Highly Capable Program June 2020 Update

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 06/03/2020 07:45 AM PDT

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Highly Capable Program

June 2020 Update

Greetings - This email reports a change to Highly Capable program required reporting for the current school year. The End-of-Year Highly Capable report (Form Package 250 in iGrants) will not be required for school year 2019–20.

We also share ideas for allowable activities to expend Highly Capable funds by August 31, 2020. (Highly Capable funding period for this school year is September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020.) At this time, there is no carryover provision for Highly Capable funds.

FAQ

How can we complete the required annual identification process for Highly Capable? You may be unable to follow your usual identification procedure, and that is acceptable. There are several options for districts to consider to complete your disrupted identification process.

Use the data you already have for each student. Include standardized assessments, teacher checklists, classroom performance, grades, and qualitative measures going back over time. As always, avoid overreliance on standardized assessments such as Cognitive Abilities Test. Consider that with CogAT prep resources available online, that assessment may not be valid nor an equitable measure. Look for areas of strength relative to others of the same age, experience, or environments. Convene your Multidisciplinary Selection Committees virtually to discuss referred students’ need for Highly Capable services.
Conduct summer identification activities in small groups, pending approval of state and district for safe, limited building use. In the interest of equity, be sure to provide transportation for any student who needs it.
Develop a plan to conduct identification at the start of school in the fall and place students as soon as possible to receive services.

The National Association for Gifted Children has released guidance that may be helpful, including:

Adjusting Identification Services for the 2020–2021 School Year in the Time of COVID

How should we decide what to do? Think about these questions.

What would support teachers and students this year?

What would support teachers and students as they prepare for next year?

How might we use our funds with buildings closed?

Think about paying for TIME and RESOURCES.

TIME

Conduct identification activities and Multidisciplinary Selection Committee virtual meetings. Stipend 10 month staff who participate.
Give access to summer enrichment activities for identified students, and to engage and develop potential in other students.
Provide collaboration time for teaching teams to address learning while buildings are closed.
Plan and deliver professional development activities about working with Highly Capable and advanced learners.
Project work – develop, revise, create, for example: Problem Based Learning (PBL), interest centers with differentiated activities, menus of differentiated choice activities, question stems to deepen student engagement and thinking, etc.
Provide collaboration time for teaching teams to prepare for the first months of next school year.
Support teachers new to working with Highly Capable students.

RESOURCES

Self-enroll to explore Project HiCapPLUS professional learning modules in OSPI Learn Moodle, on your own, with teaching team, or job-alikes across schools.
Develop/purchase supplemental curricular materials and instructional supplies for working with Highly Capable and advanced learners.
Provide registration for professional learning activities about working with Highly Capable or advanced learners that takes place before August 31^st.
Book studies –
- Appropriate for adult research or practice-based professional learning about working with Highly Capable or advanced learners.
- Used by collaborative groups with a system for online communication (consider cross-district groups and interdisciplinary teams).

OTHER RESOURCES FOR SUPPORTING LEARNERS REMOTELY

North Carolina Advanced Learning

Mississippi Learning at Home

GT Discover - Maryland

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at HighlyCapable@k12.wa.us with any questions about use of funds, changes to identification procedures or any other way we can be of help.

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

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