Update on Current ODE Initiatives

1. Update on Current ODE Initiatives Eric Calvert, Mike Demczyk, Linda Grill, Rosemary Pearson Educational Consultants for Gifted Services Office for Exceptional Children Ohio Department of Education gifted@ode.state.oh.us http://www.ode.state.oh.us/exceptional_children/gifted_children

2. Overview • 2006 Self Report • Gifted Unit Funding • Model Acceleration Policy • Value-Added Assessment

3. 2006 Self Report • Professional Development related to gifted education • Services (similar to Section B in 04-05 Self Report) • Strategies related to Underrepresented Groups

4. Gifted Unit Funding • Unit Request Form • original sent to Superintendents • additional copies and FAQ available at: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/exceptional_children/gifted_children/units.asp • completed form postmarked by April 29

5. Gifted Unit Funding • check your current district or ESC allocation and value at: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/School_Finance/foundation/default.asp • districts click on FY2006 District SF-3 Reports, then select most recent date that has passed, choose district, and check box for Gifted Unit Allowance • ESCs click on Educational Service Centers link under “Related Links”

6. Acceleration: HB 66 Section 3324.10 (A) Prior to June 30, 2006, the state board of education shall adopt a model student acceleration policy addressing recommendations in the department of education's 2005 study conducted under the gifted research and demonstration grant program. The policy shall address, but not be limited to, whole grade acceleration, subject area acceleration, and early high school graduation. (B) The board of education of each city, local, and exempted village school district shall implement a student acceleration policy to take effect beginning in the 2006-2007 school year. The policy shall either be the model adopted by the state board under division (A) of this section or a policy covering similar issues that is adopted by the district board.

7. Model Policy Components • Referral • Evaluation • Development of implementation plan • Transition period • Final assignment

8. Referral • Early entrance (beyond January 1): Students may be referred by educators, psychologists, and pediatricians. • Subject and whole grade acceleration: Students may be referred by educators, psychologists, and parents. • Principals required to provide information to staff, solicit referrals, and ensure availability of information and referral forms for parents.

9. Evaluation • Students will be evaluated using an ODE-approved assessment process (e.g. Iowa Acceleration Scale) • Process includes evaluation of achievement, cognitive ability, social development, and student motivation. • Process includes parents, teachers, principal, and gifted specialist (where available) • Excludes factors not supported by research (e.g. height, number of permanent teeth, etc.)

10. Implementation Plan • Guided by “written acceleration plan” • Facilitates communication • Addresses potential “gaps” • Facilitates continuous progress • Specifies transition period

11. Transition Period • Supervised by a staff member designated by evaluation committee • Designed to ensure a smooth transition from original setting to accelerated setting • During transition period, parents may withdraw the student from accelerated placement or request alternate placement

12. Final Assignment • At end of transition period, accelerated placement becomes permanent • Written acceleration plan becomes part of student’s permanent record • Facilitates continuous progress of accelerated students • Ensures clear grade-level status necessary for data reporting and accountability measures

13. Statewide Implementation • Accelerated students will take state tests administered to their peers in the accelerated setting(s). • Scores of accelerated students will be compared to their age peers in the subjects in which they are accelerated during the first year of placement to alleviate concerns about impact on school and district accountability measures.

14. Statewide Implementation • Following board approval of model policy, ODE will distribute an “Acceleration Toolkit” including: • Model policy • Summary of state and national research on acceleration • Case studies from districts already using acceleration successfully • Recommended assessments • Model written acceleration plans

15. Value-Added Assessment • Currently being piloted and will be fully implemented in 2007-2008 • By 2007-2008, per H. B 3, Ohio will incorporate value-added assessment as part of the accountability system • Basic principle that each individual student should make a year’s growth for each year’s worth of instruction • Calculated by comparing an individual student’s gains to the gains of a normative sample

16. To Be Determined… • What test will be used? • How much growth will gifted students be expected to make? • Will gifted students be a subgroup for AYP purposes?

17. Advantages of VAA • Recognizes the gains that all students make • Recognizes the efforts teachers make to reach all students • Allows teachers and administrators to better recognize potential of all students

18. Value-Added Pilot in Ohio • Battelle for Kids – SOAR (School’s Online Achievement Reports) • http://www.battelleforkids.com • over 70 school districts (BFK, 2005) • 200,000 students in grades 3-8 (BFK, 2005)