAT – Figural Reasoning 1. Figural Classification – assess the ability to determine, in a set of five geometric figures, which figure does not belong with the others. 2. Figural Analogy – assess the ability to infer the relationship between a pair of geometric shapes and to apply that relationship in selecting a shape that is related to the stimulus shape in the same way.

OLSAT - Figural Reasoning 3. Pattern Matrix – assess the ability to supply a missing element in a matrix composed of geometric elements. 4. Figural Series – assess the ability to supply the next step in a geometric series in which each element changes according to a given rule.

OLSAT Sample Questions

Picture Classification Figure Classification

Picture Analogy Figure Analogy

Aural Reasoning Following Directions Picture Series Pattern Matrix

Screening Phase - SIGS Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS) Teacher and Parent Evaluations Norm referenced rating scale – shows characteristics relating to giftedness when compared to peers Assesses seven areas: general intellectual ability, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, creativity, and leadership Students must rank in the 75%ile in at least one area on the parent and teacher evaluations

Screening Phase – Teacher SIGS - Products Teachers submit 3-5 work samples Products must show evidence of: Creativity, Advanced Vocabulary, Independent Thinking, Advanced Reading Level, or any other measure of high level response

Building Selection Committee Meeting The Building Selection Committee (Administrator, counselor, Lead GT teacher, GT certified teachers) will meet to determine which students will continue testing. This decision is based on the OLSAT and SIGS scores. Students who do not qualify are eligible for testing again one calendar year later. (Spring Testing) Parents are notified by letter whether or not their child will continue testing.

Assessment Phase – SAT Stanford Achievement Test Assesses the basic curricular objectives in the areas of reading, mathematics, and environment. Students must score in the 90%ile in at least 1 of the tested areas. The test is broken down into subject portions. The length of each test and number of testing sessions will be decided at the discretion of the test administrator and the endurance of the students.

SAT Sample Questions

Reading: Sounds and Letters

NOTE: Students are responsible for making up class work that is missed while testing for gifted and talented.

Scoring Tests Tests are scored Matrix Building Selection Committee Meeting Placement is determined by the BSC Parents are notified by letter

G/T Program: REACH G/T Lead Teacher: Trina Gore REACH: Reaching Excellent Academic and Creative Heights Teach grades K-5 Pull out program (one hour a week) Inclusive differentiated program

Kindergarten Identification Students identified for the kindergarten gifted and talented program will begin receiving services by March 1, 2015.

REMINDER: Please remember that all permission to test forms are due to Mrs. Rhodes by Friday, January 9th, 2015. Students without permission forms returned by this date will be unable to test as the testing process will already be underway.

Tentative Testing Timeline OLSAT – January 12th – January 23rd Send parent and teacher SIGS – Return SIGS by January 23rd February 2nd – 6th - BSC Meeting and parent notification for continuation of testing or did not qualify February 9th – 13th - SAT 10 testing begins (Reading, Math, Science - Social Studies / Environment portions) February 17th – 20th - BSC Meeting and permission letters sent home or did not qualify Parent permission to participate in GT must be obtained before March 1st.

Questions? Concerns?