Gifted Program Audit Training

1. Gifted Program Audit Training Chauncey Spears, Office Director – Advanced Learning/Gifted/Social Studies Office of Curriculum and Instruction September 4, 2013

2. Audit Visit • Auditors verify minimal compliance with the Mississippi Gifted Education Program Standards and regulations. • The standards reflect the research and best practices in the field of gifted education. • The gifted education program standards align with the national program standards from the National Association of Gifted Children.

3. Audit Visit • The visit itself will consist of two parts: • Verification of documentation for compliance • Classroom visit • Dates for the visits will be scheduled as soon as possible. Please contact the curriculum office if there is a preference for a specific date. • Non-compliance with gifted regulations and standards could result in a downgrade of the district’s accreditation status - see Accountability Standard 23.9.

4. Standards Criteria The standards have seven criteria: • Curriculum & Instruction • Program Administration & Management • Program Design • Program Evaluation • Socio-emotional Guidance & Counseling • Professional Development • Student Identification & Assessment

5. Standards Criteria • Each of the seven criteria is composed of guiding principles. • Each guiding principle has four levels of compliance: • Level 1 “Does Not Meet Standard” • Level 2 “Meets Minimum Standard” • Level 3 “Above Standard” • Level 4 “Exemplary”

6. Gifted Monitoring Instrument https://districtaccess.mde.k12.ms.us/curriculumandInstruction/default.aspx

7. Criterion ICurriculum and Instruction6 Guiding Principles

8. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 1 • The local gifted education program shall provide a qualitatively different educational experience in addition to and different from the regular program of instruction. • The components of this principle are listed in law and/or regulations.

9. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 2 • Differentiated curriculum shall be provided for identified gifted students. • This principle requires districts to have an Instructional Management Plan (IMP) for the gifted program. • The IMP should be based on the gifted outcomes document, and should include a scope and sequence developed from the outcomes.

10. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 3 • The local district shall provide opportunities for high ability learners that include grade acceleration, curriculum compacting, mentorships, and/or concurrent enrollment. • Documentation could include options for include Honors/AP options, IB programs, job shadowing, independent study, etc.

11. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 4 • The program of instruction provided to gifted students shall be based upon the mastery of the MDE gifted program outcomes. • The IMP can serve as documentation for this guiding principle.

12. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 5 • Career exploration and life skills shall be an integral part of the differentiated program of instruction for all gifted students. • Documentation of career day speakers, career research projects, interest inventories, etc. meets this criteria.

13. Curriculum & InstructionGuiding Principle 6 • Visual and performing arts shall be included in the differentiated program of instruction for gifted students. • Student-created or performed plays, concerts, presentations, etc.

14. Criterion IIProgram Administration and Management 4 Guiding Principles

15. Administration & ManagementGuiding Principle 1 • Appropriately qualified personnel shall direct services for the education of gifted students. • The minimum level of compliance for this principle requires the gifted education program contact person to hold a current gifted endorsement. Under regulations the contact person may be a teacher of the gifted.

16. Administration & ManagementGuiding Principle 2 • Gifted programming shall be an integral part of the district’s overall educational offerings and gifted students shall receive a minimum of 5 hours per week of services in an approved gifted education program. • Student schedules will suffice. • If the district needs a waiver for this, the correspondence with MDE about this needs to be presented.

17. Administration & ManagementGuiding Principle 3 • Gifted education programming shall include positive working relationships with constituency and advocacy groups, as well as compliance agencies. • Documentation could include program brochures, MDE correspondence, e-mails from and to parents, etc.

18. Administration & ManagementGuiding Principle 4 • Requisite resources and materials shall be provided to adequately support the efforts of gifted education programming. • Documentation could include receipts for curriculum materials, invoices for texts, bibliography of books/online resources, etc., used to support instruction.

19. Criterion IIIProgram Design5 Guiding Principles

20. Program DesignGuiding Principle 1 • Rather than any single gifted program, a continuum of programming services shall exist for gifted learners. • Documentation could include Honors/AP options, IB programs, job shadowing, independent study, etc.

21. Program DesignGuiding Principle 2 • Gifted education shall be adequately funded. • The district makes appropriate use of available state funds to satisfy the programming needs of the district’s gifted students. • Gifted program budget can be used for documentation.

22. Program DesignGuiding Principle 3 • Gifted education shall evolve from a comprehensive and sound base. • Gifted education programming is reviewed and evaluated annually by a variety of stakeholders. The results are reported and used for strategic planning. • Gifted programming is guided by a clearly articulated mission/philosophy statement and accompanying goals and objectives.

23. Program DesignGuiding Principle 4 • Flexible grouping of students shall be developed in order to facilitate instruction and curriculum. • Student schedules showing gifted periods suffice as documentation.

24. Program DesignGuiding Principle 5 • Policies for adapting and adding to the nature and operations of the general education program are necessary for gifted education. • The policies of the district note provisions for the needs of gifted students (board meeting minutes reflecting gifted policy approval will suffice).

25. Criterion IVProgram Evaluation3 Guiding Principles

26. Program EvaluationGuiding Principle 1 • An evaluation shall be purposeful. • The evaluation is based on the accomplishment of stated program goals/outcomes. • Copies of survey instruments will suffice.

27. Program EvaluationGuiding Principle 2 • An evaluation shall be conducted competently and ethically and shall solicit information from all stakeholders. • Copies of survey instruments will suffice.

28. Program EvaluationGuiding Principle 3 • The evaluation shall be made available through a written report. • A published report (on a website) will suffice, so long as there is wide dissemination of the web address in the community.

29. Criterion VSocio-Emotional Guidance and Counseling Standards5 Guiding Principles

30. Socio-EmotionalGuiding Principle 1 • Gifted students shall be provided differentiated guidance efforts to meet their unique social-emotional development. • Research in the field of gifted education clearly shows that gifted students have very different needs relating to their social-emotional development.

31. Socio-EmotionalGuiding Principle 2 • Gifted students shall be provided with career guidance services especially designed for their unique needs. • Documentation of career research will suffice for this guiding principle.

32. Socio-EmotionalGuiding Principle 3 • Gifted at-risk students shall be provided with guidance and counseling to help them reach their potential. • Evidence of afterschool tutoring, tier-3 students in the gifted program, or tier-3 students included in screening shall suffice.

33. Socio-EmotionalGuiding Principle 4 • Gifted students shall be provided with affective curriculum in addition to differentiated guidance and counseling services. • Example of documentation: IMP reflects gifted students explore different interests in assignments and other experiences.

34. Socio-EmotionalGuiding Principle 5 • Underachieving gifted students shall be identified and served rather than omitted from differentiated services. • Same documentation as Guiding Principle 3.

35. Criterion VIProfessional Development2 Guiding Principles

36. Professional DevelopmentGuiding Principle 1 • A comprehensive staff development program and materials shall be provided for all school staff involved in the education of gifted students. • This principle has 4 components.

37. Professional DevelopmentGuiding Principle 1 • Gifted program teachers are required to attend professional development provided by the district regarding the appropriate education of gifted students. • The local school district allows gifted program teachers to attend at least one non-district professional development activity per year designed specifically for teaching gifted students.

38. Professional DevelopmentGuiding Principle 1 • Professional development materials pertaining to gifted education are available in the district. • The district provides training to enable teachers to develop an appropriate differentiated curriculum that is in compliance with the local gifted program’s Instructional Management Plan.

39. Professional DevelopmentGuiding Principle 2 • Only properly endorsed personnel shall be involved in the gifted education program. • Contact person and teachers must be properly endorsed.

40. Criterion VIIStudent Identification and Assessment4 Guiding Principles

41. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 1 • District guidelines shall outline a coordinated, comprehensive, and coherent process for student referral and assessment in order to determine eligibility for gifted services. • This principle has 4 components.

42. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 1 • Written information about the district’s gifted education program, including how to refer and identify students, is available to all school faculty members and the community at large. • All students comprise the initial screening pool of potential recipients for gifted education services.

43. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 1 • Referrals are accepted from anyone who believes the student might be eligible for gifted program services. • Parents are provided information regarding characteristics of giftedness and gifted programming options offered by the district. • If these plans are described in the gifted program literature, it suffices as documentation.

44. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 2 • All student identification procedures and instruments shall be based on best practices and research. • This principle has 2 components.

45. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 2 • The student assessment process utilizes multiple assessment measures that include both objective and subjective measures. • Assessment instruments used are reliable and valid for identifying gifted students and are in compliance with MDE requirements.

46. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 3 • Written procedures for student identification shall include provisions for informed consent, notification of results, student reassessment, and student exit. • This principle has 2 components.

47. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 3 • The district has written procedures for student identification, informed consent, notification of results, student reassessment, and student exit. • The district has written procedures for entering and exiting the gifted program as well as guidelines for parent appeals.

48. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 4 • Student assessment instruments used to determine eligibility for gifted education services shall be selected based upon the strengths of the individual student. • This principle has 3 components.

49. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 4 • The assessment instruments selected do make provisions for students with limited English proficiency. • Licensed examiners review all individual student data in order to select the most appropriate assessment instrument for each individual student being evaluated.

50. Student IdentificationGuiding Principle 4 • The district provides professional development for all personnel involved in the assessment and identification of potentially gifted students. • Attendance at MAGC Conference each year will suffice for compliance with this guiding principle.