- Learning occurs at a different pace, depth and style for all children, including gifted students. These differences for some gifted students are significant and necessitate something different from other students, not merely more of the same.
- A curriculum modified in level of content, depth and pace is necessary for gifted students in their area(s) of strength.
- Abstract ideas and complex issues are consistently grasped and extended by gifted students in a deeper, broader manner than by their age peers.
- Gifted students need opportunities to learn with other gifted students as well as other age mates.
- Students need to have their giftedness recognized as soon as it is demonstrated.
- Gifted students need teachers trained in gifted education.
- All staff need on-going staff development in the area of gifted education.
- The needs of gifted children are as disparate from the norm as the needs of special education students. The needs of gifted children in District 34 can be met with a proportional allocation of resources and expertise.
Gifted / Enrichment Program
Glenview District 34's Gifted/Enrichment program is a Reading & Language Arts program for students in third through eighth grade.
Students in kindergarten through 2nd grade are supported through consultation, collaboration and flexible groups. Students are formally identified beginning in the spring of 2nd grade, with identification completed in the fall of 3rd grade for services that begin in the winter of 3rd grade. All students are considered again for participation at the middle school level during the spring of 5th grade.
2nd and 5th Grade Parent Teacher Input Form
Contact
- Administration
- Attea Middle School
- Glen Grove School
- Henking School
- Hoffman School
- Lyon School
- Pleasant Ridge School
- Springman Middle School
- Westbrook School
Administration
Molly Merkey
Teacher on Assignment for Gifted and Assessment
(847)657-2473
mmerkey@glenview34.org
Attea Middle School
Glen Grove School
Henking School
Hoffman School
Lyon School
Pleasant Ridge School
Springman Middle School
Westbrook School
Introduction
Belief Statements
Service Overview
- Primary Gifted/Enrichment Service
- Intermediate Gifted/Enrichment Service
- Middle School Gifted/Enrichment Service
Primary Gifted/Enrichment Service
The Enrichment Program at the primary level is through ability grouping for literacy instruction for all students (guided reading within the classroom) and pull-out for Reading/LA and related thinking skills enrichment for a small group of students. The classroom and the enrichment teacher will share responsibilities for providing a balanced literacy experience for students. Because the program at the primary level supports student enrichment, students may be flexibly served over the course of the school year. When being served, it is recommended that students participate no less than 2 sessions per week.
Learn more about the Primary Enrichment Program here!
Intermediate Gifted/Enrichment Service
The Gifted Program at the intermediate level is a combination of ability grouping for literacy instruction for all students (guided reading within the classroom) and pull-out for Reading/LA and related thinking skills for a small group of identified students. The gifted teacher will be responsible for reading block instruction for identified students. The classroom and the gifted teacher will share responsibilities for providing a balanced literacy experience for students that includes shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, word work and writing to ensure that all students receive each component of balanced literacy instruction without duplication. Identified students will be seen by the gifted teacher on a daily basis for the reading block. In addition to direct service to students, the enrichment teacher will provide classroom teachers with support in differentiation of reading and language arts skills across all content areas.
Middle School Gifted/Enrichment Service
The Gifted Program at the middle school level is replacement Reading/LA and related thinking skills for a small group of identified students. In addition to direct service to students, the enrichment teacher will provide classroom teachers with support in differentiation of reading and language arts skills across all content areas.
Transfer Students
Because the Gifted program consists of an identified selection process, transfer students will need to be evaluated according to our Transfer Student Identification Process. More information can be found on the Transfer Student Placement page.
Identification
Student Identification
District-Wide Identification Process
Our gifted identification model has served the District over the past ten years. However, a new era of focus regarding standardized testing has emerged as the assessments have become more effective and efficient at providing achievement levels and learning potential of students. There is a growing sense of reducing the amount of testing and ideal use of data from standardized assessments more effectively and efficiently in District 34, and we wanted our identification matrix to reflect this philosophy.
Our parent community has also provided feedback regarding the current process and how it sustains a rigid approach to identifying students and is not open to a wider analysis of the assessments used for determination into the program. In this spirit and purpose, the following changes have been made to our identification process.
District-Wide Identification
District 34 identifies students for gifted programming in third and sixth grade, yet initiation of the identification procedures begin in the winter for fifth grade students and spring for all second grade students.
Gifted Identification Process
Third Grade Identification Process
Screening Step Process
In the spring of second grade, the identification process for the Reading/Language Arts Gifted Program for third grade begins. This screening process includes the collection of data from the CogAT ability assessment, NWEA MAP achievement assessment, and parent and teacher input.
Second grade parents will receive an online parent-input form in the spring to evaluate their child's creativity and motivation attributes. Teachers will also do the same, assessing the students' learning and communication habits.
In the fall of third grade, students will take the NWEA MAP assessment and for the fall of the 2021-2022 school year all students will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The CogAT is an aptitude assessment which measures children's learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most linked to academic success in school: Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal.
Students who score a 7 or higher on the Gifted Screening Matrix criteria will move onto the Selection Step Process. A letter will be sent home early October to parents explaining the selection process.
Selection Step Process
In the fall of third grade, selected students from the screening process will take three additional assessments to help determine placement into the Gifted Program:
- Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
- AimsWeb Plus Reading Comprehension Battery
- Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT)
The WASI will be given to students individually by a school psychologist. The WASI assessment typically takes 90 minutes to complete and needs to be given to students outside of the school day, and therefore a school psychologist will call to schedule this assessment with individual families.
AimsWeb Plus Reading Comprehension and the TTCT are group-administered assessments that will be administered by the three intermediate Gifted Enrichment teachers during the school day. A writing sample will also be given to students during this time. These assessments typically will take around two hours to complete, and are completed in late October/early November.
To qualify for gifted programming, students must receive a matrix score between 6-11. Click here to download screening process matrix.
SCREENING PROCESS MATRIX
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math MAP | 70%+ | <70% | |||
| Reading MAP | 99%-95% | 94.9%-90% | 89.9%-85 | 84.9%-80% | <80% |
| CogAT Total | 89.9%-85% | 120 SAS | <120 SAS | ||
| Verbal CogAT | 120 SAS | 119-118 SAS | <118 SAS | ||
| Parent Teacher Input | 90th percentile and above (227) |
80th percentile and above (204) |
70th percentile and above (179) |
69 and below (<178) |
Screening to Selection Identification Decision Values
| Matrix Points Earned | Screening Result |
|---|---|
| 11-7 | Move to Selection Process |
| 6-0 | General Education |
Selection Process Matrix
(For students who received greater than 7 points on the screening)
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIMSWEB Plus Comprehension | 99&-95% | 94%-90% | <90% | ||
| WASI | 136 and above | 134-135 | 132-133 | 131-128 | 127 and below |
| TTCT | 75% and above | 74-65% | 64-55% | 54-45% | <44% |
| Matrix Points Earned | Selection Process Result |
|---|---|
| 11-7 | Formally Identified |
In early December, a letter will be sent home to students eligible for the gifted program to notify parents of their placement. Parents of students who do not meet the minimum criteria will also be notified in writing and will be given the opportunity to appeal. Third grade students who do qualify for the Reading/Language Arts Gifted Program will begin upon return from Winter Break in January.
Sixth Grade Identification Process
Screening Step Process
In late fall of fifth grade, the screening process for the Reading/Language Arts Gifted Program for sixth grade begins. This screening process includes the collection of data from the CogAT ability assessment, NWEA MAP achievement assessment, and parent and teacher input.
All fifth grade students will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in the fall of their fifth grade year. Any student who has been in the district has taken this assessment in second grade as well. Fifth grade parents will receive an online parent-input form in late fall to evaluate their child's creativity and motivation attributes. Teachers will also do the same, assessing the students' learning and communication habits.
In January, fifth grade students will take the NWEA MAP assessment and the AIMSWeb Plus Reading Comprehension battery. Students who score a 7 or higher on the Gifted Screening Matrix criteria will move onto the Selection Process. A letter will be sent home to parents explaining the selection process.
Screening Process Matrix
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math MAP | 70%+ | <70% | |||
| Reading MAP | 99%-95% | 94.9%-90% | 89.9%-85% | 84.9%-80% | <80% |
| CogAT Total | 120 SAS | <120 SAS | |||
| Verbal CogAT | 120 SAS | 119-118 SAS | <118 SAS | ||
| Parent Teacher Input | 90th percentile and above (227) | 80th percentile and above (204) |
70th percentile and above (179) |
69 and below |
Screening to Selection Identification Decision Values
| Matrix Points Earned | Screening Result |
|---|---|
| 11-7 | Move to selection process |
| 6-0 | General Education Placement |
Selection Step Process
In February, selected students from the screening process will take three additional assessments to help determine placement into the Gifted Program:
- Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
- AimsWeb Plus Reading Comprehension Battery
- Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT)
The WASI will be given to students individually by a school psychologist. The WASI assessment typically takes 90 minutes to complete and needs to be given to students outside of the school day, and therefore a school psychologist will call to schedule this assessment with individual families. AIMS Web Plus Reading Comprehension and the TTCT are group-administered assessments that will be administered by the three intermediate Gifted Enrichment teachers during the school day. A writing sample will also be given to students during this time. These assessments typically will take around two hours to complete, and are completed in February.
To qualify for gifted programming, students must receive a matrix score between 6-11.
Selection Process Matrix
(For students who received 7 points or greater on the screening)
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIMEWEB Plus Comprehension | 99%-95% | 94%-90% | <89% | ||
| WASI | 136 and above | 134-135 | 132-133 | 131-128 | 127 and below |
| TTCT | 75% and above | 74-65% | 64-55% | 54-45% | <44% |
| Matrix Points Earned | Selection Process Result |
|---|---|
| 11-7 | Formally Identified |
A letter will be sent home with your child’s placement results in March. Parents of students who do not meet the minimum criteria will also be notified in writing and will be given the opportunity to appeal. Students who qualify for the Reading/Language Arts Gifted Program during their fifth grade year will start gifted programming upon entrance into sixth grade.
Processes
Appeal Process
- Should a student not qualify for the gifted program after completing the screening and selection process of the identification program, parents will be sent an appeal form in the mail along with the placement decision letter.
- If a parent decides to appeal the gifted placement decision, they will be responsible for filling out a Parent Narrative. The classroom teacher of the student whom an appeal is being created for will also fill out a Teacher Narrative. These narratives will provide the appeals committee with detailed information on the different qualities the student may have that would make them a strong candidate to be reconsidered for gifted programming.
- An appeals committee consisting of one general education classroom teacher, two gifted enrichment teachers, one school psychologist, the Teacher on Assignment for Gifted and Assessment, and the Assistant Superintendent will review all appeal material including:
- screening and selection assessment data parent and teacher input forms
- a prose-constructed response writing sample collected by the Gifted/Enrichment teacher during the school day
- the teacher and parent narratives any additional information the parents would like to provide
- The appeal committee's decision about a student's placement in the Gifted/Enrichment program will be provided to the parents in writing. Decisions of the appeal panel are final.
Additional Information & Resources
State & National Resources
Illinois Association for Gifted Children
http://www.iagcgifted.org
National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.nagc.org
Hoagies Gifted Education Page, the all-things-gifted resource
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org
http://nfgcc.org
CogAT Testing
Second and fifth grade students take the Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT®) each year. CogAT measures students’ learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most closely related to success in school:
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The Verbal Battery measures students’ abilities to reason with verbal symbols and concepts. These reasoning abilities play an important role in reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and virtually all verbal learning tasks.
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The Quantitative Battery measures students’ abilities to reason with quantitative symbols and concepts. These reasoning skills are significantly related to problem solving in mathematics and other disciplines.
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The Nonverbal Battery measures students’ abilities to reason with geometric shapes and figures. To perform successfully, students must accurately implement strategies for solving novel problems.
The three separate batteries provide a broad perspective on each student’s learned reasoning abilities, identifying cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Each subtest includes practice questions to help students become familiar with the content and format of the subtests. These practice questions help students gain familiarity with the item formats and how to complete the different reasoning tasks.
No reading is required of students in any of the subtests. Students review the pictorial questions and answer choices and then fill in the circle under the picture that answers the question. The test is not timed, but each subtest takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
How Do I Interpret My Child’s Profile Narrative?
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The first column in the Age Scores section, the Standard Age Score (SAS) scale is a normalized standard score scale for each battery and the Composite. The SAS has a mean of 100 and with the highest SAS score being a 160.
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The second column in the Age Scores section shows the Stanine Age Score. The stanine scale is a normalized standard score scale consisting of nine levels designated by the numbers one through nine. Stanines are groupings of percentile ranks. A higher stanine equates with a higher level of cognitive abilities development. A comparison of stanines and percentile ranks are summarized in the table below:
| Stanine | Percentile Rank | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 96-99 | Very High |
| 8 | 89-95 | Above Average |
| 7 | 77-88 | Above Average |
| 6 | 60-76 | Average |
| 5 | 40-59 | Average |
| 4 | 23-39 | Average |
| 3 | 11-22 | Below Average |
| 2 | 4-10 | Below Average |
| 1 | 1-3 | Very Low |
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The third column in the Age Scores section shows your child’s Age Percentile Rank (APR) for each section and the composite (or the national percentile rank). A percentile rank indicates the percentage of students in the same age group whose scores fall below the score obtained by a particular student. For example, if your child obtained a percentile rank of 90, it means that 90 percent of students in the standardized sample scored below your child.
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The APR graph is a graphic representation of your child’s scores for each of the batteries and the composite score.
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The graph containing the Raw Scores gives you the number of items on the test, number attempted, and the number correct in each test section.
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The Local Scores refer to the Local Stanine and Percentile Rank of all students in Glenview District 34.
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To the right of your child’s report you will see a Narrative Description of his or her results.