WCPSS AIG and 3rd Grade Explorers

1. WCPSS AIG and 3rd Grade Explorers River Bend Elementary AIG – BethanieCheuvront bcheuvront@wcpss.net riverbendaig.pbworks.com

2. Today’s Agenda • AIG program service delivery • 3rd grade Explorers program • Qualifying for AIG • Testing requirements • Identification process

3. The purpose of the Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Program is to provide an appropriately challenging educational program for students who perform, or show potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment…~from WCPSS 2013-2016

4. BRIGHT CHILD vs. GIFTED LEARNER Asks the question Is highly curious Beyond the group Already knows Constructs abstractions Initiates projects Enjoys learning Thrives on complexity • Knows the answer • Is interested • Top group • Learns with ease • Understands ideas • Completes assignments • Enjoys school • Enjoys straightforward, sequential presentation

5. Service Delivery, K-3 Grades K-2: • Consultation and collaboration with teachers • Weekly enrichment groups with high level students in their room Grade 3: • Consultation and collaboration with teachers • 1st semester – 3 to 6 whole-class lessons • All 3rd graders – fall Cogat testing for AIG qualification • 2nd semester - Weekly enrichment pull out groups for students identified in AIG (ELA, Math, or both)

6. Service Delivery, 4-12 Grades 4-5: • Co-Teaching ELA and Math with select teachers • Consultation and collaboration with teachers • Enrichment for high-level students during ‘team time’ • Weekly enrichment pull-out groups for students identified in AIG (ELA, Math, or both) Grades 6-8: • Co-Teaching ELA and Math with select teachers • Consultation and collaboration with teachers • Advanced course selection Grades 9-12 • Advanced course selection

7. 3rd Grade Explorers The AIG teacher works in partnership with 3rd grade classroom teachers to provide a variety of in-class experiences (3-5) designed to elicit high academic performance. Students who demonstrate potential in the activities will receive enrichment/extension activities in language arts and/or math under the guidance of the AIG teacher. Whole group experiences Small group experiences

8. Criteria for Small Group Participation • Observational checklists by the AIG and classroom teachers • Rubrics for the products • Student communication skills • Student interest • Student motivation Groups are flexible as the units of study change. Participation in a small Explorers group DOES NOT mean your child has been or will be identified as gifted!

9. Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Understanding the Student Profile and its Use for Educational Planning

10. Educational Planning • The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is administered to all third grade students in WCPSS. • Track 1: August 25-27 • Tracks 2, 3, 4: September 15-17 • The CogAT benchmark testing is used for educational planning and AIG recommendations. • Student scores will be sent home in the fall

11. CogAT Scores Please refer to the sample CogAT Score Report. The CogAT Batteries are: • Verbal – measure of verbal reasoning skills • Quantitative– measure of math reasoning skills • Nonverbal – measure of visual-spatial reasoning • Each test has 3 sections. Students are given 10 minutes for each section. • Each test is given on a separate day.

12. CogAT Composite Scores • Composite (QN): Quantitative-Nonverbal Composite score - indicates cognitive reasoning resources for nonverbal learning. • Composite (VQN): The Composite score indicates the overall strength of the student’s cognitive resources for learning.

13. National Age Scores • Stanine – a type of normalized standard score scale ranging from 1 to 9 with 5 being the average. • 1 = low score • 5 = average score • 9 = high score • Percentile – indicates the percentage score compared to students of the same age. It does not tell their percentage correct, but rather the percentage of students that scored below them.

14. Percentile and Stanine Descriptions

15. Graphs and Profiles • A bar graph of the student’s scores appears on the score report as a visual representation of the student’s percentile score. • Your student’s individual profile code is listed after the subtitle “Ability Profile”. • Additional information regarding your child’s profile can be found at: www.cogat.com by keying in the profile code of your student.

16. Profile Codes • The profile code contains a number and a letter, for example, 8E (V-N+) or 7B (V+). • The number represents the median stanine and the letter indicates the type of score pattern. • The letter score patterns are: A, B, C or E.

17. Student Profiles • A Profile – all subtest scores are roughly the sAme • B Profile – one subtest score is either aBove or Below the other two subtest scores • C Profile – two subtest scores Contrast indicating a relative strength and a relative weakness • E Profile – the difference between the high and low subtest scores is Extreme

18. Raw Scores • Number of Items = the number of questions on the subtests. • Number Att. (attempted) = the number of questions the student answered. • Number Correct = the total number of items the student answered correctly.

19. National Grade Scores • The grade scores compare the student to other students at the same grade level nationally. • Grade scores are NOT used for identification since students in a given grade may vary greatly in terms of their age.

20. The Next Step…….. • Students with an age-based Composite or subtest battery score at or above the 85th percentile (85%) are eligible to take the Iowa Assessments (Iowa).

21. Iowa Assessment • Reading • 30 minute time limit • Passages with multiple-choice questions • Math • 30 minute time limit • Basic computation on a high level, calculator provided

22. AIG Identification • The CogAT and Iowa scores are reviewed. A 95% or above in 2 coordinating areas is needed to qualify. • Iowa Reading and Cogat Verbal • Iowa Math and Cogat Quantitative • Additional 1 on 1 testing may be used if there are not 2 areas of 95% • Additional factors are considered in determining AIG eligibility. These factors include student interest, motivation, classroom performance, third grade Explorers’ work samples, parent and teacher checklists, etc.

23. AIG Identification Process continued…. • School Based Committee for Gifted Education (SBCGE) recommendations from schools are reviewed by the AIG Program Central Services Committee. • Parents are informed of the final AIG recommendations by the end of the 1st semester. • AIG service begins at the beginning of the 2nd semester in January after parents sign and return the Initial Consent for Service.

24. If your child is not identified as AIG… • Don’t worry or get upset! • Students may be nominated by teachers or parents in 4th and 5th grade to repeat testing. • Nominations occur in the fall and spring of 4th and 5th grade. The students take the CogAT and the IOWA. • Challenge your child to think outside the box at home! Complete word/number puzzles.

25. AIG Program and Testing Information • RBES Testing Coordinator • Lindsay Garkovich (lgarkovich@wcpss.net) • RBES School Counselor • Amanda Stone (astone2@wcpss.net) • RBES AIG Resource Teacher • Bethanie Cheuvront (bcheuvront@wcpss.net) • WCPSS AIG Program Website: http://www.wcpss.net/curriculum-instruction/ag/ • River Bend AIG website • riverbendaig.pbworks.com