Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Gifted Education Program Plan 2012 – 2016

Colorado Department of Education (CDE)
Gifted Education Program Plan
2012 – 2016
Administrative Unit’s Name:
Region:
Pikes Peak
Fountain-Fort Carson District 8
Name of Gifted Education Director/
Coordinator
Diane Cassidy
Director’s e-mail
Director’s Address:
Zip: 80817
[email protected]
10665 Jimmy Camp Rd.
City:
Director’s phone number
719—382-1323
Name of Superintendent/BOCES
Director
Cheryl Serrano
Fountain
Fax
719-382-0680
Superintendent’s Signature
Date: April 30, 2012
The BOCES consolidated signature page is the last page of the template. It
is also available on the CDE web page. Copy and mail with signatures from
the BOCES’ superintendents.
Section II:
Elements of the Program Plan
Section II is completed by every administrative unit (AU) – A Program Plan includes
all elements and describes the gifted program and priorities based upon district and
community resources. The guidance document for completing the Program Plan is
at http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/index.htm.
Directions:
Write the administrative unit’s description and targets for each element in the
blank, white, space provided in the template (include district level descriptions and
targets, if appropriate, in multiple district administrative units). An explanation of
each element in the guidance document provides details for the description. The
description may be in paragraph form and align with the numbered criteria within
each of the elements as outlined in the guidance document.
It is not uncommon in a multi-district AU for districts to be in different stages of
development towards addressing the elements of the Program Plan. A multi-district
AU may include both a general AU description and targets along with unique district
level descriptors and/or targets. The format for multiple district AUs descriptions in
any applicable section is: General AU description, AU targets, District description,
District target/s.
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State Performance Plan indicators relevant to communication.

100% of administrative units will implement methods to provide all stakeholders with
access to current information about identification process and programming for gifted
students; and, methods for parental engagement in identification and programming.
Communication
AU Description:
The 2012-2013 school year w ill m ark the fifth year of a form al gifted id entification and
program m ing in Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 (FFC8). In April of 2010, FFC8
participated in the Colorad o Gifted Ed ucation Review (C-GER). This review rated the
FFC8 Gifted Ed ucation Program as “d istinguished ” in the areas of com m unication and
d ispute resolution; “on -target” in the areas of d efinition, id entification proced ures,
evaluation/ accountability, bud get, reporting, and record keeping; and “d eveloping” in
the areas of program ming and personnel. From 2112 – 1016, the goal of the FFC8
Gifted Ed ucation Program is to continue to enhance the “on -target” areas and im prove
and strengthen the “d eveloping” areas of the program . Im provem ent strategies w ill be
incorporated w ithin the build ing and d istrict Unified Im provem ent Plans.
Mission:
The m ission of the FFC8 Gifted Program is to ensure that each child has equal access to
receive an optim um ed ucational experience. Our District recognizes the need to
id entify stud ents from all background s w ho d em onstrate potential for exceptional
perform ance. Therefore, w e are com m itted to provid ing relevant and challenging
learning experiences to support the intellectual, behavioral, social, em otional, artistic,
and creative d evelopm ent of our gifted stud ents.
The FFC8 Gifted Program acronym is LIGH TS – Learning and Instruction for Gifted ,
H ighly-capable and Talented Stud ents. The vision of the gifted program is: Lighting
Pathways to A dvanced Learning. A lighthouse is the sym bol used to represent the
District’s gifted program .
Methods by w hich the AU communicates to educators and parents:
Educators: The District com m unicates w ith ed ucators about gifted program m ing
using m ultiple form ats. First, em ployees have been provid ed a District Gifted
Ed ucation H and book for Ed ucators. This hand book review s the id entification
process, contains all d ocum ents and form s u sed for gifted and talented (GT)
id entification and program m ing, d escribes the screening process, explains the
purpose of an Ad vanced Learning Plan (ALP), and provid es d irections on how to
w rite an ALP. N ew teachers are provid ed the hand books along w ith a GT District
overview d uring the New Teacher Orientation. Second , the District GT coord inator
presents to school staff. This m ay inclu d e presentations on the GT id entification
process, characteristics of GT stud ents, w riting a m eaningful ALP, u nd erst and ing
cognitive assessm ents, or d ifferentiating for ad vanced stud ents. Third , A District
Staff Intranet site has been created specifically for gifted ed ucation. On the
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passw ord protected site, teachers can find current announcem ents, w eb links for GT
inform ation, a PDF of the Gifted Ed ucator H and book, all d ocum ents and form s used
for GT id entification and program m ing, and num erous short vid eo tutorials.
Tutorial topics includ e: GT Id entification Process; Und erstand ing Cognitive
Abilities Test (CogAT); Writing an ALP; Social/ Emotional N eed s of Gifted . Fourth,
each build ing has a d esignated GT contact. The District coord inator m eets w ith
contacts throughout the year and com m unicates im portant inform ation to build ing
contacts regard ing test d ates, ALP d u e d ates, and professional d evelopm ent
opportunities. The build ing contact person is responsible for overseeing the
cognitive testing, screening of nom inated stud ents, and overseeing the ALP process.
Fifth, the District Gifted coord inator attend s all central office principal m eetings and
com m unicates regularly w ith ad m inistrators. At the beginning of the year, the GT
coord inator m eets w ith each build ing principal to review assessm ent d ata, GT
District goals, and establish build ing level goals. The GT coord inator provid es
principals w ith d ata on GT stud ents’ achievem ent gains. At the end of each quarter,
the coord inator provides principals GT d ata from Scantron Achievem ent and
Perform ance Series. The GT coord inator attend s school board m eetings and
provid es an annual GT review at a school board m eeting. Sixth, m em bers of the
District Ed ucation Liaison Com m ittee and the School and District Accountability
Com m ittees are given the opportunity to provid e feed back on GT p rogram m ing.
Last, an annual District Survey is cond ucted of all em ployees and a section of this
survey ad d resses questions and provid es an opportunity for com ments about gifted
ed ucation in the District.
Parents: A strong value is placed on parent com m unication and m aking parents our
partners in the id entification and program m ing of gifted stud ents. The FFC8 w ebsite
contains a specific link d esignated for Gifted Ed ucation. At this site, parents can
learn about our id entification process and d ow nload a parent nom ination form .
They can read about the ALP process, d ow nload a PDF of a parent brochure on
Understanding the A LP, or d ow nload a parent form to provid e input into the ALP.
Parents can view the District m ission and vision for gifted ed ucation and review a
page of frequently asked questions and their answ ers. There is a page of over 100
resource links for parents to visit helpful w ebsites or d ow nload im portant articles on
a w id e variety of gifted topics. There is also a list of regional and statew id e
opportunities available to gifted stud ents. Last, a link is d ed icated to our
Supporting the Emotional N eed s of the Gifted (SEN G) Parent Group. This page
d escribes the purpose of the group, the d ates of our book stud y m eetings, and
provid es a passw ord protected blog for parents participating in a SEN G group. In
ad d ition to the w ebsite, the District has d eveloped a GT brochure in Eng lish and
Spanish that is available in all schools, at the Fort Carson Welcom e Center, and the
Fountain Com m unity Center. Because of our highly m obile population, a brochure
has been created , “Gifted , Military, and Moving” to assist GT fam ilies as they m ove
to a new location and ed ucate them on how to best ad vocate for their child ’s need s.
At the ALP conference, a “Parents as Partners H and book” is provid ed to parents.
This hand book reviews how a child is id entified as a gifted learner, explains
cognitive assessm ents, provid es a list of resources for und erstand ing the need s of
gifted child ren, explains gifted program m ing in the District, outlines obstacles gifted
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child ren often face, and review s a glossary of GT term s. Throughout the year, the
District and ind ivid ual schools hold gifted parent m eetings to review program m ing
options or ad dress issu es around parenting the gifted child . All parents of gifted
stud ents receive an invitation to participate in ou r SEN G group. The District GT
coord inator is alw ays available to m eet w ith parents w hen there is a concern w ith
id entification or program m ing.
AU Targets:

Continu ally exam ine w ays to enhance the GT com m unication infrastructure
by upd ating the GT w ebsites, strengthening the print resources, and
provid ing m eetings, w orkshops, and trainings to support and im prove gifted
program m ing.

Annually survey parents of gifted stud ents to assess areas of strength and
areas for im provem ent.

Annually survey teachers to assess w ays to im prove gifted stud ent
achievem ent.
Definition
Directions: Write the administrative unit’s definition for gifted students that aligns
with the State’s definition. If the definition is the same as the State’s definition
merely mark the box and do not rewrite the definition.
Check the box if the adm inistrative unit uses the State d efinition for gifted stud ents.
Or
Definition: Gifted child ren are those stud ents, pre-school through age tw enty-one, w ho
give evid ence of excep tional abilities or talents in areas su ch as intellectual, creative,
artistic, lead ership, or specific acad em ic field s, and require d ifferentiated learning
opportunities in ord er to fully d evelop those capabilities.
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

State Performance Plan indicators relevant to identification.
100% of administrative units will increase the identification of gifted students from traditionally
under-represented population if indicated as a need by local data.
100% of administrative units will implement procedures to identify gifted students in all
categories of giftedness.
Identification
AU Description:
Methods by w hich the AU identifies gifted students:
2011-2012 D emographics for Gifted Identification:
301 FFC8 Gifted Stud ents id entified as gifted – February 1, 2012. This is representative
of 4% of our stud ent population.
Minority
Black
GT
6%
FFC8
13%
H ispanic
17%
22%
White
64%
54%
2 or More
8.5%
7%
Other Minority
4.5%
3.5%
As is evident by our data, our GT identification for 2011-12 is slightly underrepresented in our
black and Hispanic populations. Because of our highly mobile population, these percentages
change each year. Some of our army post schools have a 60% turnover in students each year.
For elementary schools, this sometimes means beginning each new school year with no students
formally identified and implementing an entirely new screening process. Our continued practice
of screening all 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders, along with using newer assessments that are more
linguistically and culturally reliable will assist in ensuring our gifted population mirrors our
district demographics. Because of our highly mobile population and high levels of poverty in
several schools, buildings are encouraged to use the Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI) to
screen all primary students. In addition, FFC8 will examine moving to the new CogAT Form 7
to update the reliability of our District cognitive assessment.
Identification Procedure:
A 4-Step collaborative process is used for gifted identification. The specific guidelines for the
gifted identification procedure are clearly outlined on our public website, in the parent gifted
brochure, in our Educator Gifted Handbook, and on our staff GT intranet site. All schools have
received training on the identification process and an online tutorial on the process is located on
the gifted intranet site. Numerous checklists for characteristics of gifted students have been
provided to teachers and parents via the website, the handbooks, or through professional
development. The 4-Step identification process includes: Nomination, Evaluation of Body of
Evidence, Identification, and Appeal.
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Each school has created a gifted screening committee that consists of an administrator, a
counselor and/or school psychologist, and a variety of building teachers. The committee uses a
Response to Intervention (RtI) approach for the screening and identification of students. At a
screening meeting, teachers share their quantitative and qualitative observations of the student.
All assessment data are examined, class work is shared, instructional strategies are reviewed, and
parent input is gathered. Using the FFC8 GT Identification Form, the team reviews all the
evidence and determines if gifted identification is appropriate, if more data needs to be collected
on the student, or if the student will be placed on-watch to make additional observations before a
formal identification can be made. Because of our extremely mobile population, gifted screening
meetings occur throughout the school year.
Referral Procedure:
A student can be referred at any time throughout the year for a gifted identification screening.
Referrals can result from assessment scores, a student moving into the district with a previous
identification, or a nomination from a teacher, parent, coach, peer, or the actual student.
A section has been added to our enrollment form for parents to indicate previous GT
identification in a former school. If a student moves to our District and was previously
identified, a screening meeting is still held to determine if a student meets our criteria or if
additional information or data needs to be collected. We attempt to honor a previous
identification if the student’s data closely aligns to our criteria. Nomination forms can be
downloaded from our internet and intranet site as well as print copies that are available at all
schools. Nomination forms are completed and submitted to the GT identification committee.
Any time a form is received, a mandatory screening meeting is held. Specific assessment scores
will automatically nominate a student for a screening process. Many of our teachers have been
trained to use the KOI to support nomination of highly-capable and gifted primary students.
Screening Procedure:
All students in grades 3, 5, and 7 are given the Cognitive Abilities Assessment in September.
Many of our elementary schools use the KOI to screen all primary students. The Scantron
Performance Series assessments for math and reading are given three times a year and also serve
as a screening tool for students in grades 2 - 10. All kindergarten and first grade students are
assessed using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Next and those
scores may be used as a possible referral to additional assessments such as Scantron Performance
Reading or Adams 50.
Body of Evidence:
The identification team assembles a body of evidence that is examined and recorded on a District
identification form. This body of evidence includes:
Intellectual Assessments:
For formal gifted identification to occur, an intellectual score is obtained using various
assessments. The CogAT is given to all 3rd, 5th, and 7th grade students. If a student does not
have a cognitive score from our District or a previous district, and an intellectual score is
required, a Kauffman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT) is administered by a school psychologist.
The Universal Non-verbal Intelligence Test (UNIT ) is provided to our English Language
Learner ( ELL) students who are unable to take the CogAT or KBIT non-verbal sections. In
cases of acceleration considerations, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC) IV is
administered.
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Achievement:
FFC8 administers the Scantron Performance Series reading and math assessment three times a
year for students in grades 2 - 10. This provides an off-level assessment that provides a norm
referenced percentile along with a scaled score to measure gains throughout the year. First grade
students who have been nominated can also be tested using Scantron for reading and math.
CSAP/TCAP scores are also used to measure student achievement in grades 3 - 10. Pre-school
and kindergarten students may be assessed using the Test of Early Math Ability (TEMA) and the
Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA.)
Performance:
All elementary students in grade K – 3 are administered the DIBELS Next reading assessment.
The Test of Mathematical Abilities for Gifted Students (TOMAGS) is available for students
demonstrating strengths in math. At the end of each quarter, students are given Scantron
Achievement Tests in Language Arts and Math. These are common assessments developed for
our District to align with our curriculum maps and state standards. Gifted portfolio review
checklists and rubrics have been created for teachers to evaluate class performance and/or
products in order to submit them to be considered in the body of evidence for identification.
Behavioral:
All students have a teacher and parent copy of the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS)
and many schools are using the KOI to support the body of evidence. The SIGS is available for
parents in English and Spanish.
The body of evidence is examined by the gifted committee to determine if a student qualifies for
gifted identification and the category of identification: Language Arts, Math, Both Language
Arts and Math, or Other (Non-verbal with no academic strength, twice exceptional, creativity,
leadership, arts). Based on our culturally diverse population, FFC8 believes it is important to
identify students in the non-verbal domain even if the student does not demonstrate an academic
strength. For non-verbally gifted students, goals are written to support academic areas as well as
goals to support the non-verbal strength.
Criteria:
Although FFC8 has set guidelines surrounding the body of evidence for gifted identification that
aligns with recommendations from CDE, each student presents a unique profile for individual
consideration. One score will never screen a student out of the identification process. Based on
our highly mobile military population and the level of poverty at many schools, FFC8 will
automatically identify a student demonstrating a cognitive ability score of a 95% NPR or above
in any subcategory or a composite score. Our students often demonstrate advanced cognitive
potentials, especially in the non-verbal area, but do not have matching achievement scores as a
result of multiple school moves, English as a second language, or families facing financial or
personal struggles. If a student does not demonstrate gifted abilities in the cognitive domain, but
demonstrates advanced abilities in the achievement, behavioral, and performance areas, a gifted
identification can be made.
Team Review:
At the time of the screening, the team will determine if a student meets the criteria for the
following three levels of identification: At grade or below grade level, Highly-capable, or
Gifted. All students who are screened will have a completed identification form placed in their
records as evidence of the process and the data that was examined. The identification form
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requires each team member to sign-in, document all evidence data, and record any parent,
student, or teacher comments. If a student is determined to be highly-capable, the team examines
Tier II interventions that could be implemented to ensure student growth and notes the
identification to ensure future review. If a student is identified as a gifted learner, the student is
coded “gifted” in our Infinite Campus system, all teachers who work with the student are notified
of the identification, and parents are contacted. All newly identified students then move to the
ALP process.
Parent Communication:
Parents are notified via newsletter or a note home when the Cognitive Assessment is
administered. Any time an additional assessment, like the KBIT, is administered, parents receive
a written permission form to sign and return. Many schools request parent input via the SIGS
and include parents in the screening process. Once a student is formally identified as a gifted
learner, parents receive a formal letter alerting them to the identification decision and they
receive a questionnaire to complete and return to school in preparation of the ALP meeting. A
brochure, Understanding the ALP, is included in the letter. The questionnaire provides parents
the opportunity to share information about their child, the gifted traits they have observed, and
any questions or concerns they may have about their child. Parents are invited to an ALP
conference where the ALP is shared, any changes or additions made, a signature is obtained, and
a copy provided to the parent.
Equal and Equitable Access:
FFC8 recognizes the population of students we serve can often be underrepresented in gifted
identification. For this reason, we have a wide variety of screening tools, cognitive assessments
that measure non-verbal abilities, and a strong commitment to identifying twice-exceptional and
ELL students. We encourage the identification of non-verbal gifted students and provide support
systems for our students not achieving to their potential through the RtI process and/or ALP
accommodations and interventions.
Creativity, Arts, and Leadership Identification:
In the next four years, FFC8 will move forward with identification of students in the area of art,
music, creativity and leadership. A body of evidence for these areas will include: teacher
evaluation rubrics, student audition/performances/portfolio, rating scales, and a juried evaluation.
Counselors will also play an important role in identification in these areas to align with the
Individual and Career Academic Plan (ICAP) plan with appropriate course selection to support
talent areas.
AU Targets:
D emographics:
 Exam ine the pros and cons of im plem enting the CogAT Screener for all
stud ents in grad es 3 and 7, and ad m inister the CogAT Fu ll Battery Form 7 for
those stud ents w ithin a specific range on the Screener.
 Ensure Title I schools have received training on ad m inistering the KOI.
 Review id entification d em ographics yearly and ad d ress inconsistencies as
need ed .
 Continue to support teachers w ith Ruby Payne classes to better und erstand
stud ents of poverty.
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
Continue to have FFC8 gifted representation on the Military Ed ucation Task
Force to ensure the District is m eeting the need s of our gifted m ilitary
stud ents.
Identification:
 Increase the percentage of stud ents id entified as gifted learners in the District.
 Continually exam ine the screening process to ensure equal and equitable
access to all stud ents.
 Provid e professional d evelopm ent opportunities to increase und erstand ing
about the characteristics and learning need s of gifted learners.
 Increase the lead ership d ensity of our screening com m ittees and their
know led ge and expertise of gifted learners.
 Enhance and im prove parent com m unication and participation in the
id entification process.
 Provid e professional d evelopm ent opportunities to enhance id entification of
our und errepresented populations and our tw ice-exceptional stud ents.

State Performance Plan indicators relevant to programming.
100% of administrative units will declare and could implement at least one
method of Tier II and Tier III programming to serve each category of giftedness
as appropriate for individual gifted students.

100% of AUs will implement ALPs in high schools by fall 2014 either as a blended
plan with the ICAP or as a separate individual ALP.

Colorado will have a policy or guidelines for acceleration.
Programming
AU Description:
Alignment of D ata:
At the beginning of each school year, the District gifted coord inator m eets w ith
build ing principals to review gifted d ata from TCAP. Principals are provid ed w ith a
list of gifted stud ents and inform ation on each stud ents’ perform ance level (ex.
Proficient-high or Ad vanced -low ), and their grow th scores (low , typical, high). In
ad d ition, m ed ian grow th percentile scores in read ing, w riting, and m ath are exam ined
for gifted stud ents in the build ing. Ind ivid ual build ing and District GT d ata for TCAP
are reported to the Curriculum and Instruction Departm ent , the Assistant
Superintend ent for Curriculum and Instr uction, and the Superintend ent. After the
w inter and spring Scantron Perform ance Assessm ent, the District GT coord inator
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provid es principals w ith d ata regard ing each stud ent’s scaled score gains and
id entifies stud ents w ho have and have not attained their Scantron grow th goal for the
sem ester and for the school year. At the end of each quarter, the GT coord inator
exam ines Scantron Achievem ent Series d ata (d istrict’s com m on assessm ents) and
d esegregates d ata for gifted stud ents to provid e for build ing prin cip als. Throughout
the year, a strong em phasis in the District is using d ata to guid e instructional d ecision
m aking. ALP goals are w ritten in the SMART goal form at to ensure goal attainm ent
can be m easured at the end of each school year.
Service Structures:
The yearly rewriting of the ALP allow s staff to exam ine ind ivid ual stud ent d ata and
m ake instructional and service d ecision s based on a stud ent’s uniqu e need s. A variety
of services are provid ed through a m ulti-tiered level of support. Our current District
curriculum m aps have been tightly aligned to the new Colorad o Content Stand ard s.
Com m on assessm ents each quarter provid e teachers w ith inform ation on stud ent gains
and m astery of content stand ard s. The curriculum m ap s and d ata p lay a critical role in
d evelopm ent of ALPs. Because of the m obile nature of our population, ALPs are
w ritten throughout the year w henever a student is new ly id entified as a gifted learner
in FFC8.
Element ary :
Build ing principals m ake site-based d ecisions on how to m eet the need s of all stud ents
in a build ing and ensu re all stud ents grow acad em ically. The m ulti-tiered level of
d ifferentiated support to gifted stud ents at the elem entary includ e a com bination of:
flexible grouping, cluster grouping, focus groups, ad vanced classes, use of an
interventionist or support staff for pull-out, before and after school classes and clubs,
acad em ic contests, ind epend ent stud y, content acceleration, content com paction, and
gifted m eetings/ classes. The d istrict provid es opportunities for academ ic com petitions
such as spelling bee, m ath contest, read ing contest, and science fairs. Departm ent of
Defense grant m oney has sup ported a large variety of after -school opportunities for
gifted stud ents, includ ing a Saturd ay school for enrichm ent activities and classes.
Supplem ental curriculum has been purchased for each build ing to support gifted
learners and teachers are provid ed w ith m any professional d evelopm ent opportunities
on ad vanced instruction through rigor and relevance. To ad d ress the social/ em otional
need s of GT stud ents, elem entary schools provid e m onthly opportunities for gifted
stud ents to get together for a lunch bunch, gam es group, goal setting, career
aw areness, or book stud ies. The build ing cou nselor or school psychologists play an
im portant role in m eeting w ith gifted stud ents to support their affective need s. A
stud ent hand book has been created by the d istrict coord inator to use w ith stud ents to
guid e them through und erstand ing their id entification, setting goals, sharing their
interests, and id entifying their learning styles.
Middle School:
The ALP process and d ata are used to d eterm ine appropriate class placem ent for
m id d le school stud ents. A w id e variety of elective courses are available to support
interest and talent areas. H onors and pre-AP classes provid e acad em ic rigor and
challenge to gifted stud ents. Departm ent of Defense grant fund s provid e before and
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after school enrichm ent classes, contests, and clubs for stud ent participation. Lunch
groups are held for gifted stud ents and a special m orning focus group for gifted
stud ents provid es m id d le school stud ents the opportunity to take on lead ership roles
in the build ing. Inform ational parent and stud ent m eetings are held to inform fam ilies
about school and com m unity GT opportunities.
High School:
The high school offers stud ents m any challenging acad em ic opportunities. A zero hour
class provid es stud ents the chance to take very specific courses they m ay not be able to
fit in their school d ay. There is a large variety of pre-AP, AP courses, and college level
courses. Stud ents can earn college level cred it for no cost. The high school also
partners w ith several post-second ary institutions for stud ents to enroll in their college
courses or program s w hile still in high school. The high school has a partnership w ith
University of Colorad o at Colorad o Springs to provid e Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) courses to stud ents d uring the year and in the sum m er.
An on-line class option is also available if stu d ents require higher level course selection.
A w id e variety of electives, clubs, and activities are available to students. The high
school has a very strong career-tech ed ucation program w ith a state-of-the art green
house and a future culinary arts program . Through the ALP process, gifted stud ents
receive priority for elective class selection in their talent or strength area. Monthly
lunch groups are held for gifted stud ents w here ad m inistrators and counselors attend .
Each gifted stud ent has been assigned a m entor teacher to oversee their ALP and be a
point of contact for the stud ent and the fam ily. Gifted high school stud ents have both
an ICAP and ALP plan. Grant fund s provid e gifted high school stud ents the
opportunity to go on m any ed ucational field trips and visit college cam pu ses. All gifted
sophom ores take both the PLAN and the PSAT. A zero hour has been implemented to
allow students to take a class prior to the regular school day in order to have a GT 7th hour
academic focus time which will include study time, perfectionist support groups, and similar
support for issues shared by GT students.
D ifferentiated Instructional Support:
Through Departm ent of Defense grants the d istrict has been fortunate to provid e a
focused and targeted level of professional d evelopm ent around the topics of
d ifferentiation, rigor, relevance, relationships, cooperative learning, stud ent
engagem ent, and strategies to m eet the need s of at-risk stud ent populations.
Supplem ental curriculum has been purchased to support d ifferentiation. College of
William and Mary N ovel Units and Jacob’s Lad d er m aterials have been provid ed to all
elem entary schools along w ith professional d evelopm ent on im plem entation. Our
N ational Math and Science Initiative (N MSI) grant allow ed the District to im plem ent
AP and pre-AP classes. The grant includ ed m aterials and training for all AP teachers.
Grants have also allow ed us to not only ad opt curriculum strongly aligned to
stand ard s, but provid e teachers w ith a thorough and d eep -level of professional
d evelopm ent around best instructional practices. The 2012 school year w ill m ark the
first tim e the District has an aligned program of pre-AP and AP courses in m ultiple
content areas.
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11
Acceleration:
A clearly d efined proced ure is d eveloped for cases w hen grad e-level acceleration is
being requested or d eem ed appropriate. The build ing principal contacts the District
coord inator and a team m eeting is set to review the need s of the stud ent and the
reasons w hy acceleration is being proposed . The Iow a Acceleration Scale (IAS) is used
for the process. Scantron and TCAP d ata are exam ined . A WISC IV is ad m inistered by
the school psychologist. An Acceleration H and book has been d esigned and provid ed
to parents to give them som e guid ance through the process and assist them w ith
und erstand ing both the pros and cons of acceleration. Once the IAS has been
com pleted by the d istrict coord inator, a m eeting to includ e the parents, ad m inistrator,
teachers, and stud ent (w hen appropriate) is held to m ake an acceleration
recom m end ation. The District coord inator and principal take this recom m end ation
and present it to the Executive Director of Curriculum a nd Instruction for final
approval. A review letter of the process and the recom m end ation is w ritten by the
build ing principal and both the parents and principal sign the letter. Copies of this
d ocum ent go to the parent and in the child ’s school record s.
Affective N eeds:
The affective need s of gifted stud ents are a strong focus in the creation of the ALP and
the program m ing provid e to id entified gifted stud ents. All build ing-level counselors
have received professional d evelopm ent and a hand book on the u nique need s of gifted
stud ents and strategies to support gifted stud ents. This hand book includ es inform ation
on the com m on social/ em otional concerns of gifted stud ents and step -by-step
d irections of Tier II and III interventions to support the und erachieving gifted
stud ents. Resources on affective need s of gifted stud ents have been purchased for each
school and counselor. Build ings are encouraged to bring id entified gifted stud ents
together m onthly for lu nch groups, enrichm ent activities, field trips, or career and
college planning. Our high school takes stud ents to visit university cam pu ses as w ell
as provid es gifted stud ents w ith opportunities for enriching and ed ucational field
trips. Each gifted stud ent at the high school has been assigned a “m entor teacher” to
m eet w ith throughout the year and d uring monthly lunch groups. Mid d le school
gifted stud ents are placed together in a m orning focus group to m eet w ith teachers
w ho provid e them w ith m entorship support and sponsor activities such as creating
vid eo new s broad casts. The Garrison Com m and er of Fort Carson has invited the
District Gifted Coord inator to be a m em ber of the ed ucational task force representing
stud ents w ith special need s. This com m ittee has d eveloped m any support system s for
the gifted m ilitary student and the challenges they face w ith m ultiple m oves from one
school to another.
ALP D evelopment:
The Alpine Achievem ent System is used for District ALPs. As d escribed in other
sections, the ALP is rew ritten yearly w ith parent, stud ent, and teacher participation.
SMART goals are w ritten for a stud ent’s strength area. Affective goals are also
includ ed if there is an area of concern. Parent signatures are obtained and a copy
provid ed to parents. In the spring of each year, teachers record the level of goal
attainm ent for each SMART goal. Each year, the District GT coord inator review s all
ALPS and com pletes an ALP Rubric Review for each build ing. This review is provid ed
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12
to the principal and any corrections or im provem ents to ALPs as a result of this review
are m ad e. The high school and District have determ ined gifted stud ents w ill have both
an ALP and an ICAP to m eet the various need s and requirem ents u nique to each plan.
Transition Procedure:
In the spring of each year, elem entary counselors and ad m inistrators m eet w ith m id d le
school counselors and ad m inistrators to review specific requ ests for class p lacem ent or
stud ents of concern in the area of special ed ucation and gifted ed ucation. The ALP is
w arehoused in the Alpine Achievem ent System and therefore new teachers are able to
view all previous ALPs. Mid d le school counselors and ad m inistrator m eet w ith high
school staff to transition stud ents. Class recom m end ations are m ad e for gifted
stud ents to have priority enrollm ent into pre-AP, AP, or honors courses based on
acad em ic strengths and need . The high school allow s gifted stud ents p riority
enrollm ent in electives to ensure stud ents are able to enroll in AP courses and still have
opportunities for specific elective courses. At the beginning of the year, both the
m id d le school and high school host an evening event for parents of gifted stud ents to
share inform ation on how the need s of gifted stud ents w ill be ad d ressed and outline
the m any opportunities that are available for gifted stud ents before, d uring, and after
school.
AU Targets:






As bud get allow s, increase the program m ing options available for gifted
stud ents.
Continue to provid e professional d evelopm ent opportunities for teachers to
strengthen their instructional practices around rigor and d ifferentiation.
Im prove teacher, parent, and stud ent und erstand ing of the ALP by m aking it a
m eaningful d ocu m ent to all stakehold ers.
Continue to enhance und erstand ing about the affective need s of gifted stud ents
and how to better support these unique need s.
Continue to use the ALP Review Rubric to evaluate com pleted ALPs.
Strengthen the process for transition gifted stud ents to the m id d le school and
the high school.
State Performance Plan indicators relevant to accountability.

100% of administrative units will be successful in identifying and moving towards
gifted student achievement/growth targets.

100% of administrative units will accomplish priorities set through the Colorado
Gifted Education Review (C-GER).
Student Accountability and Accreditation
SMART Goals for Student Achievement
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13
Evaluation of Program:
The AU SMART goals have been d eveloped after thorough exam ination of District GT
d ata and w ith stake-hold er involvem ent. This includ es: principals, Curriculum and
Instruction Departm ent, Superintend ent, District Ed ucation Liaison Com m ittee and
District Accred itation Com m ittee.
Teachers and ad m inistrators have been thoroughly trained on using d ata to support
Unified Im provem ent Plan (UIP) Goals and to d evelop ind ivid ual stud ent goals. ALP
goals are w ritten in SMART goal form at that includ es a w ay to m easure gifted grow th
on an annual basis. GT d esegregated d ata is continually provid ed to principals and
teachers to m onitor grow th. Gifted d ata are continually exam ined to d eterm ine areas of
im provem ent and areas for a build ing and / or d istrict focus through the UIP process.
Multiple m ethod s are used throughout the District for continual feed back and review of
the GT program and w ays to im prove program d elivery and stud ent achievem ent.
AU SMART Goals:



Increase the Med ian Grow th Percentile of id entified gifted stud ents 5% each year in the
content area of id entification.
o Increase the Med ian Grow th Percentile of stud ents id entified in m athem atics from 60
to 63 on the 2012 Math TCAP.
o Increase the Med ian Grow th Percentile of stud ents id entified in language arts from
53.5 to 56.2 on the 2012 Read ing TCAP.
o Increase the Med ian Grow th Percentile of stud ents id entified in language arts from
54 to 56.7 on the 2012 Writing TCAP.
98% of id entified gifted stud ents w ill score Proficient and / or Ad vanced on the annual
TCAP.
80% of gifted stud ents w ill achieve typical or high grow th on CSAP/ TCAP in their area of
gifted identification.
Student Accountability and Program Evaluation
Based on the 2010 C-GER, these w ere the identified Improvement Targets provided
to our D istrict:
 Programming:
1. Build und erstand ing and carry out ALP im plem entation w ith parents
and stud ents.
2. Consid er AP im plem entation at high school.
3. Ensure d ual enrollm ent courses have rigor, com plexity, relevance, and
novelty.
4. Align honors and college classes to Colorad o Content Stand ard s.
5. Continue to extend professional d evelopm ent in gifted program m ing
strategies.
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14
6. Develop program m ing options for gifted students.
7. Develop an acceleration proced ure.
8. Support gifted program m ing w ith qualified personnel.

Personnel:
1. Designate a gifted contact in each bu ild ing that w ould be paid a stip end
for extra services.
2. Increase the num ber of qualified gifted ed ucation teachers in the d istrict
as bud get allow s.
AU Targets:
In ord er to ad dress the program targets from the FFC8 C-GER, the follow ing targets
have been established :
 Im p rove parent und erstand ing of the ALP process by d esigning an
Understanding the A LP brochure for parents to review . Continue to provid e
staff d evelopm ent and support around d eveloping a useful and m eaningful
ALP. Involve stud ents in the process of tracking their d ata and d eveloping
their ow n ALP goals. Invite stud ents to the ALP m eeting.
 AP classes w ere im plem ented d uring the 2011-2012 school year. Pre-AP w ill
be im plem ented 2012-2013. All d ual-enrollm ent classes have been realigned
to ensure a level of rigor and stud ents can earn both AP cred it and college
cred it. All AP and college classes have been realigned to CAS/ CCSS.
 H onors classes at the high school w ill m ove to Pre-AP courses 2012-2013.
H onors/ Pre-AP District com m on assessm ents are d ifferentiated . College
courses are aud ited for level of instructional rigor and alignm ent to
stand ard s.
 Designated teachers are selected each spring to exam ine curriculum m aps
and align them to Colorad o Content Stand ards in all content areas.
Continued professional d evelopm ent w ill be provid ed to gain a d eeper
und erstand ing of the Com m on Core stand ard s and increasing the rigor and
d epth of instruction. Com m on District Assessm ents w ill be aligned to
stand ard s and a certain percentage of questions w ill be selected that represent
a higher level of thinking and und erstand ing.
 As bud get and grants allow , the d istrict w ill continue to exam ine
program m ing options to support gifted ed ucation.
 An acceleration procedure w as d eveloped d uring the 2011-2012 school year.
 Tw o teachers attend ed a SEN G training to becom e official facilitators of a
SEN G group; tw o other teachers are w orking on a GT masters; several
teachers have received support in preparing for the PLACE GT exam for their
8/13/2013
15




end orsem ent.
As bud get allow s, the ad d ition of support personnel w ill be exam ined w ith
the intent of enhancing achievem ent for all stud ents.
All ALPs m u st contain an Affective goal for id entified stud ents. The goal
m ust be w ritten in SMART goal form at to ensure schools are m onitoring and
m easuring the affective goal attainm ent.
Evaluate Scantron and TCAP d ata yearly and provid e build ing lead ers w ith
reports on GT achievem ent and grow th. Each fall, principals receive a report
on ind ivid ual gifted stud ents in their build ing and the stud ents’ level of
proficiency and grow th. Three tim es a year, principals receive a report on GT
stud ents’ achievem ent and gains on the Scantron Perform ance assessm ent.
Gifted stud ent achievem ent is closely m onitored and reported throughout the
year.
To evaluate program effectiveness, im p lem ent the use of an online survey
provid ed to parents of id entified gifted stud ents in the spring of 2013.
Personnel
AU Description:
D istrict GT Personnel
The District em ploys a GT coord inator w ho has a m aster’s d egree in gifted ed ucation.
The GT coord inator is responsible for the m anagem ent of the GT program . The
District continues to su pport teachers w ith professional d evelopm ent opportunities to
increase lead ership d ensity around gifted education and best practices for gifted
stud ents. A SEN G group w as created d uring the 2011-2012 school year, using
personnel w ho attend ed a SEN G facilitator training. Several teachers are w orking
tow ard s a m aster’s d egree in gifted ed ucation. N um erous teachers are w orking
tow ard s attaining an end orsem ent in gifted ed ucation. The District GT coord inator is
provid ing m aterials and m eetings to support teachers in receiving an end orsem ent.
Counselors and school psychologists have been provid ed professional d evelopm ent
opportunities and m aterials to support the affective need s of gifted stud ents and to
assist w ith college and career planning. Teachers have been provided w ith District,
regional, and state opportunities to expand their expertise in gifted ed ucation.
Teachers are provid ed m any options for District staff d evelopm ent that supports gifted
ed ucation through the Sum m er Professional Acad em y, after-school courses, District
staff d evelopm ent d ays, and on -line courses. Many courses that are provid ed to
teachers have been certified through a college or university to provid e grad uate cred it.
The H R d epartm ent reports that over 98% of our m id d le and high school level teachers
are highly qualified in their content area. The District provid es a N ew Teacher
Orientation each year and new teachers receive inform ation on gifted id entification
8/13/2013
16
and program m ing. As bud get allow s, the District supports the ad d ition of personnel
to enhance learning opportunities for highly capable and gifted stud ents.
Paraprofessionals are not used to d eliver instruction to id entified gifted stud ents.
AU Targets:


As bud get allow s, continue to increase personnel end orsed or qualified in the
area of gifted ed ucation.
Continue to provid e professional d evelopm ent opportunities for classroom
teachers on the topic of d ifferentiation and m eeting the need s of the gifted
learner.
Budget:
AU Description:
D istrict GT Budget
Beyond the GT grant m oney provid ed to the state, the District provid es fund s to
support gifted program m ing through acad em ic contests, teacher stipend s, after-school
classes, clu bs, and pu rchasing of GT m aterials. The District financially supports the
screening of all stud ents through the use of the CogAT. Many teachers receive
stipend s to perform d uties beyond the classroom to facilitate acad em ic contests and
after school enrichm ent classes in m athem atics, robotics, science, creative w riting, etc.
Each build ing is provid ed a specific GT bud get and guid elines have been set as to how
these can be spent. The Gifted Coord inator review s the bud get tw ice a year in ord er to
subm it state reports and track appropriate use of fund s. If a GT expend iture d oes not
seem to fall w ithin the guid elines, the finance d irector w ill contact the GT coord inator
before a purchase ord er is approved .
AU Target:






As bud get allow s, increase fund ing for GT program m ing and id entification.
Continue to support GT program m ing at a build ing level.
Continue to support stipend s for program s that support GT stud ents.
Continue to m onitor both District and build ing GT expend itures.
Continue to purchase m aterials to support gifted program m ing.
Continue to provid e a cognitive assessm ent as a screening tool for all stud ents in
specific grad e levels.
8/13/2013
17
Budget: Form
Complete and e-mail a budget page available at:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/index.htm with the Program Plan template.
The proposed budget includes a projection of state funds and contributing funds
from the administrative unit. (State finance/accounting regulations require
reporting of all expenditures (general funds and state grant funds) related to
programs supported through state categorical funds. The program code for gifted
education is 3150.)
State gifted funds may be used for:
1) Salaries for appropriately certified, endorsed or licensed personnel serving gifted
students (gifted education directors, resource teachers, teachers of gifted student
classrooms and counselors for gifted students);
2) Professional development related to gifted education;
3) Programming options specific to gifted students and outlined on advanced learning
plans;
4) Supplies and materials used in instructional programming for gifted education; and,
5) Technology and equipment necessary for the education of gifted students, not to
exceed twenty-five percent of the total amount of the annual state allocation.
Record Keeping
AU Description:
Student Education Records:
As previously outlined, every id entified gifted stud ent has an ALP, rew ritten and
review ed annually. The ALP is created using the Alpine Achievem ent System . Alpine
allow s us to archive and view old plans and create new plans each year. H ard copies
of the ALP are printed and placed in the stud ent’s ed ucation record fold er and given to
the parent. When a stud ent m oves, every effort is m ad e to provid e the parent w ith the
m ost upd ated ALP to hand -carry to the new school and a cover letter d escribing w hy
the stud ent w as id entified as program m ing services received . The ALP is the
d ocum ent that is instrum ental in all d ecision m aking and program m ing for the
id entified stud ent. It also is used to track grow th over tim e using the d ata w arehouse
option in Alpine. All assessm ent d ata is upload ed into Alpine and a d ata portfolio is
created for the stud ent. This allow s ed ucators to view achievem ent over tim e and
d evelop targeted and specific acad em ic goals for gifted stud ents. ALPs are consid ered
form al ed ucational plans and ed u cators m ust follow all the guid elines for
confid entiality. ALPs are never em ailed to parents and printed d ocum ents are kept in
locked file cabinets. The high school has d eterm ined it best for gifted stud ents to have
both an ICAP and an ALP. Com ponents of the Alpine ALP includ e: Stud ent ID info,
stud ent interests and goals, assessm ent d ata, GPA, extracurricular activities, aw ard s
and recognitions, accom m od ations, gifted classification , acad em ic SMART goals,
guid ance/ counseling/ career planning, sum m ary of recom m end ations, bod y of
evid ence used for id entification.
The District GT coord inator review s all ALPs annually and com pletes an evaluation
rubric that is provid ed to the build ing ad m inistrator. The rubric is intend ed to
im prove ALP quality and id entify specific ALPs that require corrections or ad d itions.
8/13/2013
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AU Targets:



Continue to provid e staff d evelopm ent to ensure the ALP is a d ocu m ent that is
m eaningful and helpfu l in targeting instruction and grow th for gifted stud ents.
Continue to exam ine w ays to im prove the ALP d ocum ent.
Continue to evaluate ALPs to im prove quality.
Early Access
Early access provisions are optional. Mark the box pertaining to the individual AU.
Submit the early access addendum with the program plan as an attachment when
emailing the administrative unit’s documents. If there are no changes to an early
access addendum already on file with CDE, then mark in this section that an early
access addendum is on file. The early access addendum will be posted on the CDE
Web along with the AU’s program plan. The early access addendum and guidance
checklist are at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/resources.htm
An early access plan is on file with CDE. No changes.
An early access plan will be attached to the email for Program Plan submission.
The AU does not have an early access plan.
Dispute Resolution
AU Description:
Methods for a D ispute Resolution
The d ispute resolution process requires the party w ho has a d isagreem ent w ith an
id entification or program m ing issue to com plete a d esignated appeal form that clearly
d escribes w hy the appeal is being m ad e and the new evid ence the appellant w ould like
the team to consid er. The com pleted form is given to the build ing ad m inistrator. The
ad m inistrator review s the form and d eterm ines next steps. N orm ally this w ill involve
bringing the GT team together to review the appeal request. The District GT
coord inator m ay be inform ed of the appeal and invited to attend the appeal m eeting.
The appellant is provid ed the opportunity to m eet w ith the com m ittee and share
concerns and new inform ation the com m ittee m ay not have consid ered . Upon
listening to the appellant, a final d ecision from the school or District w ill be
com m unicated . Inform ation on the process for an appeal can be found on the public
8/13/2013
19
GT w ebsite, the parent and ed ucator hand book, and on the intranet.
AU Targets:


Continue to d evelop or im prove the d ispute process if need ed .
Continue to support ad m inistrators and teachers if a d ispute is subm itted .
Additional Administrative Unit Information
Directions: Optional
Attach or U.S. mail documents that further describe the administrative unit’s gifted
education program design; unique elements of addressing the instructional and
affective needs of gifted students; advanced learning plan form/procedures;
handbooks; and/or provisions for family engagement.
In the space below, list the title/s of the document/s and/or web-links submitted to
Colorado Department of Education.
The administrative unit’s program plan is due April 30, 2012.
E-mail the completed program plan, budget page, and other documents to
Katherine Keck, [email protected]. Use the administrative unit’s name in
the subject line of the e-mail. Label document files according to the following
examples, starting with the name of the administrative unit:
File Name Examples:
Douglas
Douglas
Douglas
Douglas
County_ProgramPlan_12-16
County_Budget_12-16
County_ALP_12-16
County_Early Access_12-16
E-mail the Program Plan to
Katherine Keck, Program Assistant
[email protected]
CDE Mailing Address:
Gifted Education
Colorado Department of Education
Gifted Education Unit
1560 Broadway, Suite 1175
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 866-6652
Fax: (303) 866-6767
CDE Contact Persons:
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20
Jacquelin Medina, Director, Gifted Education
Colorado Department of Education
Gifted Education Unit
1560 Broadway, Suite 1175
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 866-6652
Fax: (303) 866-6767
Katherine Keck, Program Assistant II
Colorado Department of Education
Gifted Education Unit
1560 Broadway, Suite 1175
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 866-6794
Fax: (303) 866-6767
Gifted Education Regional Consultants (GERCs) are also
available for assistance in writing the Program Plan.
Gifted students’ learning and growth
ensured by needed provisions and advocacy
8/13/2013
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Typical/Eligible Expenditures of State Gifted
and Talented Education Funds
I. Licensed, endorsed personnel working with
gifted students
Suggested/Detailed Chart of Accounts
Codes
Salary
Subsitute Teachers
Additional Earnings/Stipends
Benefits
Program: 0070, Object: 0110, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0120, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0150, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0200, Grant: 3150
Sub-total of I.
II. Professional Development for educators
of gifted students
Consultant Fees
Contracted Services
Program: 2212, Object: 0320, Grant: 3150
Program: 2212, Object: 0320, Grant: 3150
A.
State Gifted
Education
Funds
B.
Administrative Unit's
Contributing Funds
AU's
Other (e.g.
Resources
Federal or
local grant)
Workshop Fees: Travel, Registration and
Entrance
Substitute Teachers
Additional Earnings/Stipends
Printing
Other:
Sub-total of II.
III. Activities associated with instruction for
gifted students
Contracted Services
Additional Earnings/Stipends
Fees for Content Extensions
Field Trips: Contracted
Field Trips: If District Provided
Transportation
Transportation - Rental of Buses
Printing
Other: dues and fees (0810)
Sub-total of III.
IV. Instructional Materials
Supplies & Materials
Sub-total of IV.
V. *Instructional Equipment
Non-Capital Equipment (not a Fixed asset)
Equipment which is a Fixed Asset
Attach completed equipment sheet to plan
Sub-total of V.
Total:
43,300
3,000
1,000
11,000
58,300
Program: 2212, Object: 0580, Grant: 3150
Program: 2212, Object: 0120, Grant: 3150
Program: 2212, Object: 0150, Grant: 3150
Program: 2540, Object: 0550, Grant: 3150
Object: 0390, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0320, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0150, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0320, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0513, Grant: 3150
3,000
Program: 0070, Object: 0851
Program: 0070 & Object: 0444
Program: 0070, Object: 0550, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0390, Grant: 3150
Program: 0070, Object: 0610, Grant: 3150
2,500
5,500
10,302
10,302
20,000
20,000
**68,602
25,500
Program: 0070, Object: 0735, Grant:
31050
Program: 0070, Object: 0735, Grant:
31050
* Equipment purchased from state funds may not exceed 25% of the total request from the state.
Equipment must be maintained on an inventory list throughout the useful life of the equipment.
** The AU's request is projected using last year's allocation. The final AU allocation is posted on the CDE WEB page during summer months
after the legislative session and approval of the State Board of Education.
8/13/2013
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