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BACK to Grapevine HOME | Shen HOME GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION
Posted on April 22, 2008 How did the district decide which kids should take the TOMAGS test? Why didn't you send a letter to all parents offering the test (as you did with SCAT for all 3rd graders)?
The TOMAGS were administered to all fifth graders in the highest math groups. It is also administered at any elementary level when there is a need to gather more information about a child's math capacity. It is not an assessment that is designed for wholesale administration like the SCAT.
Posted on April 10, 2008 Can you tell me when parents are notified if their children are eligible for the Young Scholars Program?
Parents whose children took the SCAT earlier this year have been notified regarding their child's eligibility for Young Scholars. If you have not heard, please get in touch with Beverly Girard (girabeve@shenet.org)
Posted on April 10, 2008 I understand there is no retest policy for the SCAT test. Does the district intend to document this information? Also, can a parent pay for retesting on their own? If so, and the child qualifies, will they be admitted to the Young Scholars program?
When giving a standardized test like the SCAT, the results of a retest within a limited amount of time may be skewed because of test familiarity. It is recommended that a retest be given the following year and we have provisions for such testing. There is no provision for parents paying for an additional test. The child would not be admitted to Young Scholars unless the child met the appropriate criteria on the test at the time the benchmark was administered by BOCES.
Posted on April 10, 2008 I believe my child may have been given the TOMAGS test yesterday. Will I be notified of the results?
Results on the TOMAGS will be available soon and parents will be informed as soon as possible.
Posted on April 10, 2008 What score on the TOMAGS test qualifies a student for accelerated math?
The TOMAGS is a screening instrument and it is used to inform the building level Child Study Team of a child's potential in math. There is no score that automatically qualifies a child for acceleration it is only one of many factors that are considered in each child's individual case.
Posted on April 1, 2008 Is it true that selection for the Young Scholars program is not based on SCAT test scores alone? What are the other factors that are considered and what happens if only one area of the SCAT test scores above the required percentage?
Selection for Young Scholars is based upon the outcomes on SCAT scores--that is the gateway exam. If a child scores high on either verbal or math, but not on both, he/she does not qualify for Young Scholars but the school is notified that the child has demonstrated strength in the area. However, that is not the only program or the only measure for assessing giftedness--we have other tools, such as the gifted rating scale (GRS), teacher observation, and the TOMAGS (Test of Mathematical Ability Among Gifted Students), which are all instruments to assess a child's assets. Outcomes on those assessments are used when considering placement, programming, and potential for gifted children.
Posted on March 27, 2008 How many current 3rd graders in each school did well enough on the SCAT test to qualify for the Young Scholars program?
31 third graders from all the schools met the criteria for Young Scholars admission on the SCAT.
Posted on February 24, 2008 How do middle schoolers get selected for acceleration?
Posted on February 20, 2008 Much effort is put into identifying students with special needs and providing them with the services they require to succeed. What efforts are put into identifying academically gifted children and providing them with services so that they may reach their full potential as well?
There are many efforts put into to identifying academically talented students at Shen. We screen kindergartners for potential disability and potential giftedness, as required by the state. As children progress through school, there are school-based practices that identify children for acceleration, either by single subject or by whole grade. In third grade, every child is eligible to take the SCAT, which is an assessment out of Johns Hopkins University to identify children with exceptional strengths in verbal and/or mathematical ability. In addition to the SCAT, we use the Test of Mathematical Giftedness (TOMAG) when we need additional information on a child's progress and aptitude in Math and we use the Gifted Ratings Scale (GRS) to document student potential for advanced performance. Go to the Gifted and talented archive page for more on what services are provided.
Posted on February 14, 2008 Is it true that the only opportunity for gifted education at the elementary level is the Young Scholars Program in grades 4 and 5?
The Young Scholars Program is for students in grades 4 and 5. However, that is not the only opportunity in gifted education. We have children who are accelerated in single subjects and, occasionally, grade level. We also work on differentiating instruction within the classroom so that we can meet the needs of different ability learners.
Posted on February 14, 2008 Why isn't there extra curriculum for students in elementary school who are bored and doing above grade level work?
We have Young Scholars that is a program designed by BOCES to offer options for children who exhibit abilities well past grade level. We have children who are accelerated in single subjects and occasionally moved up a grade. We also have many children who are very bright and served well in the classroom through differentiated instruction to meet the needs of different ability learners.
Posted on February 11, 2008 What happened to the lead teacher for gifted and talented position?
The responsibilities for acceleration and enrichment programs has been broadened. Those functions are now addressed by the academic administrators at all levels. Furthermore, more opportunities are being offered in staff development in the area of gifted and talented.
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Archives • TOMAGS • Young Scholars notification • Retest for SCAT • TOMAGS • Young Scholars/SCAT • Middle school acceleration •Identifying gifted students • Young Scholars • Extra curriculum for students • Lead teacher for gifted and talented position
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