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The Connie Belin
                
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1. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) in Determining the Appropriateness of Whole-Grade Acceleration 
The Annual NAGC Conference
November 10, 2007
Minneapolis, MN
Leslie Forstadt, Susan Assouline, Nicholas Colangelo Susan slides 1-8Susan slides 1-8 
2. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Purpose 
Introduce the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) Validation Study 
Report results of the validation study
Discuss qualitative and quantitative results in the use of the IAS as a decision-making tool 
3. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Iowa Acceleration Scale A more objective look at the student
An analysis of the major factors to be considered in making a decision
Guidelines for weighting the relative importance of the major factors
Documentation of the student’s strengths and concerns
A numerical range to guide the discussion and decision of acceleration
A standard of comparison with students who have had successful accelerations
 
4. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Iowa Acceleration Scale The IAS was developed as an administrative tool to help educators and parents make a decision.
Modeled after the Light’s Retention Scale
Multiple versions: Yellow, Green, 
	Blue 1st, Blue 2nd 
In process, Blue 2R, 2008
 
5. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Subscales Academic Ability and Achievement
Developmental Factors
School and Academic Factors
Interpersonal Skills
Attitude and Support
GRAND TOTAL
1st edition max score of 97
2nd edition max score of 80
Recommendations: Excellent, Good, Marginal, Not Rec 
6. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Effectiveness of the IAS Decision-making process:  It is not a test!
The items have numerical ratings as a means to provide structure to the process, but it is possible for educators (and others) to misuse the numerical ratings:
Internal Structure Evidence
Do the items contribute positively toward the recommendation ?
Do the different parts provide unique information?
 An unintended consequence of the numerical ratings is that is can be considered to have psychometric properties despite the authors’ intentions
Page 3 of Jonathan’s dissertation:
“Validity emphasizes the results you interpret, not the instrument or procedures itself . . .evidence that these interpretations and uses are appropriate” (p.36)
UNITARY Concept of validity – integration of content, criterion-related, and construct-related
Internal structure evidence – information about relationships among the assessment tasks or parts of the assessment
Content evidence???An unintended consequence of the numerical ratings is that is can be considered to have psychometric properties despite the authors’ intentions
Page 3 of Jonathan’s dissertation:
“Validity emphasizes the results you interpret, not the instrument or procedures itself . . .evidence that these interpretations and uses are appropriate” (p.36)
UNITARY Concept of validity – integration of content, criterion-related, and construct-related
Internal structure evidence – information about relationships among the assessment tasks or parts of the assessment
Content evidence??? 
7. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Effective Items (Lipscomb, 2003) Effective
School-related Extracurricular Activities
Positive attitude about learning
Peer relationships
Student’s view
School system support
Prior Planning
Moderately Effective
Motivation  
Not Effective
 Non-school related extracurricular activities
 
8. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development 2003… “New and Necessary” Extensions of Validity Research
Decision
Who:  The students for whom the IAS was used were already carefully selected as candidates – therefore it was likely that the IAS process would produce successful candidates
“Was the IAS more useful in generating a consensus among the decision-makers?”
Decision making process
 
9. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Rationale for the Current Validation Study 
evaluate the utility of the IAS in the acceleration decision-making process 
collect post-acceleration achievement test information as an indicator of student success after an IAS-based decision Leslie pick upLeslie pick up 
10. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Validation Study Surveys were distributed to teachers or coordinators of gifted programs, which addressed the experience of using the IAS as well as multiple outcomes for the students.  Outcomes included social, extracurricular, and academic measures. 
n = 136 (1st Edition), 44 (2nd Edition) 
11. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Results Recommended
Excellent 
(1st Ed: n = 15, 2nd Ed: n = 32)
Good 
(1st Ed: n = 57, 2nd Ed: n = 12)
Marginal 
(1st Ed: n = 16)
Not recommended 
(1st Ed: n = 1)
 
12. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Results 
13. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Sex of Candidate 
14. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Age of Candidates 
15. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Grade Level at Time of Acceleration Mean age = 8.2
Early grade accelerations
63% of the accelerations between K-3 
16. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Not recommended (n = 1): A Profile Female
Age 8
Grand total = 40
Academic Ability and Achievement subscale = 15
Developmental Factors subscale = 4
School and Academic Factors subscale = 11
Interpersonal Skills subscale = 4
Attitude and Support subscale = 6
Decision: whole grade acceleration
“All standards were met and she performed well academically and socially”
 
17. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Decision Made Based on IAS Decision Excellent candidates higher rates of whole grade acceleration than good or marginal
Good candidates, higher rates of single subject acceleration than excellent 
18. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates 
19. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates (n = 116) Males = 56% (n = 65)
Females = 44% (n = 51)
Average age = 8.6
Median age = 8 years
1st Edition = 62% (n = 72)
2nd Edition = 38% (n = 44)
How do excellent and good candidates differ in their score profiles?  
20. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Grand Total 
21. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Developmental Factors 
22. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development School and Academic Factors 
23. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Attitude and Support Scale 
24. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Academic Ability and Achievement 
25. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Interpersonal Skills 
26. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates:Outcomes 
27. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Excellent and Good Candidates: Comments (Whole-grade accelerated) His needs were very high in language, so along with full-grade acceleration, he is receiving extended acceleration in language.
(Single-subject accelerated) Student was moving into a student government position and would have missed it if whole-grade acceleration had been decided upon.  Susan?Susan? 
28. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates: A Profile Male = 73.3% (n = 11)
Female = 26.7% (n = 4)
Mean age = 7.6 years
Median age = 7.4 years
Grand total average = 49 
29. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
30. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal CandidatesAcceleration Decision 
31. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
32. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
33. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
34. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
35. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
36. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates 
37. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates: Comments (Whole-grade accelerated) Even though this was a questionable acceleration, child was ready…Lack of above-level test scores depressed IAS Total.
(No change to curriculum) This was a parent request....decision would not have changed had we not had the IAS.  Susan?Susan? 
38. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Marginal Candidates:Outcomes 
39. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Was the process useful for participants? 
40. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Team “The IAS provided an excellent framework for us to use for a thorough study.” 
“EXTREMELY beneficial. The team was glad it was used.”
“Using the IAS helped evaluate the total child.”
“We have learned that concerns raised during the IAS process continue to be problematic.” 
41. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The School System “Collin’s success has made converts of the middle school staff involved. They now believe it can be good to whole grade accelerate.”
“The IAS has been adopted as part of board policy on acceleration.”
“It helped the school to recognize the magnitude of this child’s intellect.”
 
42. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development The Family “I have talked with the parents a number of times, and they are pleased.”
“The parents decided not to transfer their son to private school because they felt this school sees their son clearly and has a definite plan to meet his needs.”
“They felt that all areas of their child’s life were examined and taken into consideration-given the unusual nature of their child’s academic life.”
 
43. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Suggestions from users Maybe some type of social or emotional intelligence score?
Many early grades do not have extracurricular activities and young students may be penalized in their scores for “not participating.” 
Can you recommend other tests if schools don’t administer social studies or science subtests?
 Susan to endSusan to end 
44. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development In Conclusion The IAS does what it was intended to do:
“the process was comprehensive . . .parents, teachers, & administrators [commented] to me about how nice it was.  . . This process did a great job explaining the data . . .not all questions were black & white and that allowed for some discussions about school vs. home life.”
It is important to document its impact through research 
45. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Present and Future Acceleration Research as Proactive   
Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration (IRPA)
	http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/acceleration
Current IRPA projects include:
National survey of attitudes, practices, and prevalence of acceleration
Use of national data sets to examine acceleration practice and outcomes
Acceleration among English Language Learners
 DamienDamien 
46. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development Ordering the IAS