Phase I – Universal Screening
Universal screening for the High Ability Learner program is conducted, beginning in third grade, using both ability and achievement data, a best practice that acknowledges both a student’s performance and potential. All third graders take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in addition to MAP-Growth. New and current students in grades 4+ are also screened. Students who meet at least one of the following criteria move on to Phase II.
120+ standard age score on any battery/index or total composite on a district-approved ability test, e.g., CogAT;
95+ percentile in mathematics or reading on a district-approved standardized achievement test, e.g., MAP-Growth
Phase II – Data Analysis
An analysis of the body of evidence for each student is conducted. Evidence includes data from multiple district-approved assessments to measure ability, achievement, and high-ability characteristics. The most common instruments used are the Cognitive Abilities Test- CogAT (ability), NWEA MAP Growth and Pre-ACT (achievement), and the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (teacher rating scale). The analysis includes computing data points for achievement and ability. The achievement data point is a mean of the two highest scores, e.g., MAP-Growth, within the past 12 months. It represents the student’s pattern of performance. The ability data point is the score that best reflects the student’s potential in the program area for which they are being considered.
Phase III – Determination of Eligibility
HALE program eligibility is determined when a student meets the criteria in one of three possible Pathways. Pathways II and III require data points expressed as z-scores to combine scores on ability and achievement tests.
Pathway I
HALE Math Eligibility- CogAT Quantitative (Q) or Quantitative-Nonverbal (QN) standard age score of 140+
HALE Reading Eligibility- CogAT Verbal (V) standard age score of 140+
OR
HALE Math Eligibility- two MAP Growth-Math or Pre-ACT/ACT-Math scores in the 99th percentile within the past 12 months
HALE Reading Eligibility- two MAP Growth-Reading or Pre-ACT/ACT-Reading scores in the 99th percentile within the past 12 months
Pathway II
Minimum of 3.5 after combining z-scores earned on district-approved ability and achievement tests.
HALE Math Eligibility-the two highest MAP Growth-Math percentiles within the past 12 months paired with CogAT Quantitative (Q), Quantitative-Nonverbal (QN), or VQN (if Quantitative or Quantitative-Nonverbal is 120+)
HALE Reading Eligibility- two highest MAP Growth-Reading percentiles within the past 12 months paired with standard scores earned on CogAT Verbal (V) or VQN (if Verbal is 120+)
Pathway III
Students with a 3.2-3.499 Pathway II total must score 131+ on a teacher rating scale of gifted characteristics (Scales for Identifying Gifted Students- SIGS-2).
Phase IV – Placement
Parents/guardians of newly identified students will receive documents requesting consent for HALE services. Signatures are required before services can commence.
Letters of continued placement are sent each September as required by the Nebraska State Department of Education.