Referral Process

WCSD 2011 STUDENT IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

Introduction

Historically, in 1972 Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland, Jr., published the results of a nationwide study mandated by the U. S. Congress. Designed to determine the degree to which our most able students were being served in the nation's schools, the Marland Report defined gifted and talented students as "those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance." The Marland Report, recognized as a landmark study that made a significant impact on the nation, stressed the importance of recognizing diverse types of giftedness and talent.

This study identified six areas in which high potential might be manifested: general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creative or productive thinking, leadership ability, visual and performing arts, and psychomotor ability. However, in the years that have elapsed since the release of the Marland Report, the term "gifted and talented" has most often been used to imply the possession of either high intellectual potential or high academic achievement. Marland further reported that gifted and talented students "require differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society." This requirement was reaffirmed by the passage of the Javits Bill for gifted and talented programs and its re-authorization in 1994.

Washington County School District (WCSD) agrees with the state of Utah's definition of giftedness: "Children and youth whose superior performance or potential for accomplishment requires a differentiated and challenging education program to meet their needs."

In an effort to encourage academic excellence, WCSD will focus on General Intelligence and Specific Academics in the elementary schools during the upcoming school year. General Intelligence is defined as students who demonstrate a high aptitude for abstract reasoning and conceptualization, who master concepts quickly and who are exceptionally alert and observant. Specific Academics means students who evidence extraordinary learning ability in one or more specific disciplines.

The goal of the district is to identify student needs and match them to the programming options that will be provided in local schools. In order to do this effectively, observations, behavior scales, achievement tests, and an ability test will be equally considered.

Procedure for Identification

This referral process includes the assessment of the following measures to determine unusual strengths and needs:

1. Behavioral Characteristics-observance of specific behaviors and characteristics that provide evidence of learning, creativitiy and motivation in and out of the classroom

• Tool: Parent Referral Form/Questionnaire - Parent English or Spanish
• Tool: Behavior Rating Scale - Teacher

2. Achievement-evidence of high levels of learning in curriculum-based subjects

• Tool: Standardized, norm referenced test (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) - Principal
• Tool: Current curriculum-based assessment - Teacher

3. Ability-evidence of high aptitude for abstract reasoning and conceptualization, who master skills and concepts quickly and who are exceptionally alert and observant in a specific domain

• Tool: CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test). Specific student information can be researched here.

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Sequence of referral process:

1. Referral - Student is referred in any one of three ways:

• Parent submits a Parent Information form
• Teacher refers student based onobservation using a Behavior Rating Scale of gifted characteristics
• The High Ability Facilitator at each school works with the school Data Coach to determine which students are achieving in the top level with the core curriculum in language arts and math

2. Evaluation - A letter is sent home to parents for permission to do additional evaluation (Iowa Test of Basic Skills out of level and CogAT abilities test)

3. Planning -

• A team meets to determine service after all data is collected.
• Services, based on needs, begin to be implemented by teachers and/or interventionists.