NAGC Pre-K - Grade 12 Programming Standards

2: Assessment

Description: Assessments provide information about identification, learning progress and outcomes, and evaluation of programming for students with gifts and talents in all domains.

Evidence: Standard Assessments are used at Springville to screen students for participation in the TAG program. We use the Iowa Assessments, MAP Assessments, Cognitive Abilities Test, and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. These assessments are used as a more long-form way to consider a child's education.

Talented and gifted students also create weekly goals and semester goals with the TAG Coordinator. This allows for the coordinator to gain insight into the students' strengths and areas in need of improvement. By setting goals, a student sets expectations and attempts to reach them. Each goal can be achieved by collaboration in problem-solving and hard work.

Classroom teachers evaluate and assess students on a regular basis. They are encouraged to use this data for flexible grouping and other forms of differentiation.

Standard 2: Assessment

2.1. Identification. All students in grades PK-12 have equal access to a comprehensive assessment system that allows them to demonstrate diverse characteristics and behaviors that are associated with giftedness.

2.1.1. Educators develop environments and instructional activities that encourage students to express diverse characteristics and behaviors that are associated with giftedness.

2.1.2. Educators provide parents/guardians with information regarding diverse characteristics and behaviors that are associated with giftedness.

2.2. Identification. Each student reveals his or her exceptionalities or potential through assessment evidence so that appropriate instructional accommodations and modifications can be provided.

2.2.1. Educators establish comprehensive, cohesive, and ongoing procedures for identifying and serving students with gifts and talents. These provisions include informed consent, committee review, student retention, student reassessment, student exiting, and appeals procedures for both entry and exit from gifted program services.

2.2.2. Educators select and use multiple assessments that measure diverse abilities, talents, and strengths that are based on current theories, models, and research.

2.2.3. Assessments provide qualitative and quantitative information from a variety of sources, including off-level testing, are nonbiased and equitable, and are technically adequate for the purpose.

2.2.4. Educators have knowledge of student exceptionalities and collect assessment data while adjusting curriculum and instruction to learn about each student’s developmental level and aptitude for learning.

2.2.5. Educators interpret multiple assessments in different domains and understand the uses and limitations of the assessments in identifying the needs of students with gifts and talents.

2.2.6. Educators inform all parents/guardians about the identification process. Teachers obtain parental/guardian permission for assessments, use culturally sensitive checklists, and elicit evidence regarding the child’s interests and potential outside of the classroom setting.

2.3. Identification. Students with identified needs represent diverse backgrounds and reflect the total student population of the district.

2.3.1. Educators select and use non-biased and equitable approaches for identifying students with gifts and talents, which may include using locally developed norms or assessment tools in the child’s native language or in nonverbal formats.

2.3.2. Educators understand and implement district and state policies designed to foster equity in gifted programming and services.

2.3.3. Educators provide parents/guardians with information in their native language regarding diverse behaviors and characteristics that are associated with giftedness and with information that explains the nature and purpose of gifted programming options.

2.4. Learning Progress and Outcomes. Students with gifts and talents demonstrate advanced and complex learning as a result of using multiple, appropriate, and ongoing assessments.

2.4.1. Educators use differentiated pre- and post- performance-based assessments to measure the progress of students with gifts and talents.

2.4.2. Educators use differentiated product-based assessments to measure the progress of students with gifts and talents.

2.4.3. Educators use off-level standardized assessments to measure the progress of students with gifts and talents.

2.4.4. Educators use and interpret qualitative and quantitative assessment information to develop a profile of the strengths and weaknesses of each student with gifts and talents to plan appropriate intervention.

2.4.5. Educators communicate and interpret assessment information to students with gifts and talents and their parents/guardians.

2.5. Evaluation of Programming. Students identified with gifts and talents demonstrate important learning progress as a result of programming and services.

2.5.1. Educators ensure that the assessments used in the identification and evaluation processes are reliable and valid for each instrument’s purpose, allow for above-grade-level performance, and allow for diverse perspectives.

2.5.2. Educators ensure that the assessment of the progress of students with gifts and talents uses multiple indicators that measure mastery of content, higher level thinking skills, achievement in specific program areas, and affective growth.

2.5.3. Educators assess the quantity, quality, and appropriateness of the programming and services provided for students with gifts and talents by disaggregating assessment data and yearly progress data and making the results public.

2.6. Evaluation of Programming. Students identified with gifts and talents have increased access and they show significant learning progress as a result of improving components of gifted education programming.

2.6.1. Administrators provide the necessary time and resources to implement an annual evaluation plan developed by persons with expertise in program evaluation and gifted education.

2.6.2. The evaluation plan is purposeful and evaluates how student-level outcomes are influenced by one or more of the following components of gifted education programming: (a) identification, (b) curriculum, (c) instructional programming and services, (d) ongoing assessment of student learning, (e) counseling and guidance programs, (f) teacher qualifications and professional development, (g) parent/guardian and community involvement, (h) programming resources, and (i) programming design, management, and delivery.

2.6.3. Educators disseminate the results of the evaluation, orally and in written form, and explain how they will use the results.