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An integrated, place-based curriculum.

High Ability Program

 

Mission Statement
Discovery Charter School recognizes that high ability learners are found in all racial, economic, and cultural groups and will in turn strive to identify, engage, and challenge high ability learners with appropriately differentiated educational experiences that will promote intellectual, social, and emotional growth leading them to be active citizens in a global community.

Indiana Department of Education Definition of a High Ability Student
A student who performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, an outstanding level of accomplishment in at least one domain when compared to other students of the same age, experience, or environment; and is characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests.

Annual Screening Process for High Ability Students
At the end of each year there will be an annual screening for  students in Kindergarten, Second Grade, and Fifth Grade.  Students will be screened using a norm-referenced achievement measure, a norm-referenced aptitude measure, and qualitative indicators.  The following table identifies the screening tools used at Discovery Charter School.

Grade Level	Norm-Referenced Achievement Measure	Norm-Referenced Aptitude Measure	Qualitative Indicator
K	ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills)	CoGAT (Cognitive Abilities Test)	Student Portfolio, Teacher Survey
2	NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)	CoGAT (Cognitive Abilities Test)	Student Portfolio, Teacher Survey
5	NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)	CoGAT (Cognitive Abilities Test)	Student Portfolio, Teacher Survey

High Ability Selection
After all screening tools have been administered, the High Ability Cadre will establish the local norms for the testing group to determine which students would be eligible for high ability services in Math, English/Language Arts or both.  Students who score in the 95th percentile* or higher on the CoGAT, ITBS, or NWEA MAP test will qualify for high ability services.  Students demonstrating an outstanding level of accomplishment in these areas and also have other supporting evidence may also be eligible for services.
*(using local norms and with consideration of the standard error of measure)

Local Norms
It is important to understand that when identifying high ability students the focus is on students who are performing at an outstanding level above their peers.  Therefore, local norms are created to identify the students within Discovery Charter School that meet the criteria.  This means that a student may fall in the 95th percentile based on national norms, on a screening tool such as the NWEA MAP test, but may not fall in the 95th percentile when the local norms are established because local norms are developed from the results of the students at Discovery Charter School. 

Nominating a Student for High Ability
Students at Discovery Charter School will be screened in Kindergarten, Second Grade, and Fifth Grade annually at the end of the school year for high ability services to begin the following year. Any new student, or any student that is NOT in an annual screening year, may be nominated for high ability services by a parent, guardian, or staff member. 

High Ability Student Nomination Process
I.  Nomination
- Staff, Parents, or Guardians may request a nomination form from the High Ability Coordinator. 
- Nomination form is completed and returned to the High Ability Coordinator.
II.  Initial Screening
High Ability Cadre will conduct a screening of all nominated students.  The High Ability Cadre will screen based on the following criteria:
- Grades K - 1 Reading:  TRC component of mCLASS above current grade level
-Grades K - 1 Math:  mCLASS Math above current grade level
-Grades 2 – 8 Math: NWEA MAP Math score greater than 95th percentile nationally
-Grades 2 - 8 English/Language Arts: NWEA MAP Reading or Language Arts score greater than 95th percentile nationally
 III.  Additional Information Gathering
For the students who meet the criteria in step 2, additional screening tools will be initiated.
-Grades K - 8:  Students will be given the CoGAT test to identify local percentile rank.
-Grades K - 1:  Students will be given the ITBS test to identify local percentile rank.
-Grades 2 - 8:  Students NWEA scores will be converted to identify local percentile rank.
IV.  Selection
The High Ability Cadre will base their decision on the preponderance of evidence for each child.  Students that qualify will be notified before the beginning of the following school year. 

Appeal Process
An appeal process is in place in the event the High Ability Cadre does not place a child in services and a teacher, parent, guardian, or other person close to the child challenges this decision. The following steps clarify the appeal process.

1. The petitioner contacts the High Ability Coordinator who then provides an Appeal Request Form. Appeal forms are due by October 31st, 2011.
2. The Appeal Request Form is completed and delivered to the High Ability Coordinator.
3. The High Ability Coordinator reviews the student profile and may request:
1. Approved classroom work samples
2. Alternative assessments
3. Other valid indicators of student’s ability/potential
4. Building level identification team reconveneswith High Ability Coordinator to consider new data.  This meeting may include an interview with the student and/or petitioners.
5. High Ability Coordinator reports results to petitioner.

Exit Procedure
If a student, parent, guardian, or teacher believes a high ability placement for services is no longer appropriate, he or she may:

1. Arrange a conference with the parties involved, including the parent and the teacher providing services.  This conference may be a telephone conference.
2. Parent or guardian, student, and teacher examine issues of concern and discuss interventions that may be implemented.
3. Participants agree on a probationary period, not less than 4 weeks, to implement interventions.
4. At the end of the probationary period, the parent or guardian, student, and teacher meet to review progress and determine whether or not the student should exit services.
5. If an exit is deemed appropriate, the parent signs permission to “de-flag” student from high ability placement and services.
6. Parent permission for exit and documentation of meetings/interventions are sent to the High Ability Coordinator.
7. High Ability Coordinator removes high ability flag for student in database.

High Ability Cadre
Ernesto F. Martinez, Upper School Team Leader, High Ability Coordinator
Tessa Maguire, Primary School Team Leader
Heather DeNormandie, Kindergarten Teacher
Sarah Pavlovic, Discovery Naturalist
Jennifer Westphal, High Ability Instructor