2. Chandler Unified School District
CATS Program
Chandler
Academically
Talented
Students

3. What is a Gifted Child?
“…a child who is of lawful school age, who due to superior intellect or advanced learning ability, or both, is not afforded an opportunity for otherwise attainable progress and development in regular classroom instruction and who needs appropriate gifted education services to achieve at levels commensurate with the child's intellect and ability. ” (A.R.S )
Arizona Revised Statute
According to state law, school districts must provide special services for gifted students

4. What is a Gifted Child? Identified by Cognitive Abilities Test
Measure Reasoning in:
Verbal
Quantitative
Non-verbal
Qualification for gifted programs vary by district and state. The requirements for the state of Arizona mandate that a student must score in the 97th percentile in one of three areas on a state-approved abilities test. In Chandler, students must be at least in the 95 percentile in either the verbal, quantitative, or spatial area on a state approved abilities test. We use the Cognitive Abilities Test because it covers all areas. An abilities test is different than an achievement test. An achievement test provides information about what a child has learned. Abilities tests assess the way students think. For example, one verbal test might ask the students to complete analogies, shoe is to foot as glove is to….
A quantitative test might assess how students complete numeric sequences; for example, 2, 4, 8, --- what’s next.
On a nonverbal test, a student might look at a folded paper and predict what it would look like when it is unfolded.
Once a student is in the program he does not need to re-test, unless he withdraws from the program.

5. So, Why Self-Contained? “Students are not gifted part time.”
Research continues to support the self-contained model for the top 3% of students.
Gifted children in a full-time gifted placement (special school, full-time program, or school-within-a-school) when compared to equally gifted students in mixed ability classes, showed an academic effect that was both substantial and positive.
(Kulik 2004, A Nation Deceived)
Acceleration contributes greatly to the academic achievement of bright students. (Kulik 2004, A Nation Deceived)
Melinda

6. Characteristics of Gifted
Variety of Interests
Excellent memory
Long attention span
Unusual curiosity 
Persistence in attacking difficult mental tasks
Good problem solving/reasoning abilities
Rapid learning ability
High degree of energy
Above average language development
Preference for older friends
Heightened sensitivity
Non-conformity behavior
Keen powers of observation
Vivid imagination
Good sense of humor
Sense of justice and moral sensitivity

7. Program Accommodations
Exposure to ideas at a faster pace
Access to challenging curriculum and intellectual peers
Opportunities to contribute to solutions of meaningful problems
Freedom to pursue individual interests within a given topic
Exposure to increasingly difficult vocabulary and concepts
Integration of a variety of ideas at many levels
Opportunities to solve problems in diverse ways
Even as all children are different, there are some characteristics that most gifted students exhibit that are different or appear earlier than their age peers . This makes them both challenging and delightful to teach. You may recognize some or all of these in your child.
- constant questioning, usually beginning early
- sophisticated sense of humor
- catches on to new ideas quickly
- unique way of looking at things
- outstanding memory
The CATS program makes accommodations for the characteristics unique to the gifted child.

8. Chandler Program Models
Consultative Model
Self-Contained CATS Classes
K-6 grade
Junior High CATS
Menu of Honors, AP, IB
School districts offer various types of programs to meet the needs of gifted students. CUSD serves the Kindergarten child through a consultative model, where students remain in the regular classroom and receive instruction and materials to support their special gifts.
CUSD believes, having students in a self-contained classroom is the best way to meet gifted students educational and social-emotional needs. Your child is invited to attend a CATS class. The self-contained classes are the choice for our third through sixth graders.
The seventh and eighth graders are served by a modified CATS program, taught by two gifted teachers in 90 minute blocks in math and science, and social studies and language arts. Students can choose electives. During electives, students are mixed with the general population of their school. Students can also choose to attend an Honors Program if they qualify.
The high school offers many opportunities for our gifted students to excel. In addition to Honors classes, they can choose to participate in AP or IB programs.
Advanced Placement classes gives students the opportunity to take college-level classes while still in high school. The International Baccalaureate offers students to participate in a program that has established and international reputation for academic excellence. Chandler has the only IB school in the East Valley.

9. Why Participate in the CATS Program?
Accelerated and In-depth Studies Program
Interaction With Intellectual Peers
Provides Academic Challenge
Provides Opportunities for Independent Studies in Areas of Interest
Experience Meaningful Involvement in Real Problems
Taught by teachers who specialize in gifted education
CUSD is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique needs, and talents of the individual student. The CATS program helps to meet this goal.
This is a unique program. Chandler is one of the few district in the Valley to offer self-contained gifted classes. The philosophy behind this is that children are gifted all day long and need to be challenged to achieve at high level if we want them to reach their potential.
Research shows that gifted students should spend a large part of each day among intellectual peers to adequately stimulate learning.
Gifted students’ educational needs are less likely to be met within a regular ed. classroom, where the learning needs are more diverse. Also, CATS teachers receive additional training, so that they are better able to meet the educational needs of gifted students.

10. What the research says Why Acceleration?
“In each of the 11 studies with same-age groups, the accelerated group outperformed the bright non-accelerated control group on achievement tests. The scores of the accelerated students were approximately one grade-equivalent above the scores of the bright, non-accelerated students. The overall message from these studies is therefore unequivocal: Acceleration contributes greatly to the academic achievement of bright students.” (Kulik 2004, A Nation Deceived, p. 15)
-- James A. Kulik, Ph.D.

11. Research What about the “Elitist” perception?
“School programs providing special treatment for talented students usually produce good results. The talented students who are in these programs almost invariably gain academically from them, and do not become smug or self-satisfied as a result of their participation. If anything, talented students may become slightly more modest about their abilities when they are taught in homogeneous groups. This meta-analysis provided little support for the common belief that grouping programs have negative effects on slower learners. On the contrary, we found grouping often helped to improve the self-esteem of slow learners.”
(Kulik & Kulik, 1985, p.4)

12. What the Research Says About Full-Time Grouping
“The Kuliks’ analyses showed that gifted children in a full-time gifted placement (special school, full-time program, or school-within-a-school) when compared to equally gifted students in mixed ability classes, showed an academic effect that was both substantial and positive.” (Rogers, 2002 p. 213)

13. CATS Program Guiding Principles
1 Support mastery of accelerated core content incorporating depth and complexity
2 Develop an understanding of the interrelationships among the disciplines
3 Develop inquiry skills
4 Develop critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making skills
5 Develop proficiency in communicating abstract and complex ideas, relationships, and issues
Diane

14. Curriculum Grade Level and Above Grade Level Objectives Differentiated
Depth
Complexity
Novelty
Acceleration
Differentiated through:
Content
Process
Product
Topics
Students in the CATS class will still be required to meet the grade level standards set by the District. The way in which these are delivered may be differentiated. Basic skills in math and language must also be mastered.
Instruction will be differentiated by:
Depth-delving deeper into a subject
Complexity-looking at a subject in a more complex manner or combining subjects
Novelty-taking a new approach
Acceleration-working above grade level peers.
Differentiation may take place in one or more of the following:
content-what is studied
process-how it is studied
product-what is done with the learned material
Topics. Teachers do teach two separate curricula to meet the required standards of the grade level, but make connections between those topics for students. Separate investigations and projects may take place, as well as some whole group connecting lessons that address general concepts covered in both grade level standards.

15. CATS Program Initiatives
Problem Based Learning
A dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges.
Design Thinking
A methodology for practical, creative resolution of problems with an emphasis of multiple viewpoints.
Creative Thinking
A process to stimulate curiosity and promote divergence.
Acceleration of Core Content
State Academic Standards introduced at increasingly challenging levels based on student achievement.
Diane

16. Our Success…
Top honors in state science competitions:HISEF,CARSEF, Avnet Fair, Future Cities
Top honors at the Regional 6th grade Math Challenge, State Math Counts Competition, and CGCC Excellence in Mathematics Contest

17. …there’s more First Place in State for Knowledgebowl Competition
Top Honors in History Day Competition
Several published writers

18. …and more State Poetry Contest Honors
Lego Robotics team competed at State
Several district Battle of the Books champs
A perfect score on the SAT
19 perfect scores on the 8th Grade Pre-ACT

19. Results
Diane

20. Results

21. Results

22. Results

23. Results

24. Results

25. Answers to FAQ’s Teacher/Student Ratio Schools Multi-Age Classes
Looping
Contract / Commitment
Homework
Siblings
Class size and ratio is comparable to the regular education classes within that school.
Not every school has a CATS class. Selection of schools is based by the district on space availability and numbers of students returning contracts and current participants at that school. Students are bussed to partner schools from their home schools as needed.
Many classes are multi-age. This again depends on numbers at a particular school.Research shows that there are many benefits to this structure.
Many classes loop, which means they stay together with the same students and teacher for two years. Some new students may be added as new students are identified.
Students and parents must sign a contract , making a one year commitment to the program. If a student leaves the CATS program, he/she must be tested again.

26. Real-world Problem Solving and Philanthropy
Problem solving led students to work toward solutions
Homelessness, youth nutrition, disease in Africa, save the gorillas
English for EL students, making history interesting, books for hospital bound students, autism awareness
Graffiti, litter, bullying, sun-care at school
All of chandler’s CATS teachers have, or are currently working on a gifted endorsement.

27. CATS
“Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation; but children have the equal right to develop their talent, their ability, and their motivation. ”
-John F. Kennedy

28. Junior High School CATS
Continuation of elementary CATS
Accelerated and In-depth Studies Program
Interaction With Intellectual Peers
Provides Academic Challenge
Provides Opportunities for Independent Studies in Areas of Interest
Develops Independence and Awareness of Self
Experience Meaningful Involvement in Real Problems

29. Program Models 7th and 8th Grade Looping 7th Grade 8th Grade
Language Arts/Social Studies
Math/Science
7th Grade
8th Grade

30. Teachers Gifted Endorsement Highly Qualified in Content
All of chandler’s CATS teachers have, or are currently working on a gifted endorsement.

31. CATS or Honors? The Honor Student: Is attentive Works hard
Answers the questions
In “top” group
Learns with ease
Needs 6-8 repetitions for mastery
Completes assignments
Enjoys school
Absorbs information
 Learns techniques
 Is a good memorizer

32. Identification
Honors – District Achievement Test
Math
Language Arts

33. CATS or Honors? The CATS Student: Asks questions
 Discusses in detail, elaborates
Shows strong feelings and opinions
Needs 1-2 repetitions for mastery
Draws inferences
Initiates projects
Is intense
Manipulates information
Invents things
Thrives on complexity
Is highly self-critical

34. Identification CATS - Cognitive Abilities Test Verbal Quantitative
Spatial

35. Curriculum Accelerated Grade Level Objectives Differentiation
Depth
Complexity through Integration
Novelty
Differentiation Takes Place In:
Content
Process
Product
Students in the CATS class will still be required to meet the grade level standards set by the District. The way in which these are delivered may be differentiated. Basic skills in math and language must also be mastered.
Instruction will be differentiated by:
Depth-delving deeper into a subject
Complexity-looking at a subject in a more complex manner or combining subjects
Novelty-taking a new approach
Acceleration-working above grade level peers.
Differentiation may take place in one or more of the following:
content-what is studied
process-how it is studied
product-what is done with the learned material
Topics. Teachers do teach two separate curricula to meet the required standards of the grade level, but make connections between those topics for students. Separate investigations and projects may take place, as well as some whole group connecting lessons that address general concepts covered in both grade level standards.

36. Normal Distribution
                              

37. Challenges for CATS Families
Change of Schools
First Experience With Academic Challenge
Label
Perfectionism
Due to the numbers of students in the program, it is sometime necessary for students to change schools. The District provides bussing from the home school to the CATS school to which the students is assigned. Most of the time there is a group going together. Every effort is made the keep students at one school through sixth grade. CATS students become part of their host school community and we encourage parents to support that. Students in 5th and 6th grade participate in block activities with the regular ed. students and have the opportunity to play a musical instrument at that time. CATS classes are also included in other grade level activities at the school. Teachers work to build a classroom environment that welcomes all students.
Students are off to an exciting learning adventure when they enter the CATS class. Although they usually welcome the educational challenges, they might experience a time of adjustment. For example, their status in the classroom changes. After spending several years as the “top dog” they are suddenly one of many. The pace is faster. An adjustment period is typical. Most students will experience this sometime during their education, whether it is in elementary school, honors classes, or college. By learning to cope with these emotions early on, they will be better prepared for challenges later in life, often when more is at stake.
Now that your child has been identified and labeled as “gifted”, his or her friends and siblings, may wonder what it means as well as the student himself. Downplaying differences while accepting that we all learn in different ways will help children understand this label.
Your child might define himself by being “the best” at everything he tries. Help him or her realize that while accomplishments bring a feeling of success, comparisons to others does not determine our success. Occasional set-backs are part of the learning process. The difference between a plastic flower and a real flower is that only one is growing.