1. U-STARS~PLUS RTI and Students Who are Gifted Mary Ruth B. Coleman, Ph.D. Senior Scientist FPG Child Development Institute University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Special Thanks to Heidi Erstad, Wisconsin RtI Center

2. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Philosophy Early Intervention to Support Strengths  The child/student first  Services must match the child/student  Allocation of resources  Wisconsin’s leadership includes Culturally Responsive Practices!! © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

3. CEC Position Paper The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC, 2008) stated that RtI: “shall consider the educational needs of children with gifts and talents and their families, particularly related to the identification of children considered to be twice exceptional because they have gifts and talents as well as a disability. These advanced learners shall be provided access to a challenging and accelerated curriculum, while also addressing the unique needs of their disability.”

4. Systemic Needs (TAG/NAGC Position Paper)  All students means all  Fluidity and flexibility to address strengths and needs  Increased need for collaboration  Professional development, Resources

5. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Model/Approach Key Features  Tiered approach to supports and services  Use of Evidence-Based Practices and Standard Protocols to respond to child/student strengths & needs  Universal screening, progress monitoring, assessment  Data Driven Decision Making process  Collaborative problem–solving approaches to child/student needs (Parental involvement)  Culturally Responsive Practices © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

6. U-STARS~PLUS Wisconsin’s definition of Response to Intervention Is what? An organizational framework that guides implementation of a culturally responsive multi-level system of support Does what? to achieve academic and behavioral success for all For what?

7. Multi-Level System of Support

8. Intensity of Need Amount of Resources Needed to Support Students From Fragmented Services… General Education Title I Special Education Gifted/Talented ? Ineligible

9. U-STARS~PLUS Universal + Intensive Universal Universal + Selected …to a System of Support Intensity of Need Amount of Resources Needed to Support Students

10. What will be needed to support every student in our school? In addition to Instead of *Graphic adapted from Phil Daro, Tools for Principals & Administrators : Intervention Worksheet, Inside Mathematics More than a year behind, gaps and misconceptions from many years Gaps and misconceptions disrupt participation Struggles with some assignments Keeps upThrivesExcels Years ahead Think a continuum of supports

11. Balanced Assessment Formative, interim, & summative assessments Collaboration Regular ongoing collaboration Instruction High quality instruction Well below or above DIG DEEPER Can we verify need? If so, what is underlying need? Moderately below or above MATCH SUPPORTS TO NEEDS What level and type of support does student need? UNIVERSAL SELECTED INTENSIVE SCREEN Is student on track to meet or exceed identified outcome? On track Multi-Level System of Support Roadmap Culturally Responsive Practices Family Engagement Leadership and Organizational Structures PLUS Progress monitoring PLUS Collaboration PLUS intervention or additional challenge PLUS Progress monitoring PLUS Problem-solving team PLUS intervention (well-below) or challenge IN LIEU OF (well-above) Start with IDENTIFIED IMPORTANT OUTCOME for all students

12. Sources: Liang, X., & Zhang, G. (2009).. Muhammad, A., & Hollie, S. (2012). State of Washington Professional Educators Standard Board. (2009). Cultural Competence Model

13. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Model/Approach Tiered Approach to Services  Intensity of support increases as intensity of child/student’s needs increases  Flexibility in services and supports to meet student needs  Matched with Data Driven Decision Making  Nurturing potential & Early Intervention ◦Culturally/Linguistically Diverse ◦Economically Disadvantaged ◦2e Students © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

14. U-STARS~PLUS Universal: Tier l  General Classroom that offers a quality strengths-based learning environment  Focus on nurturing potential in all children  Use of dynamic assessments  Differentiation of instruction with high-end learning opportunities (enriched and challenging)  Universal Screening for potential in all students  Culturally Responsive Practices

15. U-STARS~PLUS Selected: Tier ll  Collaboration with gifted education to provide more intense supports when needed  Additional supports provided to students based on strengths (e.g. abilities, skills, interests)  Differentiate instruction based on student’s data  Parental involvement  Progress Monitoring (Curriculum Compacting)

16. U-STARS~PLUS Intensive: Tier lll  More intensive support gifted education may take the lead  Assessments include a body-of-evidence approach (e.g. full portrait of strengths and needs)  Nomination for formal identification  Parents involvement in decision making  Sustained differentiation needed in areas of strength and/or areas of need  May replace Universal Tier

17. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Strategies Evidence-Based Standard Protocols  Evidence–based responses that provide additional support (e.g. William and Mary Curriculum, U-STARS~PLUS, Triad Enrichment Model, Autonomous Learner Model, Renzulli Learning)  Strategies that promote high-end learning (e.g. questioning techniques, acceleration, enrichment, problem-based learning)  Differentiated instruction/Universal Design for Learning  Readily implemented with fidelity © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

18. U-STARS~PLUS Great Resources!! Chrys Mursky’s page has a great interactive page on evidence-based strategies athttp://cal.dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/cal/ pdf/continuum-of-services.pdfhttp://cal.dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/cal/ pdf/continuum-of-services.pdf The RtI Center has developed an “Additional Challenges Selection Tool” that helps schools look at the research/evidence that exists for different strategies/programs at http://www.wirticenter.com/additionalchallenges http://www.wirticenter.com/additionalchallenges

19. U-STARS~PLUS Implementing RtI with Gifted Students: Service Models, Trends, and Issues Prufrock Press 2013 EDITED BY: MARY RUTH COLEMAN & SUSAN K. JOHNSEN

20. U-STARS~PLUS http://www.prufrock.com/Implementing-RtI-With-Gifted-Students- P1663.aspx

21. U-STARS~PLUS Purpose of the Publication  To explain the components of RtI for gifted learners.  To describe gifted education models that fit within the RtI framework.  To identify special issues and concerns (i.e., culturally different, twice exceptional)  To identify future directions and opportunities.

22. U-STARS~PLUS RtI Framework for Gifted Learners  Above level differentiated curriculum  Nurturing potential prior to formal identification  Curriculum aligned to gifted education program standards and professional fields  Monitoring of student’s development within a domain (acceleration, depth, complexity, breadth)  Support for students who have met benchmarks to develop student’s strengths and interests  Responsiveness used to guide intervention at higher tiers of service

23. U-STARS~PLUS U-STARS~PLUS A Tiered Approach to Nurturing, Recognizing, and Responding to Potential MARY RUTH COLEMAN, PH.D. FPG CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE SNEHA SHAH COLTRANE, M.ED. STATE CONSULTANT, AIG NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

24. U-STARS~PLUS U-STARS~PLUS Purpose Using–Science, Talents, and Abilities to Recognize Students ~ Promoting Learning for Under–Represented Students To support teachers in the early recognition and nurturing of potential in children from economically disadvantaged and/or culturally diverse families and in children with disabilities in order to provide them with access to advanced educational opportunities and to improve their academic achievement. © 2007 by Coleman & Shah-Coltrane

25. U-STARS~PLUS U-STARS~PLUS Goals  To provide environments which nurture the intellectual and emotional well-being of young children (grades K–3).  To recognize children with outstanding potential who may be overlooked due to poverty, cultural/linguistic differences, and/or disabilities.  To engage families in meaningful ways that support their child’s academic success.  To support the use of high quality science instruction for young children (grades K–3) as a platform to recognize and respond to potential.  To respond to students’ strengths by providing appropriately challenging advanced educational experiences. © 2007 by Coleman & Shah-Coltrane

26. U-STARS~PLUS INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE FAMILY/SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS HANDS-ON/ INQUIRY- BASED SCIENCE U-STARS~PLUS “The Big Star” Using Science, Talents and Abilities to Recognize Students ~ Promoting Learning for Under-represented Students HIGH-END LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TEACHERS’ SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATIONS

27. Nurture Respond Recognize The Heart of U-STARS~PLUS Bringing Out the Best in Student Potential

28. U-STARS~PLUS A Nurturing Classroom Environment supports students intellectually and emotionally An Intellectually Nurturing Environment provides: 1.Challenge (high expectations, appropriate complexity) 2.Choice (child’s interests, self–determination) 3.Changes (novelty, flexibility) An Emotionally Nurturing Environment is: 1.Safe (respectful, understanding, validating, caring) 2.Supportive (helpful, “risk–taking”) 3.Secure (child can be at ease) © 2007 by Coleman & Shah-Coltrane

29. U-STARS~PLUS U-STARS~PLUS and RTI:  Tiered Services  Universal Screening/Progress Monitoring  Family Partnerships, Focused Instructional Strategies  Regular Ed and GT partnerships  Nurturing Potential in All Leaners  Culturally Responsive Practices

30. U-STARS~PLUS U-STARS~PLUS and RTI:  Tier I: Whole-Class TOPS, regular classroom centered, high-end learning environment, nurture/response, culturally responsive practice, family partnerships  Tier II: Regular Ed and GT partnership, flexible grouping, Individual TOPS, recognition of outstanding potential, focused differentiation, family partnerships  Tier III: Intensive services, GT teacher more involved to provide appropriate service, families more involved, possible referral for formal GT identification

31. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Model/Approach Universal Screening, Progress Monitoring, Assessment  Awareness of child/students strengths  Dynamic check–points to “monitor progress”  Data driven decision making © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

32. U-STARS~PLUS Assessment Systematic and Purposeful methods for looking at where you or your students are in order to plan for where you or they are going. © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

33. U-STARS~PLUS Multiple Assessments of a Learner  Norm Referenced & Criterion Referenced Tests  Paper–Pencil Tests  Performance Assessments  Samples of Work: Portfolio (Body-of-Evidence)  Informal Measures:  Observations  Conferences  Self–Assessments  Peer Feedback © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

34. U-STARS~PLUS Specific Concerns for The Use of Data with Special Populations  Students who are twice exceptional may not show there strengths on some measures  Language and cultural needs of the child must be taken in to consideration during assessments  Off grade-level assessments may be needed to see strengths  A body-of-evidence approach is essential to appropriately identify strengths, challenges, and needs

35. U-STARS~PLUS RTI Model/Approach Collaborative Problem–Solving  Individual child/student with more complexity  Culturally/Linguistically Diverse  Economically Disadvantaged  2e Learners  Intensity of needs (e.g. highly gifted learners)  Pooling resources  Parents as part of the team and decision making © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

36. U-STARS~PLUS Family and School Partnerships  Family involvement programs  Effective parent conferences  Cultural competency (impact of poverty, diversity, and social emotional needs) © 2007 by Coleman & Shah-Coltrane

37. U-STARS~PLUS Special Issues for RTI and Gifted Students  Twice exceptional students  Nurturing potential Early Intervention ◦Culturally/linguistically diverse ◦Economically disadvantaged  Affective needs of gifted students © Mary Ruth Coleman, 2008

38. U-STARS~PLUS Potential of RTI for GT  Strengthen Collaborations with General and Special Education  Address issues of Disproportionate Representation  Promote Early supports to Nurture Potential  Address the needs of 2e Learners  Enhance General Curriculum with a focus on Strengths!