Frequently Asked Questions

Which children need the differentiated services provided by AIG?

Children who demonstrate above grade level ability or who think with more complexity and abstraction may require differentiated services. The differentiated services offered through AIG are not “one size fits all.” A variety of services meets the unique needs of these diverse learners and are available for children of all races and all economic backgrounds. The gifted education specialist facilitates the services provided school-wide, within the regular classrooms, and/or in separate settings.

How is a child nominated for AIG services?

A parent, teacher or other school personnel can nominate a child. A student may also nominated him/herself. If you think your child requires differentiated services, contact the classroom teacher, Gifted Education Specialist, or school principal. After a nomination is made data will be collected on your child to assess his/her needs and if your child is evaluated the results will be explained to you. Nomination forms can be downloaded from your Gifted Specialist's webpage or from the Parent Resource page.

Is nominating my child the same as requesting to have my child tested?

No. Once a student is nominated that starts the process for the gifted education specialist to organize the data collection. Once the data is collected, including data from the parent, student, and teacher, as well as observational, student advanced work samples, and past testing data, the gifted education specialist takes the data collected to the school Match Team. The team reviews the data to determine if there is enough data to make a decision. If more data is needed the Match Team makes the decision for a Continuation until further data can be collected. The Match Team Record includes the plan and review date. Then the Match Team signs the Match Team Record indicating the decision that was made. The data needed may be additional testing. If so, the parents are notified of the testing, date, and given a copy of the Match Team Record. All decisions to test are made by the school Match Team after the student data has been collected and reviewed. In addition, all testing must be administered during the county AIG testing calendar.

If a student is currently identified in elementary school and is receiving services, will the student continue in the program in middle school?

Students qualifying for AIG services will have a DEP for their school career in New Hanover County Schools. At times, there may be evidence that a child's services or options need to be adjusted. Particularly in middle school, class/course placement is based on student performance and needs. Students will only exit the program at a parent's request.

Who makes the decision about which services a student needs?

The AIG Match Team, which is composed of the Gifted Education Specialist, the principal or designee, and various classroom teachers, will review all available data and will determine if differentiation is required and what service the student will access. A copy of the AIG Match Team Record, documenting the team's decision, is provided to parents.

What types of information does the AIG Match Team use to make a decision?

Artifacts

Artifacts may include, but limited to:

-Observable Behaviors/ checklists

*T.O.P.S. Tool

*Parent and Teacher Checklists

*Student surveys and/or interviews

-County benchmark assessments

-Teacher formative assessments

-NC EOGs/EOCs

-Past testing: Aptitude test /Achievement test

*Advanced County AIG work samples

-Advanced classroom work examples

-Competitions, projects, extracurricular activities

* Artifacts that must be collected

Student Data- Qualifying scores for gifted services start at the 90% or higher depending on the test and area of nomination. EOG scores used for achievement must be 95% or higher.

Scores in the top 10% of grade level (EOG/EOC) and standardized tests will be considered for gifted services.

Student Aptitude – documented by scores on a nationally-normed aptitude test (see below for a list of accepted tests in NHCS) NHCS uses the CogAT as a 3rd grade screener, so all third graders are given the CogAT
Student Achievement – documented by scores on a nationally-normed achievement test (see below for a list of accepted tests in NHCS)

The NHCS AIG Flowchart for Identification is helpful in understanding qualifying in different areas of gifted.

How is the decision about the services documented?

The Match Team Record is where all decisions made by Match Team are recorded. The Match Team Record is shared with parents/guardians. A Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) is also created for those students who qualify for AIG services. The DEP is reviewed annually, signed by the parent/guardian, teacher, gifted specialist, and principal. The DEP is housed in the student's permanent records.

As a parent, where do I fit into the decision making process?

Parents are invited to meet with the classroom teacher and the Gifted Education Specialist to review the data and the proposed plan for differentiated services. Student performance is reviewed annually.

How does AIG help gifted education and regular education to collaborate more effectively?

The Department of Public Instruction requires that districts provide special training for teachers who teach gifted students. NHCS teachers are required to earn their NHCS AIG Credentials if they teach reading or math to identified gifted students. Each school should have a list on their webpage of teachers who have earned their AIG Credentials. AIG Match Teams identify students needing services and implement services in their schools. Staff development opportunities are provided to train teachers in differentiation strategies as well as other areas related to gifted education. Classroom teachers and the Gifted Education Specialist work together to ensure appropriate services are provided all day every day for gifted students.

Whom do I ask when I have a question about my child’s participation in AIG?

The principal is the appropriate person to contact. Successful home-school relationships develop when parents and school personnel work collaboratively to meet the child’s needs. Each school also has a Gifted Education Specialist to help with communication, including a webpage about the school's and county AIG program.

How are gifted children in grades K-3 served by the AIG program?

The K-3 Nurturing Program is offered at each elementary school. Gifted students in primary grades have a Differentiated Education Plan that includes service delivery.

How are gifted children in grades 9-12 served by the AIG program?

Currently, students in grades 9-12 can access the Honors and AP advanced curriculum. The four traditional high schools each have a part time gifted specialist who work to meet the diverse and specific needs of high school AIG students. The gifted specialists maintain an Academic Blueprint for each AIG student to assist in purposeful course planning, extra-curricular activities, and college planning. The GES in the high schools help with course and college planning as well as provide resources and information to students and families.

How are ESL students evaluated for AIG services?

English-Second Language students may be evaluated through an alternative route. If there is a language barrier then traditional standardized tests may not be an accurate measure of the students' abilities. In addition, the gifted education specialist and classroom teacher may collect documentation of need through non-traditional forms of assessment.

How is consistency ensured for AIG students, across schools in our county?

All schools follow the NHCS Board of Education approved Gifted Education Plan. The plan outlines how NHCS will address the six NC Gifted State Standards, including how students are identified. All schools follow the AIG plan and standards, but each site decides how to best meet the needs of their students. The school programs are also monitored during site visits by the AIG Supervisor. The Gifted Advisory Council also helps monitor the NHCS AIG Plan implementation.

How do I find out the implementation plan for AIG services at my child's school?

Each fall, the gifted education specialists host a meeting for families, outlining the specific implementation plans for that school. Information from that meeting will be posted on the school's AIG webpage along with the specialist's schedule, curriculum updates, testing calendar, and extra-curricular opportunities for advanced students.

Approved Tests/Instruments

Aptitude

❑ Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

❑ Comprehensive Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence II (CTONI-2)

❑ Differential Ability Scales 2 (DAS-II)

❑ InView

❑ Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children II (KABC-II)

❑ Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test I & II (NNAT & NNAT 2)

❑ Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT-8)

❑ Raven’s Progressive Matrices

❑ Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS)

❑ Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults, Aptitude Portion (SATA)

❑ Stanford-Binet 5

❑ Universal Non-Verbal Intelligence Test (UNIT)

❑ Wechsler Scales:

❑ Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC IV)

❑ Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV (WAIS IV)

❑ Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJ-III Cog)

Achievement

❑ American College Test (ACT)

❑ Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP4/ERB)

❑ End-of-Course (North Carolina)

❑ Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)

❑ Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITED)

❑ Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement II (KTEA 2)

❑ Metropolitan Achievement Test 8

❑ Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults, Achievement Portion (SATA)

❑ Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)

❑ Stanford Achievement Test 10

❑ TerraNova

❑ Test of Reading Comprehension IV (TORC 4)

❑ Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (WIAT II)

❑ Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III (WIAT III)

❑ Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-III ACH)