Gifted Services
District 54 provides services to both academically talented and profoundly gifted students. Educational opportunities are expanded through differentiated instruction and learning experiences. Screening, eligibility and placement are determined through the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test as well as through standardized testing.
Elementary Services
Elementary gifted services provide enrichment activities that support the general education curriculum. Each elementary school has a part-time gifted education resource teacher (GERT). Each week, they meet with the students in small group sessions or may push-into the classroom for enrichment activities that extend beyond the curriculum. They also work closely with the classroom teachers to provide additional enrichment to further challenge students.
Elementary gifted services begin in grade three and continue through grade six. To qualify for elementary gifted services, students in grades two through five are first screened through the MAP test administered in September. Students achieve a score of 95% or above on the reading and math portions of the test. Letters to parents who have children eligible for further testing are sent in November. For these identified students, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is administered in January or February. Students are tested on the verbal and nonverbal portions of the CogAT. A minimum standard age score of 126 must be met on one portion and a minimum 120 must be met on the other portion to be eligible for the elementary services. Parents are notified of the results by the end of April. For qualified students, gifted services begin the following school year.
Beginning in the 2012 -2013 school year, students in first grade will not be screened for gifted services. Students in first and second grade who are achieving high scores on the MAP test and performing at high levels academically in the classroom will have opportunities throughout the school year to work with the gifted teacher in literacy, math or both. Students may be flexed in and out of activities throughout the year depending on scheduling as well as the number of students identified for this additional enrichment. These opportunities may occur during the grade-level enrichment block, as a push-into the classroom during literacy or math, or in a small group.
To qualify for the Magnet program, students in grades two through six must achieve a score of 98% or above on the reading and math portions of the MAP test taken in September and score a of 130 or above on both the verbal and nonverbal portions of the Cognitive Abilities Test. Students meeting these criteria will take the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) test given by the school psychologist. Students must score a minimum of 134 on the verbal and a 133 on the perceptual to be eligible for this program. Student scores and eligibility are provided to parents by the end of April. For qualified students, the Magnet program will begin the following school year. Students who are tested for the Magnet program and do not meet WISC criteria will receive gifted services through the building-based program. For students who had CogAT scores below the criteria for WISC testing, the CogAT scores will be used to determine eligibility for the building-based program. Students who test for the Magnet program and are not eligible based on their WISC scores will not be tested the following year, but may be tested every other year. For example, if a second-grade student tested for the Magnet program and was found not eligible the next opportunity the student can test is in fourth grade. Magnet students in third through sixth grade who demonstrate profound giftedness through the district testing program attend Campanelli School.
Junior High Services
Junior high services consist of enrichment in the core classes of language arts, social studies and science. This service, known as Discovery, is aligned to District 54 curriculum and Essential Outcomes and is taught at an advanced rate. Sixth-grade students are screened through the September MAP test and must achieve a score of 95% or above on the reading portion of the test. All students currently receiving building-based gifted services are automatically eligible for testing into this program. Eligible students will then take the Cognitive Abilities Test in January or February and must score a 127 or higher in either the verbal or the nonverbal portion of the test to be eligible. Parents will be notified of their children’s test results by the end of April.
Magnet classes are located at Mead Junior High for students who continue on from the elementary Magnet program.
Both Discovery services and the Magnet program are considered two-year programs at the junior high. No further testing for these programs will occur after sixth grade.
In unusual circumstances, when a child does not meet the requirements for gifted services in the district, a parent may request an appeal. Appeals of the fall MAP scores must be submitted by November 9, 2012. Appeals of the cognitive assessment given in January/February must be submitted by April 26, 2013. These appeals need to be sent to Karen Hindman at karenhindman@sd54.org or may be mailed to
Karen Hindman, Assistant Superintendent
524 E. Schaumburg Road
Schaumburg, IL 60194
Students New to District 54
Only students who move into the school district and received gifted services at their previous school will be considered for gifted service eligibility upon registration. New students to the district must meet District 54′s gifted eligibility requirements. Upon moving into the district, parents will need to register their student at their base school. Upon receipt of gifted records from the previous school, District 54 will determine if the student is eligible for services or needs further assessment to determine eligibility. No outside private evaluations are accepted for any District 54 gifted service or programs.
Contact
Karen Hindman, Assistant Superintendent of District Improvement
or
Cheryl Knox, District Improvement Administrative Assistant
at (847) 357-5051