WELCOME TO CHALLENGE 301 2009-2010!
NEWS POINTS:
Rising First Graders join the Eretus Rivers Challenge Program for the Third
Year!
Expanded Fall, Winter, & Spring Garden Plantings, Pond Study, Mondays in the
Garden, and Fridays on the Trail expand Challenge into the Green World.
Anticipated progams include:
Architecture and Construction,
Native, Adaptive, & Invasive Species,
Fast Plants, and Carnivorous Plants,
Medieval Europe,
Electronic Circuitry & Robotics,
Photography and Stop Action Animation,
Recognition & Application of the Physical
Properties of Matter,
Stock Market Game,
Toshiba Exploravision,
Water, Pond Study, and as always -
Somethings Not Yet Known.
RIVERS CHALLENGE PROGRAM BASICS
Rivers Challenge offers flexible school based programs designed to enhance
the development of students’ academic talents, intellectual abilities, life
skill experiences, and avocational interests. Rivers’ Gifted and Talented
Program services are available to students meeting Placement Criteria in the
First through Fifth Grades.
Rivers Challenge provides instructional activities designed to develop and
demonstrate students’ advance skills in:
Communication Critical Thinking Research and Reference Creativity
Many observations contribute to the discovery of each student’s gifts and
talents in the Challenge Program’s Identification Process. Parents are
encouraged to meet with classroom teachers, Challenge staff, and local school
administrators to discuss relevant information supporting Eligibility and
Placement decisions.
The APS Gifted Identification Process begins in Kindergarten. Challenge
Identification and Placement utilizes three processes:
Referral Evaluation Eligibility
Referral to the Gifted Program is supported by teachers, parents, fellow
students, and a staff review and evaluation of state and system wide tests
scores.
Evaluation of a referred student's mental ability, achievement, creativity,
and motivation are, in part, assessed using nationally normed group tests of
Mental Abilities – CogAT – and Achievement – TERRA NOVA – OR – Iowa Test of
Basic Skills, grade point averages, surveys, and teacher assessment scales.
Written parental consent must be obtained prior to any program evaluation.
See the Table of Evaluation Procedures below.
Eligibility decisions regarding a student’s placement in the Challenge
Program follow State Department of Education evaluation guidelines.
Students’ parents are notified in writing of eligibility decisions.
Eligibility and Placement in the Challenge Program are based upon four
criteria:
Ability Achievement Motivation Creativity
Eligibility decisions place students in one of four categories.
Reciprocity – Eligibility is based upon accepted data collected from other
Georgia school systems.
Mental Ability – Mental Ability scores of 99th Percentile for Grades K-2 –
or – 96th to 99th Percentile rankings for Grades 3-12 are met with qualifying
Achievement Score of 90th Percentile or greater.
Multiple Criteria – Three of Four Qualifying Criteria are established using
evaluation guidelines.
Ineligible – Current Challenge Placement is not supported by available data
and assessments.
Formal and scheduled assessment in the APS Multiple Criteria Gifted
Identification Process is initiated in the Fall and Spring of each school
year.
The Challenge Identification and Placement Processes typically complete
within the full course of a school year. Students eligible for Challenge
Services during one school year may enter Challenge Classes for the first
time the following school year
Students not eligible for Challenge Placement within one year following
initial referral continue in the observation and evaluation process for an
additional year. Second cycle referral decisions are considered with
parental approval.
Evaluation Procedures
A student may qualify for gifted education services by meeting criteria in
Option A or three of the four criteria in Option B as specified by each local
school system. At least one of the four criteria must be met by a score on
a nationally normed test.
Option A
Mental Ability Achievement
Kdg - 2nd: 99th percentile on composite or full scale score of a
standardized test of mental ability – CogAT by Riverside Publishing
3rd-12th: 96th percentile (or higher) on composite or full scale score of a
standardized test of mental ability Kdg-12: 90th percentile (or higher),
by age or grade, on total reading, total math or total battery score of a
standardized achievement test – TERRA NOVA by McGraw-Hill – OR – IOWA TEST
OF BASIC SKILLS by Riverside Publishing
– OR –
A superior rating (numerical score of 90 or better on scale of 1-100) on a
student generated product or performance as evaluated by a panel of three or
more qualified evaluators
Option B
Mental Ability Achievement Creativity Motivation
96th percentile (or higher) by age on a composite or full scale score or
appropriate component score of a standardized test of mental ability 90th
percentile on total reading, total math or total battery score of a
standardized achievement test
– OR –
A superior rating (numerical score of 90 or better on scale of 1-100) on a
student generated product or performance as evaluated by a panel of three or
more qualified evaluators 90th percentile (or higher) on the total battery of
a standardized test of creativity
– OR –
90th percentile (or higher) on a standardized creativity characteristics
rating scale
– OR –
superior rating (numerical score of at least 90 on a scale of 1-100) on a
structured observation/evaluation of creative products and/or performance as
evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators 90th percentile
(or higher) on a standardized characteristics rating scale (motivational)
– OR –
superior rating (numerical score of at least 90 on scale of 1-100) on a
structured observation/evaluation of student generated products and/or
performances as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators
– OR –
Grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, using an average of
grades over the previous two school years
In any given area, additional follow-up evaluation may be requested by
eligibility teams based on special circumstances and/or specific individual
need. The reasons for such requests are documented on the student
eligibility reports. Evaluation data from other school systems may be
approved/accepted by eligibility teams provided the tests administered meet
criteria specified in Georgia Rule 160-4-2--.3
