Teaching Out of the Box
March 2016
High Ability Testing Schedule
TESTING SCHEDULES FOR IDENTIFICATION
OF HIGH ABILITY SERVICES
for the 2015-2016 School Year
Note: NWEA testing is administered at least 2 times per year for ALL K-6.
For more information on how testing is used to determine your child’s eligibility in the program, please go to http://www.hse.k12.in.us.us/ADM/academics/High Ability option on the left, and choose the “Types of Tests to Identify HA Students” option from the first section on the page.
August 13-September 12: NWEA Achievement
First NWEA test is administered during this time. Beginning of the Year testing and Goal Setting is established for all K-6.
April 13-May 22 NWEA Achievement (dated edited 3/30/16)
NWEA will be administered for a spring score. Results allow teachers to see growth from fall to spring.
Late April: CogAT Screening
After NWEA results, a CogAT screener will be administered to all K, 2 students who have not already fully qualified.
Late April/Early May: Full CogAT Window
Full CogAT is given to K and 2 students who qualified on screener at the 80th percentile.
Full CogAT is given to grade 5 students who qualified on NWEA at 80th percentile and are not already receiving high ability services.
Mid May: SEM Window
SIGS is completed by teacher and parents of students within standard error measure (SEM) on either test.
Late May/Early June: Results Reported
Results of the identification process are reported to families. Students are automatically placed for high ability services. Families must contact central office to decline high ability services. Please contact Annette Miller (secretary) armiller@hse.k12.in.us 317-594-4100.
August 1-3: Summer Identification
Students new to HSE that have already been identified to receive high ability services will be eligible to receive services with us if they meet our qualifications. Upon enrollment we will review your records and standardized test results.
Families can choose to have incoming students without high ability data assessed ($60 fee). Please indicate your intentions at the time of enrollment. Please contact Annette Miller (secretary) armiller@hse.k12.in.us or 317-594-4100 to register. No make-up dates are available.
August 1: (9am-12pm): Math Proficiency Demonstration
Takes place at Fishers Junior High. Teacher recommended 4th-7th grade students in high ability and general education may attempt to demonstrate proficiency to skip a year of mathematics. No make-up dates are available.
Intermediate 2-year Advanced Math
At the Intermediate School level some of our high ability students (typically 15-20%) qualify to participate in a 2 year advanced math course. Families will be contacted about qualification and can make the determination about participation.
There are 2 ways students qualify for the 2-year Advanced Math Course:
Students that are already participating in high ability math services with spring NWEA scores in the 98-99th percentile and a teacher recommendation.
Students that do not qualify at the 98th-99th percentile in spring NWEA can participate in the Math Readiness Test with a teacher recommendation. This will be administered on August 1st.
Any students that are new to HSE and are already qualified to receive high ability math services may participate in the 2 Year Math Readiness Test on August 1st.
Questions about 2-year advanced math qualifications or registration for August 1st assessment can be directed to Meg Strnat (HSE High Ability Coordinator) mstrnat@hse.k12.in.us 317-594-4100.
HA Testing for Students Moving into the District Hamilton Southeastern Schools http://www.hse.k12.in.us
HA Testing for Students Moving into the District
My child received high ability services in our former district. How does that translate when we move to HSE?
High ability services are locally determined. Therefore, identification in one corporation does not necessarily mean that the student qualifies in another school corporation. The standards for placement for Hamilton Southeastern are among the highest in the state.
The sending district can submit standardized testing evidence for review by the identification team. If the instruments used by the sending school have adequate technical properties and if the student received a score at or above the 95 percentile, the previous results may qualify the student for high ability services without any additional testing at HSE. HSE is in a holding pattern on the cut-score for grades K-1.
What kinds of testing should my district send over?
Any of the following measurements of potential administered within the past two years:
CogAT
PTCS/Inview
OLSAT for grades 3-12 (K-2 does not have a quantitative score so to identify math only potential students, another assessment is needed – TOMAGS)
Private testing that may include WISC, Woodcock Johnson or WIAT
Any of the following measurements of achievement:
NWEA
ITBS
Terra Nova
Stanford Achievement Test
What if my child was home schooled or in private school?
Students who have participated in private or home schooling prior to registering with HSE may provide standardized testing evidence to your building’s counselor.
They may also participate in testing provided by our school district prior to the school year ($60 fee – see summer testing on the testing schedule for details). If you have a financial need, you may indicate this at the time of enrollment.
For more information, contact Meg Strnat at 317-594-4100 or mstrnat@hse.k12.in.us.
Appealing High Ability Identification Hamilton Southeastern Schools http://www.hse.k12.in.us
Is there an appeal process for high ability identification?
Spring NWEA results for all students in grades K-6 will be reviewed each year by a central office team to identify students functioning between the 95th – 99th percentiles in either math or English language arts. Cognitive potential is evaluated in grades K, 2, and 5 for all students not already identified as high ability. This eliminates the need for any individual parent requests for additional testing and allows for equal opportunities for all students to be considered.
A parent can provide evidence that suggests a different conclusion than what was determined through the identification process described above. Classroom grades, reading levels and ISTEP results are not sufficient evidence for placement.
To pursue an appeal, the rationale and any accompanying evidence must be submitted with a cover letter to the Superintendent.
Professional Development on Nonfiction Signposts
If you're a believer in Beers and Probst's Fiction Signposts like me, then get ready, because their Nonfiction Signposts are even better. Contact me at mstrnat@hse.k12.in.us if your school would be interested in a before or after school professional development on Reading Nonfiction & Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies.
Take the "I Can" Challenge
Haven't had time for a community project in your classroom this year? The end of the year might be the perfect time to challenge your students to make a change happen saying "I can!" Design for Change at http://www.dfcworld.com/ offers an easy format to guide elementary students through a community project chosen by the students. Kids can even write a story about their projects to share with Design for Kids.
It's important that high ability students recognize the importance of giving back to society. Joseph Renzulli, a leader in high ability education with the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Connecticut, emphasized that high ability students are likely to have positions of influence so should be given opportunities when young to "produce social capital." Students need to say "I can" by taking action that involves "...social justice, economic fairness, political activity, cultural enhancement, ecological preservation, and ethical, moral, and spiritual leadership." Design for Change is a great way to start teaching students how to give back.
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/lizloveshockey1/operation-houndstooth-good-gifts.
March HA Coordinator Meeting
Ask your high ability coordinator for more details about this month's Coordinator Meeting agenda:
Review upcoming high ability testing schedule
Address revisions to the draft testing notification letter
Discuss self-contained classrooms, clustering, and ENL voluntary pilots
Pick up CogAT testing materials for each elementary and intermediate building
An optional high ability coordinator meeting on the high ability coordinator job description will occur in April (TBA)
HSE Learning Fairs are scheduled for April 12th 4:30 p.m. and July 19-20th. What a great opportunity for learning how to meet the needs of our students!