Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95

Gifted Education Program

District 95 Mission is…

to inspire all students to be passionate, continuous learners and to prepare them with the skills to achieve their goals and flourish as responsible,

caring citizens in a global community.

CUSD 95 Strategic PlanStrategy:

Align and develop curriculum, innovative instructional practices and learning opportunities that promote high level thinking, promote connections to global issues, and support students’ pursuit of personally meaningful goals:

■ To provide for the mastery of basic skills while affording students an opportunity to increase pace, depth and level of learning

■ To promote the development and application of critical thinking and reasoning skills

■ To encourage divergent thinking ■ To encourage advanced oral and written skills ■ To develop research skills and methods ■ To address characteristics unique to the gifted population

Core Value: ■ All people can learn and they do so at different rates and in

different ways.

Our GoalTo provide our students a quality

education that develops their unique skills and talents to the

fullest and enables them to flourish as responsible, caring citizens in a

global community.

Giftedness… What is it?

The Illinois School Code definitions of giftedness (14A-02) states:

“Gifted children shall be defined as those children who consistently excel or show the potential to consistently excel above

the average in one or more of the defined areas of giftedness to the

extend that they need and can profit from specially planned educational

services.”

Note the Difference by Janice Szabos

A Bright Child:Knows the answersIs interestedIs attentiveHas good ideasWorks hardAnswers the questionsTop groupListens with interestLearns with ease6-8 repetitions for masteryUnderstands ideasEnjoys peersGrasps the meaningCompletes assignmentsIs receptive

A Gifted Learner:Asks the questionsIs highly curiousIs mentally and physically involvedHas wild, silly ideas Plays around, yet tests wellDiscusses in detail, elaboratesBeyond the groupShows strong feeling and opinionsAlready knows1-2 repetitions for masteryConstructs abstractionsPrefers adultsDraws inferencesInitiates projectsIs intense

Source: Challenge Magazine, 1989, Issue 34

CUSD 95 Gifted Program History1999 and earlier

Pull out program – CHIPS Enrichment during lunch time – projects and

games High school for math and missed an encore

period1999 – 2001

Development of LZ CUSD 95 Gifted Committee (parents, teachers, and administrators)

2001 – 2002 Pilot program at MW and SA Pilot program at Middle School North and Middle

School South2003 – Present

Elementary Math Replacement Program Middle Schools Gifted Program: replacement

math, literature, language arts, social studies, and science

Placement Process

Annual Elementary Screening Time Line

Math MAP Data review – September, January & May

2nd grade CogAT Testing – March

2nd grade Problem Solving – May

Parent Notification – May/June

*NOTE: all student data is reviewed annually.

Annual Middle SchoolScreening Time Line

5th Reading/Math MAP Data review – November5th grade CogAT Testing – January 5th grade Math and Writing Testing - JanuaryParent/Student Notification – AprilParent/Students – Informational Meeting - May

Who qualifies?

The state guidelines recommended the top 5% of students in a district receive

gifted services.District 95 strives to be more inclusive. Approximately 10% of students in the

district receive gifted services.

Identification Process2nd grade

Initial PoolInitial Pool

Minimum of 120 in the non-verbal and/or quantitative portion of the CogAT

Minimum of 120 in the non-verbal and/or quantitative portion of the CogAT

94%ile for MAP Math.94%ile for MAP Math.

Scores are placed on a matrix for initial review by the school’s gifted specialist.

Scores are placed on a matrix for initial review by the school’s gifted specialist.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Identification Process2nd grade

• Spring CogAT testing• Problem solving assessment• Building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT data

Initial pool for further review: • Students who have a minimum of 120 in the non-verbal

and/or quantitative portion of the CogAT and are in the 94%ile for MAP Math.

• Scores are placed on a matrix for initial review by the school’s gifted specialist.

• The gifted team reviews all data.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are

identified as qualifying for the program.

Identification Process3rd grade

Annual review of all student dataAnnual review of all student data

After Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT dataAfter Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT data

Student with consistent scores of 97%ile or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

Student with consistent scores of 97%ile or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist. Additional testing may be done.

Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist. Additional testing may be done.

Student does not have consistent scores of 97% or above on the MAP Math

Student does not have consistent scores of 97% or above on the MAP Math

No further action is taken.No further action is taken.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Identification Process3rd grade

• After Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT data

• Student with consistent scores of 97% or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

• Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist.

• The gifted team reviews all data.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Identification Process4th grade

Annual review of all student dataAnnual review of all student data

After Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT dataAfter Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT data

Student with consistent scores of 97% or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

Student with consistent scores of 97% or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist. Additional testing may be done.

Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist. Additional testing may be done.

Student does not have consistent scores of 97% or above on the MAP Math

Student does not have consistent scores of 97% or above on the MAP Math

No further action is taken.No further action is taken.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.Based on the data and the supporting documentation, students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Identification Process 4th grade

• After Fall, Winter and Spring testing, building gifted specialist reviews MAP and CogAT data

• Student with consistent scores of 97% or above on MAP Math will be considered for further review.

• Scores are placed on a matrix for review by the school’s gifted specialist.

• The gifted team reviews all data.

Based on the data and the supporting documentation,

students are identified as qualifying for the program.

Middle School Gifted Program Identification Process

Based on the 5th grade Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores, students are invited to take the identification tests for the MS gifted program

Students take 2 or 3 tests depending on area of academic strength: cognitive abilities test (administered to all students) a writing sample a math placement test

Middle School Gifted Program Identification

ProcessBased on the 5th grade Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores,

students are invited to take the identification tests for the MS gifted programBased on the 5th grade Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test scores,

students are invited to take the identification tests for the MS gifted program

Cognitive abilities test administered to all studentsCognitive abilities test administered to all students

Students take 2 or 3 tests depending on area of academic strength:Students take 2 or 3 tests depending on area of academic strength:

writing samplewriting sample math placement testmath placement testand/or

Students will need to meet the following criteria:

■ MAP test Reading and/or Math score of 95% or above

■ Cognitive ability score of 125 or greater

■ Meet or exceeds score on a writing sample (ISAT criteria)

■ Meet or exceeds score on a math placement test

■ Placed in Advance Math or Pre-Algebra

Qualifications for Middle School Gifted

Program

Parent and/or Teacher Nominations

If a referring party should disagree with a placement decision, they may nominate a student for further consideration. To nominate a student fill out the attached nomination forms and return it to the gifted specialist at your child’s school.

The following supporting documentation must be included with your nomination form: on level and/or above level work samples completed in class, classroom assessments, student artifacts, and classroom observation data.

PARENT NOMINATION FORM Please read as a reference

High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Thinker Bertie Kingore, Ph.D. http://www.bertiekingore.com/high-gt-create.htm

Students New to CUSD 95

Data from the student’s previous district will be reviewed for placement consideration. If additional testing is required the gifted specialist at the school will contact the parents. Testing will be done during the school day.

Exit ProcedureAlthough every effort is made to find the best academic placement for students sometimes, the Gifted Program is not the best fit for a child.

This is evident if:■ The student is unable to maintain a B- /C+

average in the majority of his/her classes■ The student shows a great deal of

frustration■ The student is unable to keep up with the

pace of the classes

Exit Procedure Parent Initiated Exit Form

Teacher notified. Conference is held to determine area of concern.Teacher notified. Conference is held to determine area of concern.

An Action Plan is developed for student improvement.An Action Plan is developed for student improvement. Student is exited by parent.Student is exited by parent.

Review of Action PlanReview of Action Plan

Parent is notified. New plan may be developed or

student is exited from the program.

Parent is notified. New plan may be developed or

student is exited from the program.

Student remains in the program with progress monitored. Process could be reinitiated.

Student remains in the program with progress monitored. Process could be reinitiated.

* NOTE Student may reapply to the program the following school year. See identification.

successful

not successful

Exit ProcedureTeacher Initiated Exit Slip

Area of concern identified.Students is unable to maintain pace or work is inaccurate or student lacks commitment, or student test score have dropped.

Area of concern identified.Students is unable to maintain pace or work is inaccurate or student lacks commitment, or student test score have dropped.

Parent notified of area of concern .Parent notified of area of concern .

Develop an Action Plan for improvement.Develop an Action Plan for improvement. Student is exited by parent.Student is exited by parent.

Student remains in the program with progress monitored. Process could be reinitiated.

Student remains in the program with progress monitored. Process could be reinitiated.

Parent notified. Student is exited from the program.Parent notified. Student is exited from the program.

Review Action planReview Action plan not successful

successful

*NOTE Student may reapply to the program the following school year. See identification

Map and CogAT Testing

Information

MAP TestingMAP, or the Measure of Academic

Progress, is a computerized adaptive test which helps

teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning

for all students and make informed decisions to promote a

child's academic growth.

MAP Testing Parent Information Frequently asked

questionsWhen will my student be tested and how often?During the first weeks of school, students will participate in several MAP testing sessions to assess Reading and Mathematics.  When taking the MAP test, the difficulty of each question is based on how well a student answers all the previous questions.  As the student answers correctly, questions become more difficult.  If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier.  Although the tests are not timed, it usually takes students about one hour to complete each test.  Students will repeat the tests two more times during the year to continually assess student progress and adapt learning as needed.Do all students in the same grade take the same test?No.  This assessment is designed to target a student's academic performance in mathematics and reading.  These tests are tailored to an individual's current achievement level.  This gives each student a fair opportunity to show what he or she knows and can do.  Because the computer adjusts the difficulty of the questions as the test progresses, each student takes a unique test.  What are the MAP test results used for?MAP is used to measure a student's progress or growth in school.  They are important to teachers because they let teachers know where a student's strengths are and if help is needed in any specific areas.  Teachers use this information to help them guide instruction in the classroom.

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

This test measures students’ reasoning ability in the three areas that are linked to academic success: Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative reasoning.

Reasoning is synonymous with learning and problem-solving. CogAT’s measurement of the three reasoning areas helps provide a balanced view of the child’s potential for academic success.

Verbal ReasoningVerbal Classification: The student is given a list of three words that are alike in some way. The student is asked to choose a word (from a selection of five words) that is alike in the same way.

Sentence Completion: The student is given a sentence that has a word left out and is asked to choose a word that makes the best sense in the sentence.

Verbal Analogies: The student is given three words. The first two words go together. The third word goes with one of the answer choices. The student is asked to choose the word that goes with the third word the same way that the second word goes with the first.

Non-Verbal ReasoningFigure Classification: The students are given three figures that are alike in some way. They are given three answer choices and five pictures to choose from. They are asked to decide which figure goes best with the three answer choices.

Figure Analogies: The student is given three figures. The first two figures go together; the third figure goes with one of the answer choices.

Figure Analysis: The student is shown how a square piece of dark paper is folded and where holes are punched in it. The student is to figure out how the paper will like when it is unfolded.

Quantitative ReasoningQuantitative Relations: The student is given two

problems numbered one and two with three answer choices. The student is to solve the two problems and determine if the answer is greater, less than, or equal to.

Number Series: The student is given a series of numbers and asked to decide which number should come next in the series.

Equation Building: The student is given numbers and signs. The student is asked to combine the numbers and signs to get a solution that is an answer choice.

CogAT Parent InformationFrequently Asked Questions about the CogAT

Is the CogAT a measure of achievement?No. It is a measure of reasoning ability in specific aptitude areas.

What is an SAS?SAS stands for Standard Age Score. The CogAT is scored based on the child’s age (Not grade level). The SAS compares your child to other children based on age. The highest SAS that a child can score on the CogAT is 150. 100 is considered to be an average SAS.Note: Most children who qualify for the Replacement Math and Middle School programs score significantly above the mean, in addition to having a very strong MAP score when compared to students who are one grade level above.

Why do we use the CogAT as part of our Gifted Identification Process?The high ceiling on CogAT, its ability to make reliable discriminations among the top ten percent of scores in all age groups, and its broad sampling of cognitive skills make this a great assessment to use for our Gifted Programs.

Is there a sample test that students can take?Yes. We give students a sample test before they take the actual CogAT test so they are familiar with the types of questions that will be asked and with the format of the test.

Will I get the results of this test?Yes. The results will be mailed home to you with an explanation sheet of how to understand the scores.

Gifted EducationCurricula

Gifted and Academic Classes Similarities

State Standards and District Learner Objectives are the same for all students

BUT…

■ Topics may be explored at a deeper level■ Complex thinking skills are taught■ Open-ended questions are explored■ Critical thinking tasks and challenging

projects that promote an in depth understanding are part of the assessment process

■ Class discussion and participation is necessary

ElementaryMath

Curriculum

Characteristics of Mathematically Gifted

Students Students who are truly precocious in math display a great preponderance of the characteristics below.  ■Proceeds quickly from a specific set of instances to a generalization. ■ Combines intermediate steps in the thinking process. ■ Thinks and performs in a flexible rather than in a stereotyped

manner. ■ Transfers learning to new “untaught” situations (higher level

thinking skills; for example, analysis and synthesis). ■ Perceives mathematical patterns, structures, and relationships. ■ Is able to think and work abstractly and to use deductive and

inductive reasoning. ■ Truly enjoys mathematics and its many challenges. ■ Stays on task. ■ Is persistent and self-motivated. ■ Has developed good study habits. ■ Perseveres in problem solving. ■ Demonstrates thorough understanding of current math concepts

and possesses excellent thinking/reasoning skills. ■ Understands new concepts quickly. ■ Demonstrates a variety of ways of solving problems. ■ Has a reading ability above grade level.

Everyday Mathematics Curriculum

■ Spiral approach that builds on students prior knowledge.

■ Problem Solving approach based on everyday situations that develops critical thinking.

Additional ResourcesHands on Equations a physical and intuitive model of basic algebra

Stock Market Game an educational simulation of “real world” stock market trading sponsored by the Illinois Council on Economics Education. The SMG curriculum is designed to enhance students skills in math, social students and language arts, as well as computer skills.

Schoolyards to Skylines incorporates architecture as an interdisciplinary teaching tool .

Secondary Math

CurriculumMiddle/High School Gifted and Advanced

Sequences

Gifted Math Sequence

Middle/High School 6th – Pre-algebra 7th – Algebra I 8th – HS Geometry 9th – Honors Algebra II10th – Honors Pre- Calculus or Trigonometry 11th – Advanced Placement Calculus AB and/or AP

Statistics 12th – Advanced Placement Calculus AB and/or BC or

AP Statistics

Advanced Math Sequence

Middle/High School 6th grade – Advanced Math 7th grade – Pre-Algebra8th grade – Algebra I 9th grade – Honors Geometry10th grade –Honors Algebra II11th grade – Honors Pre-Calculus or

Trigonometry12th grade – AP Calculus AB and/or AP

Statistics

Middle SchoolCurricula

Middle/High School Gifted and Advanced

Sequences

LA/Lit/SS Program

Literature & Language Arts The gifted Language Arts and Literature curriculum allows students the resources and instruction necessary to develop advanced verbal and oral communication skills.  Additionally, students develop a strong knowledge of the literary elements employed by authors in order to better understand the novels studied in class.  The gifted teachers introduce many of the reading and writing strategies used in the high school honors English classes.

Social Studies  The gifted Social Studies curriculum challenges students to

think at a higher, more abstract level about the historical concepts covered in class.  Students are encouraged to investigate topics aligned with their interests, and class discussions allow students the opportunity to think critically. 

  6th – World History and Cultures I 7th – World History and Cultures II 8th - US History 1865- Present

 

Science ProgramGifted science curricula emphasize learning at deeper

levels thanjust fundamental ideas. Classes involve inquiry

investigations,concept development, problem-based learning, laboratoryexperiences, and collaborative opportunities.

6th Life, Earth, and Physical Science

7th Life, Earth, and Physical Science

8th Physical Science (HS Level Course) 1st Semester Physics 2nd Semester Chemistry Proficiency in Algebra is required

Parent Resources

Parent ResourcesOnline resources

National Association for Gifted Children, http://www.nagc.org Parenting for High Potential is an excellent magazine which comes with NAGC membership.

SENG: Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted. http://www.sengifted.org

Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University, http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu The center has a number of programs available for gifted children.

This is an excellent link with a wide variety of information about gifted children and gifted education. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org

The Lexile site helps identify reading material matching reading ability with text difficulty. http://www.lexile.com

This link provides information about MAP testing. http://www.nwea.org

Forms

Parent nominationTeacher nomination