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The Decision Making Process for Differentiated Services

The decision process involves four phases:

  • nomination

  • referral, evaluation and committee review

  • determination of the need for differentiated services and the service option match

  • annual review

Decisions regarding identification and service of AG students must be made by a group of persons.  No decision can be made by one person.  Each phase of the decision-making process is guided by the needs of the student.  Information collected at one stage is used in the decision for the next level as well. 
I. Nomination

Students can be nominated for consideration for the academically gifted program at any grade level.  Nominations are initiated in any of several ways.
 

Written nomination by parent based on at least one of these:
 
  • Parent checklist
 
  • Testing by licensed psychologist

2.  Nomination by teacher based on at least one of these:
 
  • Teacher observation checklist of demonstrated gifted learning behaviors
 
  • Student request to be considered for AG program
 
  • Standardized test scores at or above the 90th percentile

3.  School-wide standardized testing of all grade 3 students:
 
  • Aptitude-Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAt) at or above the 90th percentile, and
 
  • Achievement-Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) at or above the 90th percentile.

Available information is compiled for the multiple indicators (formal and informal indicators) of potential giftedness.  This data is considered by the grade level teacher(s) in consultation with the AG contact person. 

 
 

They will decide either:

1.  that the student does not require further review at this time, or

2. that there is sufficient evidence of giftedness to warrant a referral for further evaluation.

Nominations received by the school AG contact prior to the established screening period may be considered for referral decisions and/or necessary testing during that semester.  If a nomination is received after the screening period, the nomination will be considered during the next semester. 

II. Referral , Evaluation, and Committee Review

Referrals

If a referral is made, the school-based committee may request additional information about the student in the areas of aptitude, achievement, performance, motivation, and interest.
 
  • The committee must receive permission from the parent/guardian for additional evaluation, including any aptitude or achievement testing that was not administered as part of the regular school program. 
 
  • Parents and teachers may have an opportunity to complete an observation checklist that provides important information about the student's academic performance and characteristics of potential giftedness.

Evaluation Procedures to Determine the Need for AG Services:

The following requirements must be met in the evaluation process:
 
  • The tests must consider the child's native language.
  • Testing and evaluation materials must be selected and administered so as not to be racially or culturally biased.
  • The tests must be valid for the specific purpose for which they are used.  For example, achievement tests may not be used to measure intellectual ability.
  • The selected tests and other evaluation materials must include those designed to measure specialized areas of educational performance as well as a general measure of intelligence.
  • The tests must allow for impaired vision, hearing, and manual or speaking skills so these impairments do not lower test scores.
  • The evaluations must be done by trained specialists including those with knowledge in the area of academically gifted education.
  • The child must be evaluated using multiple criteria for decision making.  One test or procedure is not enough to determine the need for service differentiation. 
  • Data must be collected to provide relevant information for instructional decision-making rather than labeling.

Independent Evaluation

Parents have the right to obtain, at their own expense, an independent evaluation of their child's educational needs at any time.  The evaluation must be given by a qualified examiner, e.g., licensed psychologist, who is not employed by the school system.  The following parental rights concerning evaluation procedures are related to independent educational evaluations.
 

  

A.  Parents have the right to be given, on request, information about where an independent educational evaluation may be obtained.  This request should be made to the school AG contact person or the AG Department at Central Office.

   B.  Parents have the right to be told about the requirements used for selecting a qualified examiner.  The requirements for an independent educational evaluation must be the same as those used for this purpose by the Wake County Public School System.
Independent evaluations obtained at parent expense will be considered by the School-Based Committee for Gifted Education (SBC-GE) in the decision related to gifted services but cannot be used alone to determine eligibility for services.  It is the parent's responsibility to review information on appropriate tests before securing an independent evaluation.  This information is available through the AG contact person at each school and through the AG Department at Central Office.
III. Determination of the Need for Differentiated Education/Service Option Match

Once the evaluation process is complete, the data will be recorded on an Individual Student Profile (ISP) and reviewed by the SBC-GE.  The Individual Student Profile (ISP) is a record of formal and informal indicators of potential giftedness. 

Multiple indicators of potential giftedness include test scores, grades, performance ratings, and questionnaires.  Assessments by private psychologists and/or end of grade/course scores may be part of the information to be considered, but these alone do not determine eligibility. 

The decision regarding a student's need for service differentiation is based on the information recorded on the ISP.
  • The SBC-GE may determine that no services are needed and that the needs of the student are best met through the regular educational program.
  • If service differentiation is needed, then the level of need for differentiation in mathematics and/or language arts may be determined to be moderate, strong, or very strong.  Moderate service most often delivered in the regular education setting.
  • Identification for service differentiation does not guarantee a particular service option, program, class assignment, or school assignment.

Parents will be notified of the results of the evaluation process and the decisions of the SBC-GE in a timely manner.

Parental  Consent and Prior Notice

1. Parental consent must be obtained by the school before an initial evaluation is conducted or before data is reviewed by the SBC-GE to determine the need for service differentiation.

2.  Parental consent must be obtained before a child can receive the differentiated services outlined in the initial Differentiated Education Plan (DEP)

3.  Consent is not required for changes in the student's services.  A parent's signature is requested and a conference is recommended for a proposed change in services.

4.  Prior notice must be given to parents before a reevaluation is conducted.  Consent given prior to the initial evaluation is still in effect as long as the student continues in the AG program.
IV. Annual Review

Yearly Performance Review to Determine Need for Continued Service

Each student should have a yearly performance review to determine the appropriateness of his/her continuing to receive differentiated services in each service option.  Students remain eligible for gifted services as long as they maintain a gifted level of performance.  The decision for a student to continue in a program service option should be based on the student's performance as outlined in the annual goals in the Differentiated Course Plan (DCP).  Student progress for the year will be recorded on the Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) and shared with the parents.
  • If there are no changes in the program options being recommended by the grade level team, the DEP will be sent home for parent review.
  • If a change in service level (either additional or reduced service) is recommended, the SBC-GE is convened to make a decision.  If the committee supports a change in the service level, a parent's signature is requested on the DEP.  Parents may request a conference to review the recommendation.
  • If a student's performance no longer indicates a need for services, the SBC-GE is convened to discuss the proposed change.  If exit from the AG program is recommended by the committee, the parent will be invited to a conference to discuss the recommendation.  A complete reevaluation may be needed to clarify whether the student still qualifies for differentiated services.