Extended Learning Program

Anamosa Community SchoolsLinda Mazunik

Katy KashFebruary, 2012

Why do we have a gifted program?Iowa Code, Chapter 281, Section 12.5 (256) states the

provisions for gifted and talented students:Each school district shall incorporate gifted and talented

programming into its comprehensive school improvement plan as required by Iowa Code section 257.43. The comprehensive school improvement plan shall include the following gifted and talented program provisions: valid and systematic procedures, including multiple selection criteria for identifying gifted and talented students from the total student population; goals and performance measures; a qualitatively differentiated program to meet the students’ cognitive and affective needs; staffing provisions; an in-service design; a budget; and qualifications of personnel administering the program. Each school district shall review and evaluate its gifted and talented programming.

Who are the “gifted”?Iowa Code, Chapter 257, Section 44 defines gifted and talented

children: 1. "Gifted and talented children" are those children who are identified

as possessing outstanding abilities and who are capable of high performance. Gifted and talented children are children who require appropriate instruction and educational services commensurate with their abilities and needs beyond those provided by the regular school program.

2. Gifted and talented children include those children with demonstrated achievement or potential ability, or both, in any of the following areas or in combination:

a. General intellectual ability.b. Creative thinking.c. Leadership ability.d. Visual and performing arts ability.e. Specific ability aptitude.

How do we identify “gifted”?We meet annually with teams composed of

teachers, counselors, and administrators to use multiple criteria in selection for academic enrichment and acceleration.

The academic areas which we emphasize include reading, language arts, and mathematics.

The multiple criteria we use include objective measures such as CogAT, MAP, and Iowa Assessments.

Subjective data taken into consideration may include teacher nomination, parent nomination, and even student nomination.

How are we funded?Iowa Code, Chapter 257, Section 46 states the funding rules: 1. The budget of an approved gifted and talented children

program for a school district, after subtracting funds received from other sources for that purpose, shall be funded annually on a basis of one-fourth or more from the district cost of the school district.

2. ...School districts shall annually report the amount expended for a gifted and talented program to the department of education. The proportion of a school district's budget which corresponds to the thirty-eight dollar increase in allowable growth for the school budget year beginning July 1, 1999, added to the amount in [see chart on next page], shall be utilized exclusively for a school district's gifted and talented program.

3. If any portion of the gifted and talented program budget remains unexpended at the end of the budget year, the remainder shall be carried over to the subsequent budget year and added to the gifted and talented program budget for that year.

What is the funding formula?Talented and Gifted Funding included in the

District Cost Per Pupil (DCPP) and required local match to be taken from the Regular Program District Cost (RPDC)

2011-12 2012-1375% of funding included in DCPP 55.00

56.0025% local match from RPDC 18.33

18.67Total Per Budget Enrollment 73.33

74.67

When do we provide services?Regularly scheduled enrichment and/or

acceleration for identified studentsOccasional or trial work with individuals and

small groupsExtra-curricular opportunities, including

contests and summer enrichment programsCollaboration assistance with teachers as

requested (differentiation strategies, curricular planning for twice-exceptional or independent students)

Counseling support

What do we do at elementary?Instructional Decision-Making Model (IDM) /

Response to Intervention ModelIntensive services for extremely capable

learnersElectronic portfolios for documentationRegularly scheduled classes for students in

reading and math (3rd – 5th grades)Individual and small group work with students in

pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade, with formal identification at end of 3rd grade

Teacher collaboration for differentiation needs

What do we do in middle school?6th grade “challenge reading” group6th – 8th grade ELP language arts classes6th – 8th grade math enriched and accelerated classesIndividualized differentiation plans for some

studentsCollaboration with individual teachers for resources

and strategies as requestedTeam collaboration as requestedAffective needs planning / counseling support as

requestedContests and extra-curricular opportunities

What do we do at high school?Independent study solutions as neededAdvanced coursework collaborationAdvanced Placement coordinating (we now

have six onsite classes and 61 “seats” filled)Online mentoring and proctoring of testsContest and scholarship opportunitiesLunch meetingsCounseling support

Why is there a parent group?Our parent group was birthed in controversy

(scheduling issues at the high school) but has changed its focus to parenting education for dealing with gifted children.

The balance of participation covers parents from all three buildings and community members, too.

The parent group has a mission statement, specific objectives, guiding officers, guest speakers, and planned agendas.

What does the future hold?There may be changes including but not limited

to some of the following ideas:Flexible grouping practices as scheduling

allowsCo-teaching and collaboration as scheduling

allowsIncreased electronic portfolio documentation

throughout all grade levelsCompetency-based testing to provide

increased acceleration movementSupport for a school-wide enrichment model