The Changing Face of Giftedness

1. The Changing Face of Giftedness Alternative Methods for Identifying Gifted English Learners Pam, add SAUSD seal in green areaPam, add SAUSD seal in green area

2. Presentation Goals Provide participants with a framework for the identification of underrepresented populations in gifted education by Building inter-program relationships Using traditional and non-traditional approaches

3. About Santa Ana Unified School District Seventh largest school district in the State; ranks as the number 1 port of entry for English language learners new to the U.S. statewide by Educational Testing Service. Approximately 60% EL (mostly Spanish, Vietnamese and Khmer) 54,378 K-12 students at 54 school sites Approximately 80% on Free or Reduced Lunch Source: Santa Ana Unified School District, Dept. of Research and Evaluation

4. SAUSD Race/EthnicComposition We’re largely Hispanic. Overwhelmingly. Can you tell? (Look at the big picture and follow up with a couple of details. That’s it. Don’t read the slide)We’re largely Hispanic. Overwhelmingly. Can you tell? (Look at the big picture and follow up with a couple of details. That’s it. Don’t read the slide)

5. GATE Program Participants The GATE population is fairly evenly split, but… We start in 2nd grade with the initial identification process, but we continually look for the gifted kids. So while the high schools by nature are bigger campuses with thousands of students compared to elementary, we are also still identifying students who came later or bloomed later, whatever it may be. Total District GATE/Non-GATE Frequency Percent Valid Elementary 26344 48.4 Intermediate 12044 22.1 High School 15990 29.4 Total 54378 100.0 The GATE population is fairly evenly split, but… We start in 2nd grade with the initial identification process, but we continually look for the gifted kids. So while the high schools by nature are bigger campuses with thousands of students compared to elementary, we are also still identifying students who came later or bloomed later, whatever it may be. Total District GATE/Non-GATE Frequency Percent Valid Elementary 26344 48.4 Intermediate 12044 22.1 High School 15990 29.4 Total 54378 100.0

6. Ethnic Breakdown of Identified GATE Students

7. What we have to share… Partnership between GATE and English Learner Services Departments Redefining appropriate GATE identification criteria in order to provide equal access to the GATE program in alignment with the GATE State Standards Use of traditional and non-traditional methods to identify gifted students in under-represented populations by creating a student “portfolio” Mr. Palacio’s slideMr. Palacio’s slide

8. NCLB 2002 Definition of Giftedness “Gifted learners are students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.”

9. National GATE Standards Two Important Guiding Principles of Student Identification: Instruments used for student assessment to determine eligibility for gifted ed services must measure diverse abilities, talents, strengths and needs in order to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate any strengths All student identification procedures and instruments must be based on current theory and research. Research citations: Donna Ford, Callahan, RobbinsResearch citations: Donna Ford, Callahan, Robbins

10. CA GATE Recommended Standards Standard 2: Identification The district’s identification procedures are equitable, comprehensive, and ongoing. They reflect the district’s definition of giftedness and its relationship to current State criteria. Pat begins here Pat begins here

11. All children are eligible for the nomination process regardless of socioeconomic, linguistic or cultural background and/or disabilities District establishes and implements both traditional and non-traditional instruments and procedures in searching for gifted students District actively searches for referrals among underrepresented populations

12. Research Clearly Says… We have not developed strong identification systems that are flexible and dynamic enough to ensure the use of nontraditional measures routinely in the service of improving our "hit" rate for identifying these [underrepresented] students… Decision-making is still done with an eye to expediency rather than reflection on the merits of individual children, with an eye to finding "well-rounded" students rather than those with "peaks."

13. It’s A Journey Into Something has triggered a closer look at your district’s GATE population Through You are fact-finding and making some decisions about changes to your criteria Show the into piece with original data (ppt from 1st board pres) ethnicity demographics; language dems as far back as possible Show the into piece with original data (ppt from 1st board pres) ethnicity demographics; language dems as far back as possible

14. The Journey Begins.. Kathy, say: “let me preface this slide by saying that a very important goal of our presentation today is to share the ongoing process to assure that we are finding and appropriately identifying students; that we are opening the door for equal access to the GATE program. Some of you in the audience are at different points in your journey.”Kathy, say: “let me preface this slide by saying that a very important goal of our presentation today is to share the ongoing process to assure that we are finding and appropriately identifying students; that we are opening the door for equal access to the GATE program. Some of you in the audience are at different points in your journey.”

15. To Ensure Equal Access... The NNAT (and since then NNAT2) was chosen because it is a fair evaluation of students’ nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving ability while remaining:

16. Sample Naglieri Questions… Nonverbal group measure of reasoning and problem solving ideal for Limited English Proficient populationsNonverbal group measure of reasoning and problem solving ideal for Limited English Proficient populations

17. Other Criteria Changes to Ensure Equal Access Include... Traditional Standardized (CST) test scores Report card grades SAUSD Proficiencies Teacher recommendation Benchmark tests Copy slide to Leslie; add sample of NNATCopy slide to Leslie; add sample of NNAT

18. Places to Look for EL Gifted Potential Multiple Measures (using data derived from the following sources) CST’s (using data to find EL students who score at mid-proficient or above, or show large growth in two years) CELDT scores (using data to find those EL students who made a jump of two proficiency levels or more) District Writing Proficiencies scores (using data to find EL students who demonstrate a rapid growth/improvement ) Primary Language test scores such as Aprenda (using data to assess student’s academic ability in primary language) Benchmark Test scores (using data to find those EL students who are showing rapid acquisition of content knowledge) Teacher Observation Matrix – Providing teachers with a easy check list to assist in identifying students with GATE potential Providing lists of potential GATE candidates to site representatives for further examination. SABE: Spanish Assessment of Basic Education SABE is given to students in the country one year or less? SABE is good to look at academic achievement in primary language.Providing lists of potential GATE candidates to site representatives for further examination. SABE: Spanish Assessment of Basic Education SABE is given to students in the country one year or less? SABE is good to look at academic achievement in primary language.

19. How does being an English learner affect being recognized as a gifted learner? Academic Inhibitors: Teacher delays identification of the student as a gifted learner until the child can speak fluent English. Educators perceive limited English ability as synonymous with limited academic abilities. Academic Facilitators: Gifted student becomes excited and curious about the topic of the lesson. Teachers recognize emerging bilingual ability and/or rapid acquisition of English as a potential indicator of giftedness. deficit thinking held by educators about diverse students hinders these students' access to gifted education. In other words, strength based rather than deficit based look at giftedness.deficit thinking held by educators about diverse students hinders these students' access to gifted education. In other words, strength based rather than deficit based look at giftedness.

20. Who Are the Gifted ELs in My Classroom? Add to the packet. Change some items to go with EL, like verbal.

21. ELD Proficiency Levels Beginning Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced Advanced

22. Early Advanced and Advanced Shared characteristics: Comprehend concrete and abstract topics Recognize language subtleties Produce, initiate, and sustain extended interactions to specific purposes and audiences Participate fully both in academic and non-academic settings requiring English

23. Early Intermediate Teacher would: Use music, chants, poems, fables, fairy tales, etc. to model sounds, rhythm, and patterns of language to promote oral language production Use questioning techniques that prompt longer oral responses Have students re-tell stories

24. Purposes of CELDT To identify pupils who are English Language Learners To determine the students’ proficiency levels To assess the progress in acquiring the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English To assist in reclassification Jenny starts here. Jenny starts here.

25. Looking at an Example of CELDT Growth Over Time

29. Enrollment by Ethnicity

30. SAUSD Migrant Education and GATE This information was pulled from the 2008-2009 SAUSD Research and Evaluation Flat file. Student achievement supplied list of migrant students. This information was then mapped back onto district file (all students minus Adult Ed.) N = 52,384 students (K-12) This information was pulled from the 2008-2009 SAUSD Research and Evaluation Flat file. Student achievement supplied list of migrant students. This information was then mapped back onto district file (all students minus Adult Ed.) N = 52,384 students (K-12)

31. SAUSD English Learners and GATE

32. SAUSD English Learners* and GATE

33. And Our Journey Continues… We continue to look at… Data Other non-traditional indicators such as a Parent Inventory which allows us to know what characteristics parents might observe at home (where they are expressive in their primary language) Inter-program collaboration Staff development that focuses on appropriately differentiated instructional pedagogy for gifted EL students What the research says

34. Final Thoughts… “It is often said that youth are the most important natural resource of a nation. Gifted programs can help youth of all cultures and languages to become productive citizens and critical thinkers, ensuring that the future of the country is in good hands.”

35. Contact Us Santa Ana Unified School District: 714-558-5501 Nuria Solis, Director, EL Services Kathy Apps, GATE Coordinator, 6-12