PITT COUNTY SCHOOLS
ACADEMICALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED (AIG) PROGRAM
2010-2013
KEYPOINTS
→ The AIG Program is changing, not just for Pitt County Schools, but for programs all across the state. The State Board of Education has established State Standards that will provide a new structure for all local AIG programs and will allow for AIG student success to be measured in a consistent manner throughout the State → Pitt County Schools must develop and submit a three‐year plan that outlines its compliance with the new State Standards. Once the Pitt County Schools’ AIG Plan has been approved by the Pitt County Board of Education, it must be submitted to the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction for comment. → There are six broad State “Standards” that relate to: (1) Student Identification, (2) Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction, (3) Personnel and Professional Development, (4) Comprehensive Programming within a Total School Community, (5) Partnerships, and (6) Program Accountability. Provided along with the “Standards” are defined “Practices” that explains in more detail the expectations set forth in the standard, describes the program components that a local district should have in place, and establishes suggested checklists for local districts to use to evaluate their programs for appropriate breadth and depth with the goal to ensure the needs of AIG students are met and their potential optimally developed. → “Practices” may be designated by the district as (1) “focused,” indicating priority status, (2) “maintained,” reflecting an assessment that the goal has already been implemented successfully, or (3) “future,” to be addressed more specifically in 2013‐2016 AIG Plan. Within the plan, specific goals have been delineated for the “focused” or priority areas. In preparing the Pitt County Schools’ AIG Plan in response to these standards and practices, it was determined that Pitt County Schools’ was already in good shape in many areas, particularly as related to the differentiated curriculum/instruction and personnel/professional development. However, the new plan will require changes. → Students will be identified differently. In addition to classroom performance and grades, previously students were identified for AIG service based on quantifying measures of: Aptitude: 95%tile Achievement: 95% on End Of Grade (EOG) in either Reading (English/Language Arts) or Mathematics If identified in either subject area, students received AIG services in both reading and mathematics. Under the new plan, the quantitative measures have changed: Aptitude: 93%tile Achievement: 93% on EOG/Achievement Testing for both Reading (English/Language Arts) or Mathematics However, students will qualify for service in individual subject areas (either reading or math or may qualify separately for both). → More students will qualify. Previously, a student who would have qualified in reading might have scored low enough in mathematics to be eliminated from consideration for the program (or vice versa). Under the new identification criteria, students may qualify and be served in one area alone and therefore those students who would not have been included previously in the example above, would now be eligible for participation. Pitt County Schools anticipates a significant increase in the number of students served under the new criteria, perhaps as high as an 88% increase. → Students will be served differently. In grades 4‐5, students will be served at one of five “Tier” levels: Level Criteria Service Tier 1 Either Minimum of 90 minutes per week 93% in Reading or Direct Services by AIG Specialist in 93% in Math on EOG Identified Area (Either Reading or Math) Minimum of 90 minutes per week Tier 2 93% on Both Reading And Math on EOG Direct Services by AIG Specialist in Reading and Minimum of 90 minutes of Direct Services in Math Direct Service = 1 day (5 ½ hours) of Tier 3 Average of 93%ile on Aptitude Testing and EOG uninterrupted AIG Elementary Curriculum in Either Reading or Math by AIG Specialist OR 93%ile Aptitude Testing With Minimum of Level 3 In Both Reading and Math Tier 4 93% in Either Reading or Minimum of 90 minutes per week Direct Instruction in Identified area ‐ Math EOG and Tier 3 Identification either Reading or Math and 1 day (5 ½ hours) by AIG Specialist Tier 5 93% in Both Reading and Minimum of 90 minutes per week Math and Tier 3 Direct Instruction in Reading and a Identification minimum of 90 minutes per week of Direct Instruction in Math and 1 day (5 ½ hours) of Elementary Curriculum by AIG Specialist (As a point of clarification, the program previously referred to as STRIDE, is referred to in the new Plan as AIG Elementary Curriculum.) In grades 6‐8, students will be served at one of two “Tier Levels”. Criteria Service Level Tier 1 93% or higher in either Resource Support in the identified Reading or Math on EOG/ curriculum area (Reading or Math) Achievement Testing Tier 2 Average percentile of 93% Minimum of 90 minutes per week in or higher in Aptitude Testing AIG Middle School Curriculum by And EOG/Achievement AIG Specialist and Testing in Reading or Math Resource Support in the student’s OR identified curriculum area(s) 93%ile Aptitude Testing with a minimum of level 3 in both Reading and Math EOG/ Achievement Testing → Middle School students who were served at Tiers 3, 4, or 5 in the elementary setting or identified using the Middle School criteria will receive Direct AIG Services. Middle School students who were not previously served but demonstrate a need for AIG identification can be qualified by meeting the Tier 2 level criteria above for students in grades 6‐8. → Students eligible for Resource Support will be provided differentiated instruction within the regular classroom by the regular classroom teacher with support from the AIG teacher. Resource support will only be provided for the identified area(s). Students who are achieving above the level of most of their peers in Reading (Language Arts) or Math will be flexibly grouped together for instruction in the respective classes. (Some advanced course placements may be utilized for students in grades seven and eight.) → Students eligible for Direct Services will be provided the AIG Middle School Curriculum by the AIG Specialist. → For students in grades 9‐12, differentiated needs will continue to be addressed by providing a variety of advanced courses and learning opportunities that academically or intellectually gifted learners might select when developing their four year gifted plan. → For students in grades K‐3, the goal of the AIG Education Program is to challenge all students to reach their academic potential, while nurturing them as children. The K‐3 program has not changed as a result of the new State Standards. Through informal assessment in the regular classroom, students who are achieving above their peers at levels determined to be (1) mild, (2) moderate, (3), strong and (4) very strong are provided with a variety of learning environments, opportunities for enrichment, and special programs. → Students are identified for formal AIG classification at the end of the 3rd grade year. → The location for Direct Services has not yet been concretely determined for all students. Schools with large populations of AIG students will be served on the home school site. Schools with lower populations may be paired with other schools. → Special Program Participation opportunities and Special Contest/Competitions will continue to be available options specific to each school. → Addressing the needs of students in a differentiated continuum of service is a four‐step decision‐making process that includes screening, assessment, implementation of appropriate service delivery options, and review. A team will be identified at the individual school level to make decisions regarding student eligibility for service.