Collaboration, Determination, and Communication - What to Expect
As the AAGS Identification Team reviews the data presented, all qualifying data points in the body of evidence will be regarded equally. Placing greater emphasis on a specific test or awarding more points to a test score above a specific percentile is not considered an ethical practice in gifted identification. This practice is often referred to as a “weighted matrix.” This creates an opportunity for unintentional bias and is unfavorable to culturally different students (Ford, 2013). While some of the data in a body of evidence will be used to meet the criteria for gifted identification as identified in ECEA rule, other data will be used to build a learner profile which demonstrates the student’s exceptional ability compared to peers for the purpose of determining need for gifted services and identifying appropriate programming options.
The Learner Profile is used in the development of the Personalized Learning Plan, which includes an ALP (Advanced Learning Plan.) The AAGS Gifted Facilitator team is formally trained to use the data from the Body of Evidence to drive the decisions when creating a programming plan for each student.
Parents will always be notified of the outcome of any determination review process. There are three possible outcomes:
- The child is formally identified for Gifted Identification. If this is the outcome, parents will be notified and invited to collaborate on the development of the child's Personalized Learning Plan, including the ALP (this process is explained below.)
- The Identification Team feels they need more information or data in order to make the determination. If this is the outcome, parents will be notified that the child will be placed in the Talent Development Pool with resources and programming to support potential talent development. Monitoring will occur and re-evaluation will follow.
- If the Identification Team is not able to formally identify the student, and the Talent Development Pool is not appropriate or necessary at the time of review, parents will be notified. If the parents or the person who referred the student for identification still feels there is a need for formal identification, one calendar year must pass before the team can reconvene for the purpose of re-evaluation for identification.