INCLUSION POLICY

PHILOSOPHY

 The Inclusion Program at Dunecrest American School adheres to the philosophy that each student is unique and deserves to be respected for his or her own virtues, strengths and challenges. We acknowledge that children learn at different paces, and that they may excel in some areas and need more support in others. We recognize that some students have special talents and some students may need additional, and sometimes continuous, support in order to make academic progress. We strongly believe that students with determination have the right to access mainstream education and thus be educated in an integrated setting. Similarly, we believe that the least restrictive environment is the effective settings where students with determination are educated.

Link to our Guiding Statements

This policy reflects our school Goal to be an inclusive school. Teachers use data effectively to skillfully plan and influence learning outcomes, enabling all students to make progress. Teachers gain an in-depth knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of individual students, collaborate with specialists and together breach barriers to learning. With an emphasis on wellbeing, all students are happy, successful and excited about their future.

PURPOSE OF THE INCLUSION PROGRAM

The Dunecrest American School vision and mission as well as our philosophy regarding students with determination are the foundation for our code of practice. It is the purpose of the Dunecrest American Inclusion Program to:

• Provide equal opportunities for Dunecrest American School students of all abilities.
• Enable each student to achieve their full potential in a challenging and supportive environment.
• Create an effective climate for learning by sharing information that enables specialists to minimize the barriers to learning and maximize the opportunities for success for Inclusion students.
• Plan and implement for Inclusion students as an integral part of all programs.
• Utilize data about Inclusion students’ strengths and areas of need to make informed decisions.
• Narrow down the attainment gap between Inclusion students and peers, through effective research-based practices and interventions.
• Raise awareness among the school community about students of determination rights.
• Keep updated documentation about current policies and best practices regarding Inclusion students, through ongoing professional development and constant communication with local governing entities (KHDA).
• Support and act as a resource for classroom teachers working with students of determination and Inclusion students.
• Provide ongoing professional development to enhance instructional strategies of support and classroom teachers/educators.
• Share responsibility with classroom teachers, parents and specialists.

TIERED MODEL OF INSTRUCTION

Dunecrest American School is an inclusive school and, therefore, acknowledges that in order to provide the best possible care and education to the children enrolled in our school, a

school-wide approach is needed. The Response to Intervention (RTI) Framework is an approach to learning that provides all students with the best opportunities to succeed, particularly students with learning needs. RTI is a process used to help students who are struggling with a skill or lesson; yet it is not just for children with special needs or a learning disability.

Dunecrest American School aims at identifying and intervening early with support mechanisms for students who begin to struggle before they fall behind. RTI is a proactive approach in which a quality curriculum is an essential component, one in which all students receive high-quality instruction in alignment with clearly defined curriculum standards (Common Core State Standards-CCSS). This framework entails a series of steps:

• Identification of students with learning needs, using various forms of evaluation and testing.
• Ongoing measuring of students’ skills and academic performance.
• Close monitoring of student progress.
• Gathering and use of data to inform decisions about best strategies and interventions for support.
• Thorough data analysis to study student performance trends and patterns.
• Ensuring students receive appropriate instruction and related supports.

RTI is an approach to learning that uses a

multi-tier system to support students. Within this model, Dunecrest defines “accommodation” as an adjustment made to access core instruction. “Modification” is defined as a change made (to content, process, product ) that alters the learning outcome.

 

 

 

TIER 1: GENERAL EDUCATION

To identify which students are struggling and/or what may be the cause of their struggles is not an easy task for classroom teachers. Differentiated Instruction, which is a central component embedded in the RTI model, is used as a central tool to provide students with different avenues and ways of learning. In the RTI system, the core curriculum is effective and sufficient for about 80% of the students who fall within this tier.

Each classroom teacher is expected/required to be familiar with the identified areas of learning needs present in their classroom as well as with teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches that are best practices to meet Inclusion students’ needs. They are also required to develop teaching materials and assessment measures to ensure all students learn effectively, regardless of levels of ability. Through this approach, the needs of students who are academically challenged or advanced are addressed within the classroom.

TIER 2: EARLY INTERVENTION CLASSROOM STRATEGIES

Students who present more significant needs and are not making expected progress receive more targeted assistance. The strategies and interventions used at this level are different from those used in Tier 1, which have proved to be insufficient. They are provided in a small group in addition to the whole class instruction and curriculum. Push-in support may be provided by Inclusion teachers to support small group supplemental skill/ language interventions and differentiation.

TIER 3: INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS

Students who continue to struggle, despite the support provided in Tier 2, will receive more intense and individualized Inclusioninterventions. Tier 3 support will be tailored to each specific students’ needs, either inone-on-one or small groups. Tier 3 students may take a support class or have pull-out sessions. Tier 3 Inclusion students may be recommended to be assessed by an external specialist who will issue a Psychological-educational evaluation which will provide a specific diagnosis and will include detailed information about the students’ skills and challenges as well as recommendations to be followed to maximize academic success.

REMEDIAL INTERVENTION: TEACHER-LED SHORT TERM

Students who present with challenges with additional educational needs as specific skills or gaps that do not stem from a learning disability or language may be recommended for Remedial Intervention. With the partnership of parents and Inclusion teachers as consultants, an Improvement Plan will be developed. It will set measurable goal(s) and detail actions the school and parents will take to support attainment of goals. Teachers will be case managers. As case managers all progress monitoring and communication to parents will be conducted by them. Intervention is a short-term basis of 4-6 weeks of strategies performed by the teacher within the classroom. A review will be conducted at the end of 4-6 weeks with revision and another implementation of 6 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks a child study team meeting will be called to determine exit, evaluation, or entry into Inclusion.

Strategies may be, but are not limited to: flexible reading groups, strategy groups, tutorials, progress monitoring apps, tutoring and/or outside services

INCLUSION STUDENTS

The Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) School Inspection Framework defines “special educational needs or disabilities” (SEND) as “educational needs that are different from those of the majority of students, and which arise from the impact of a disability or recognised disorder.”

The categories produced by the DSIB Framework are used as referent to ensure clarity of concepts and to better understand the nature and diversity of special education needs and learning difficulties:

For a student to be eligible for Inclusion services, the learning difficulty(ies) and/or disability must affect his/her performance. They may qualify for Inclusion services under one or more of the previously mentioned categories due to an official medical diagnosis or Psycho-educational assessment. Students may also qualify for Inclusion due to significant additional educational needs without a diagnosis. A student with a severe medical condition may have a Medical Accommodation Plan that is case managed by the Inclusion team.

These educational needs require that the school makes specific accommodations, modifications or provides specific support to prevent, remove or reduce the impact of the disability/educational need on student learning and to ensure that the student can access education on an equitable basis and within a common learning environment with same-aged peers.

Identification of Inclusion Students

The early identification of students’ learning needs is very important for the Dunecrest American School. Since neurodivergent students typically have significantly more difficulty in learning than neurotypical students of the same age, special education provisions need to be carefully planned and made available for them. The right interventions maximize opportunities for learning, ensure better progress and minimize long-term impact.

The tier of services is determined using multiple datasets as standardized assessments (MAP, CAT4), internal assessments (F&P, unit tests), informal data collection (observations, continuums, rubrics). Significant consideration is given to the student’s individual learning profile. This criteria includes depth and complexity of needs as well as the amount and type of support required.

Dunecrest defines Students of Determination as students with a formal diagnosis by a doctor or psychologist, receiving Tier 3 services and requiring modification of content.

Admission 

At Dunecrest American School, the identification of Inclusion students will start upon entry to the School, through the Admission process. In order to identify students requiring Inclusion support, the Admission process will involve the following steps, depending on age::

• Academic testing.
• Observations of the younger student’s performance and behavior.
• Academic and confidential ( if applicable) reports provided by previous school/nursery (e.g. IEP or ILP).
• External service provider’s assessments and/or progress reports (e.g., psych-ed reports).
• Information provided by parents.
• Conversation with the student (for the younger children, this will be an informal conversation; for the older students, this will be a formal interview).

The Admissions Policy follows the obligations as defined in Federal Law No. 29, Law no. 2 of March 2014 ‘Regarding the Rights of Persons with Special Educational Needs’. Dunecrest American School will provide high quality services to meet the educational needs of Inclusion students who will be mainstreamed and involved in all school activities. All students, with or without delays or disabilities, will be treated with due respect and utmost care by the entire school community.

The School will admit students who are identified as having mild to moderate learning difficulties. Those admitted will be enabled to function successfully within the regular classroom while receiving assistance from Inclusion personnel to ensure that they are provided with equal educational opportunities as compared to their peers.

Parents will be notified, at the time a place is offered, if a diagnostic assessment may be required in order to grasp a better understanding of the student’s level of performance and potential academic gaps. This data will be used to tailor the individual education program for the child and develop a personal learning support plan.

Inclusion Capacity

There is a limitation to the number of students we can accommodate who require a high degree of professional Inclusion services at Dunecrest American School. The limitation is based on the number of qualified learning support teachers employed at the school, as well as their available hours to provide service and planning for the services provided within the students' Action Plans.

Strategically the school has set the limit for the number of students who require a high degree of learning support at 10% of the grade’s cohort.

Referral Process

The identification process is not limited to the admission process; it extends to every stage of schooling and every academic term of the school year. Classroom observation and academic performance, as well as data generated through other assessments administered during the year will be used as indicators to identify students’ experiencing learning difficulties, from which decisions will be made in relation to the appropriate levels and forms of special education provision required. Assessments to be used will include the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4), and internal assessments.

Throughout the academic year the Inclusion Team will work in close collaboration with subject teachers and parents. A referral system is in place for students who begin to exhibit difficulties to meet classroom expectations, whose progress is not in line with curriculum standards, or who are observed to be experiencing difficulty in a specific area of learning (math, written or reading skills, spelling, retaining information, behavioral control, social interaction, participating, concentrating, completing work, following written or oral directions, or a combination of them). Teachers will use a Differentiation Strategy Menu to identify specific strategies to apply for 4 weeks. They will document progress on a Teacher Intervention Documentation Sheet. If there is no change, teachers fill in the Student Referral Form and the student is then brought up in a Student of Concern Meeting to collectively decide the next steps.

Assessment scores as well as academic attainment and progress will be used as indicators of at-risk students who may also be struggling to reach CCSS proficiency levels. These students will be cross-referenced against the students receiving some type of support or intervention. If low performance improves within one quarter to the next, then no interventions will be necessary. If low performance or minimal progress continues, the Support Service Team will work with the class and subject teachers to identify the most appropriate interventions to respond to the students’ needs. For example, using ability grouping, directed seating arrangements, modified assignments, one-on-one instruction, tutoring, etc. If appropriate, and once a series of strategies and interventions have been tried in the classroom, these students may be moved to the next support level.

Support for Inclusion Students

For students who are receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 Inclusion services, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be developed based on screening tests, performance assessments and the psychoeducational report, if available. The IEP, which is shared with the parents, addresses the academic, developmental and functional needs of the student in order to maximize his/her involvement in the learning process and ensure progress in the general curriculum.

The IEP is used by the Inclusion and teaching staff to guide instructional practice, provide classroom support, and make accommodations to the learning environment, to the instruction and the assessment, which are tailored to the individual needs of each Inclusion student to enable optimal learning success.

The IEP will state the educational needs of the student, set clear and measurable goals in the identified weakness areas and will provide classroom teachers with recommendations for instructional and assessment strategies annd strategic accommodations.

For students who have a formal diagnosis and require only accommodations to access core instruction as Tier 1 services, an Accommodation Plan is developed.

Monitoring Progress

Students working at all levels will be suitably challenged in order to move forward in their learning. Students currently working at the higher levels as well as students working at lower levels must be catered for as much as those ‘in the middle’ through differentiated tasks and resources, clearly defined outcomes, grouping strategies, environmental accommodations,

and/or support from various educators (the classroom teacher, the Inclusion teacher, Inclusion Assistant).

All students in Inclusion are closely monitored and subject to regular reviews with Tier 3 students requiring a much more intense assessment linked to the goals set in the Student Action Plan. The IEP will be regularly monitored and updated, at least twice a year. The breakdown of goals into objectives and benchmarks afford further monitoring of progress. IEPs will be created by Inclusion teachers in conjunction with classroom teachers and will be shared with parents who will be regularly updated on their child’s progress and development through face to face or online meetings. The school will liaise with outside agencies as required to support each Inclusion student.

Periodic Student of Concern meetings that involve teachers, Student Support Service staff and Leadership members further monitor students. At the meetings members share data and strategies of students, determine collective next steps, formalize parent communication and finalize recommendations of external assessment/ service providers.

Partnership with Parents

Dunecrest American School will work closely with parents, particularly parents of Inclusion children, during the admissions process and throughout the time they are at the school.

Parents need to be reassured that the school will fully grow their child’s skills and address any learning needs or difficulties that they may experience. At the point of entry, parents will be requested to be transparent and inform the school of any previous diagnosis and/or Learning Support/ Inclusion services provided in their previous school. If a concern arises during the admission process, this is the first time that the parent has been made aware that their child has a Inclusion diagnosis, this will be communicated to the parents in a face-to-face meeting and suggestions may be made for further assessments and/or monitoring of student’s performance during a defined period of time.

If Inclusion services are required, parents will be informed on what level of intervention their child will be placed and the type of support that will be provided (in terms of teaching approaches and methodologies to support their child, extra adult support in class and/or attendance at after school support groups). They will be encouraged to be supportive of their child and the school by adopting these approaches at home. Recommendations will be made by the school to use service providers in the community, if this is considered necessary.

Throughout the year both the homeroom teacher and the Inclusion Teacher will be in regular contact with the parents to update them on the development and progress of their child.

INCLUSION IN THE IB PROGRAM

Each year, the Student Support Team works in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator to review potential candidates for inclusive assessment requests. These requests include providing accommodations and support to students with special educational needs. In line with policy established by the IB, students with special education needs are accepted into the Diploma Program only after consideration is given as to whether suitable arrangements for both teaching and assessment can be made for a student. This consideration takes into account the student’s choice of subjects, parent and teacher input. It is important to note that while accommodations can be made with regards to accessibility of the IB program (e.g. extended assignment deadlines, breaks during testing) no adjustments can be made to the actual content of the program.

Prior to IB examinations, a request for special needs assessment must be submitted with the consent of the parent(s) and the IB coordinator. All special assessment requests must include appropriate documentation (e.g. medical certificate, psycho-educational evaluation) before they can be processed. The Inclusion department and the IB department work closely with families to ensure applications are complete and accurate prior to submission.

Requests can take on a variety of forms, depending on the special needs of each individual student. Examples of special assessment need requests include additional time, additional rest periods, the use of audio recordings of examinations papers, transcriptions and extension deadlines.

Progress monitoring in the IB Diploma Program

Consistent with the overall approach to the Student Support Program for the lower grades, ongoing collaboration between the Inclusion teachers and the IB teachers is of utmost importance to ensure that each student’s instructional program is coordinated to maximize student success. Student progress is monitored regularly through internal assessments and mock examinations to ensure that both instructional programs and support services are matched to the needs of each student.

Since benchmark grades for IB students are set at level 4 or above, students who fall below a level 4 in mock examinations may require changes in instructional methods, adjustments to 

their level of support or adjustments to their overall program of study. For students who continue to struggle, this may include obtaining high level IB certificates in stronger subject areas while moving towards obtaining standard level certificates and/or American diploma credit in weaker areas. Each student’s progress is evaluated individually, and appropriate alternatives are always explored with the aim of maximizing the opportunity for student success and providing as full access as possible to the IB Diploma and its subjects.

Dunecrest American School may not accept students outside the normal range of ability and progress who might require specialized teaching that the school cannot provide or require a disproportionate amount of the teacher’s time. Normally, classes are kept to a size that allows more than average individual attention to both the more and the less able pupils. Limited assistance is provided to support teachers and students, to assess pupils, to diagnose and clarify problems, and to offer a program of help either on a one-to-one basis or in small groups through the Inclusion Team and Counselors.

Requirements for Applying for IB and AP Exam Access Arrangements

Applying for Access Arrangements for IB Oral and Written Exams: Inclusive Assessment Arrangements

If a student has been receiving and utilizing accommodations throughout high school, they may apply for IB and College Board testing accommodations (referred to as inclusive assessment arrangements). Inclusive assessment arrangements must be officially requested from IB and College Board following their regulations. The final decision granting accommodations is solely up to the organizations. In order to request testing accommodations for IB and AP exams, students and families must submit the following items to the IB Coordinator/ AP Coordinator in partnership with the Head of Inclusion.

The following items must be submitted to the IB Office no later than October 15th for the May exam session. This is a firm deadline and no extensions are granted as Dunecrest American School must adhere to IB deadlines. The following items must be submitted no later than October 15th for SAT and AP assessments.

1.     A psychological or medical report. This report must meet the following criteria and include:

• Written by a licensed professional who is qualified to evaluate and diagnose
• Written on the licensed professional's official letterhead
• A stated diagnosis in reference to the DSM
• The test or techniques used to arrive at this diagnosis
• Testing accommodation request(s). This must match the accommodations given to the student in their Accommodation or IEP Plan.
• Based on nationally standardized psychological tests with report results as standard scores (mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15) if it is a psychological report
• This assessment must be valid and provided by the family from the licensed professional who provided the diagnosis and/or is currently treating the student.

1.     Educational evidence (an I.E.P or accommodation plan) in place prior to the testing year and showing the requested access arrangments have been in use as the student's usual way of participating in classroom activities and tests.

2.     If the student qualifies for Inclusion services, the application is provided in partnership with our Inclusion Department. The IB Application for Special Needs Assessment form will be applied online by the IB Coordinator. The AP Application will be applied online by the SSD coordinator. An Access Arrangements Teacher Survey may also accompany the application.

3.     Parent/ guardian written permission (in email or hard copy) allowing Dunecrest American School to share this information with IB and College Board. The student's Inclusion case manager will reach out to the family to request the parent/guardian's sign an Consent To Release Information Form for Access Arrangements.

4.     All psychological/medical reports must be undertaken within three years of the intended examination that the request relates to and dated accordingly. However, the IB can be flexible with the date of medical reports for students with permanent sensory and/or physical challenges.

Inclusive Assessment Access Arrangements

The following is a list of access arrangements that maybe granted once the required documentation is reviewed:

Highly Able, Gifted and Talented (HAGT)

PHILOSOPHY

The Inclusion Program at Dunecrest American School adheres to the philosophy that each student is unique and deserves to be respected for his or her own virtues, strengths and challenges. We acknowledge that children learn at different paces, and that they may excel in some areas and have deficiencies in others. We recognize that some students have special talents and some students may need opportunities and contexts to develop both talent areas as well as personal growth as a gifted individual. Students need a responsive school environment that helps them recognize and realize their potential, while instilling in them a desire to cultivate their talents and abilities.

PURPOSE OF THE G&T Program 

It is the purpose of the Dunecrest American G&T Program to:

• To ensure that more abled, gifted and talented students are clearly identified and known to all staff.
• Raise awareness among the school community about the asynchronous profiles of highly able and talented students involving cognitive, psychological, social-emotional areas.
• To ensure that the school caters for the needs of the full ability range both within and beyond the curriculum and that giftedness is translated into high achievement and learning attributes that will ensure personal success and/or benefits to the wider community.
• Utilize data and keep updated documentation about highly able and talented students’ strengths and areas of need to make informed decisions to evaluate, plan and implement provisions.
• Design and deliver effective research-based practices and interventions to develop and extend the thinking abilities, nurture creativity and productive divergent thinking of each gifted child
• Evaluate and improve provision through ongoing professional development regarding highly able and talented individuals and constant communication with local governing entities (KHDA).
• Act as a resource and provide ongoing professional development to enhance instructional strategies and shared responsibility with classroom teachers, parents, specialists.

DEFINITIONS

Duncrest recognises that the KHDA identifies students with special gifts and talents are one of the groups most at risk of educational exclusion, and we strive to prevent this.

There is no global definition of giftedness due to a lack of consensus in the field reflecting an array of competing theories of giftedness and its varying manifestations (J. R. Cross & Cross, 2005; Dai, 2010; Sternberg & Davidson, 2005). At one extreme, giftedness is perceived as an in-born ability trait making those who possess this trait qualitatively different from those who do not. At the other extreme, giftedness is perceived as a social construct embedded in context (Borland, 2003; Plucker & Callahan, 2014) with remarkable achievement due to a serendipitous combination of opportunity and practice. Many early theorists conceptualized giftedness solely in terms of high intelligence identified by psychometrically derived measures such as IQ tests (Missett & McCormick, 2014; Tannenbaum, 1986). Since that time, theorists have increasingly emphasized “multidimensional constructs” (Plucker & Callahan, 2014, p. 391) and the influence of the environment. Renzulli’s (1978) three-ring conception of giftedness, Sternberg’s (1984) triarchic theory of intelligence, and Gardner’s (1983) theory of multiple intelligences are influential theories in the field that examined both intellective and non-intellective traits in the construct of giftedness. The importance of developmental considerations is also examined in Gagné’s (1995, 2004) differentiated model of giftedness and talent.

Even more, Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Worrell (2011) have proposed a new, comprehensive definition of giftedness that stresses the importance of high domain-specific performance, developmental trajectories, and both cognitive and psychosocial variables:

Giftedness is the manifestation of performance or production that is clearly at the upper end of the distribution in a talent domain even relative to that of other high-functioning individuals in that domain. Further, giftedness can be viewed as developmental, in that in the beginning stages, potential is the key variable; in later stages, achievement is the measure of giftedness; and in fully developed talents, eminence is the basis on which this label is granted. Psychosocial variables play an essential role in the manifestation of giftedness at every developmental stage. Both cognitive and psychosocial variables are malleable and need to be deliberately cultivated.

The definitions of gifted and talented students take account of the ‘Differentiation Model of Giftedness and Talent’* and align with international best practice per KHDA Inspection Framework.

Gifted:

The term giftedness refers to ‘a student who is in possession of untrained and spontaneously- expressed exceptional natural ability in one or more domains of human ability.’ In the case of a gifted student, whilst exceptional potential will be present, they may actually underachieve.

These domains will include:

• Intellectual
• Creative
• Social
• Physical abilities

Talented:

The term talented refers to ‘a student who has been able to transform their giftedness’ into exceptional performance’. Talented students will always demonstrate exceptional levels of competence in the specific domains of human ability.

Twice Exceptional Learners

These students are gifted children of above average abilities who also have special educational needs- ADHD, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum, etc. Their giftedness can mask their special needs and their special needs can hide their giftedness.

Building-based selection committees will be sensitive to indicators that seem to reveal contradictions in abilities. These types of contradictions may be indicators of possible twice exceptionality. Therefore, the building based committees will follow the recommendations of the HAGT Advisory Committee in partnership with the Inclusion team and parents.

English Language Learners

Research suggests that qualitative and quantitative measures should be used for identification of ELLs who are gifted and talented. Similar to twice exceptional learners, giftedness may be masked by language barriers. Therefore, the building based committees will follow the recommendations of the Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee in partnership with the ELL team and parents.

High-achievers

Students with exceptionally advanced ability in at least one domain (eg. mathematics, language, music, etc) at a particular point in time, such that a student’s educational needs cannot be well met without significant adaptations (extension/ enrichment) to the learning context.

Highly Able:

For the benefits of this policy, students will be described as “highly able” or “exceptionally able” students and, in this policy, referred to in the generic term “highly able. ” Dunecrest defines defines highly able as students with exceptionally advanced ability in at least one domain (eg. mathematics, language, music, etc) at a particular point in time, such that a student’s educational needs cannot be well met without adaptations to the learning context.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED and TALENTED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAGT CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM

In practical classroom terms most able children are likely to present themselves to teachers in one or another of three groups:

-       Those whose outstanding ability is so evident (and in some cases linked with behaviors that cause difficulties in the classroom), that teachers seek to develop specific strategies to cope with their high ability,
-       A much larger group of children with high levels of ability and achievement
-       Children with high levels of ability, but who are not achieving at a high level.

IDENTIFICATION

The Dunecrest Highly Able, Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee uses a variety of means to assess highly able, gifted and talented students. In addition, we meet throughout the year to discuss individual children through Student of Concern meetings. During these discussions, teachers of all year groups will use their own professional judgment, knowledge and class data to discuss and evaluate why they are identifying a child as able, gifted and talented.

Initial Identification Criteria: Multiple Measures

1.     CAT 4 and any other external benchmarked test.
-       Students in stanine 8/9 or in the 90th percentile with a SAS score of 120+ in non-verbal assessment could be defined as “highly able”.
-       Students in stanine 8/9 or in the 90th percentile with a SAS score of 120+ in quantitative assessment could be defined as “highly able”.
-       Students in stanine 8/9 or in the 90th percentile with a SAS score of 130+ in non-verbal assessment could be defined as “exceptionally able”.
-       Students in stanine 8/9 or in the 90th percentile with a SAS score of 130+ in quantitative assessment could be defined as “exceptionally able”.

2.     Operating above curriculum, national and international norms measured through MAP percentile and standard deviation
          a.     95th percentile or above Fall Reading
          b.     95th percentile or above Fall Math

3.     Internal assessments, grades and domain expertise
4.     Artifacts of student work scored with a modified Renzulli Creativity Rubric or Torrence Test
5.     Identification by PsyEd Assessment performed by an accredited professional.
6.     Reports from receiving schools that indicate a special ability in one subject area.

Secondary Identification Criteria:

1.      Secondary HAGT Teacher Survey, Elementary HAGT Teacher Survey
2.      Secondary HAGT Parent Survey, E lementary HAGT Parent Survey
3.     Ongoing observations by specialist staff may indicate a superior ability.

Third Identification Criteria:

1. Student interviews

ADVANCED LEARNING PLAN

Children who are identified HAGT are listed on our inclusion register and are identified in planning. An Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) will be created for students who are identified as gifted, talented and more able. The ALP will be developed in partnership with parents, students and the HAGT Leader Team. The ALP will identify strengths, needs, goals and ways that teachers can enrich the students' learning in order to achieve according to their potential. All the above will enable more able and gifted and talented students to work at a higher cognitive level and have opportunities to develop their specific abilities, skills and talents.

Parents will be regularly updated on the progress and attainment of more able and talented students. Through the scheduled parent teacher conferences, parents will be updated on the progress and attainment of their able, gifted or talented child.

HAGT DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Subject teachers, with the support of heads of department and HAGT Leader Team, are responsible for identifying highly able students in their classes, differentiating teaching/learning/ assessments and for tracking progress to ensure maximal growth towards potential. The highly able should be identified as a sub group when tracking and interrogating data.

Dunecrest American School will have a school-wide approach to respond to these students’ needs. Schemes of work will identify in a planned way how these students will be supported. The policy on differentiation will emphasize the use of all forms of differentiation to create challenge such as pace, task, dialogue, support, outcome and resource. Dunecrest American school utilizes Rubicon Atlas to develop and house all curricula. Extension components will be incorporated in unit and lesson planning.

All teachers will be aware if students are defined within these categories. Professional development will equip teachers to know how to address these students in class. Opportunities will be created to enable these students to work with other able, gifted and talented students across year groups. When possible “push in” class support will be preferred to withdrawal, though there might be occasions when it is decided that working outside of timetabled lessons with another adult may be more beneficial to their overall development.

For social and emotional developmental reasons, students in these categories will not be accelerated to a grade above their respective age group class or telescoped. (Telescoped is when students are provided instruction in less time than is typical. E.g., completing a one-year course in a semester or completing 3 years of middle school in two years). If this is considered appropriate and parents request acceleration, each case will be submitted to the KHDA for consideration and approval.

HAGT STRATEGIES

Strategies that departments should consider include, but are not limited to:

• Differentiation by support and dialogue. Move quickly in a conversation to the higher thinking elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy and DOK.. More sophisticated questions related to evaluation, analysis, and synthesis for hypothesizing
• Differentiation by task. More complex questions, open-ended with less steps to be followed.
• Independent Negotiated Programs – student interest and skills determine the scale and scope of the project, negotiated with staff regarding resources.
• Provide abstract and unusual situations in lessons for them to develop their thinking.
• Curriculum compacting: The curriculum is adapted to include fewer introductory activities and less repetition. Adaptations should be made based on pre-assessment of content knowledge. The time saved may be used for more advanced content instruction or to participate in enrichment activities. This practice does not necessarily result in advanced grade placement.
• Providing open-ended situations and tasks.
• Self-paced instruction
• Teacher-student matching – matching personalities as well as learning styles
• Mentoring/cross age tutoring – matching younger or older students with similar interests/abilities to enhance learning of both.
• Extension and enrichment project: individual, team, internal, external.
• Provision of materials that extend, stretch and stimulate their intellect with additional and supplementary materials when necessary.
• Creation of opportunities to stimulate discussion either in a group situation with similar ability children or as an individual continually seeking ways to maintain their interest and challenge.
• Experience a greater level of independence in the completion of a task.
• Vocabulary is more advanced, ideas more complex and a heavier reliance on prose as opposed to diagrams. Opportunity to create visual representations from prose.
• Questioning that encourages a deep level of thinking and provides opportunities for the students to ask questions.
• Cluster activities with other ESOL Education schools and the use of master-classes with local universities
• Distance learning or online learning courses: Students enroll in courses offered by an organization outside of their school, through community colleges, 4-year colleges or universities, or other organizations
• Extracurricular programs: Students elect to enroll in after school or summer programs or courses that confer advanced instruction and/or credit
• Mentoring by an external source to provide stimulation and expertise.
• Teaching/ developing curriculum for area of expertise

TALENT DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

School-wide Enrichment Model

PURPOSE

To respond appropriately and flexibly to the needs of students who already demonstrate high levels of accomplishment in a particular area and initiate deliberate actions to see and nurture the talents of all students.

ATTRIBUTES

Mirroring our multi-tiered systems of support, the talent development framework is an effective way to respond to the learning needs of all students while employing a variety of universal measures.

Flexible: Services are multidimensional, not following one program, formula or curriculum.
Inclusive: Services are appropriate, challenging and developmental, hence inclusive of all students. Services are program-driven, rather than identification driven.
Responsive: Services respond to the positive needs of the students. It celebrates what we already have in place. It also provides impetus to continue a gradual implementation of new areas to further develop our students.
Proactive: Collective efficacy and taking initiative for talent development is promoted from all stakeholders- all teachers, parents, community members.

LEVEL 1 Discovering and Building Services for ALL Students

- Providing foundational skills and tools
- Exposure to diverse array of topics/themes/ talent areas
- Occur in all classrooms
- Differentiation/ role play/ field trips
- Provides “talent spotting”
- Examples: Hour of code, grade level Field studies, assemblies, makerspaces/ STEM projects, Music Instruction/Lessons, Art Instruction

LEVEL 2 Curious and Exploring Services for MANY students

- Engaging, exploring and verifying interests/areas of strength Collaborative
- Activity with specified scope and durations
- Self- selected ECA or club or nominated by teacher, peer, parent
- Invitational: anyone might, not all will partake
- Examples: Musicals Peer tutoring, student council

LEVEL Enthusiastic and Performing Services for SOME students

- Meeting the need for alternative opportunities
- Specific criteria for selection: evidence of ability and/or achievement in specific content or talent area
- Group- orientated
- Selection based on “readiness” in relation to skills required for successful engagement
- Responds to individual strengths and talents
- Examples: Selective/tryouts: Competitive sports team, clubs, performances, advanced courses, enriched curriculum, Extended Learning Objectives, AP, World Scholars Cup, school newspaper

LEVEL 4 Committed and Excelling Services for a FEW students

- Responding to developing expertise and the need for highly individualized services
- Customized and specialized - planned for individual
- High level/ setting of sustained service
- Existing placement options exhausted
- Online courses, acceleration, mentorship
- Examples: Johns Hopkins Center for Gifted and Talented Youth, independent learning

This policy should be read in conjunction with school documents including:
Policy • ELL
Policy • Inclusion
Policy • Curriculum
Policy • Safeguarding

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APPENDIX 

Gifted and Talented Education Programming Standards

Dunecrest American School shall take into consideration the K–Grade 12 Gifted Programming

 Standards of the National Association for Gifted Children in furthering development of highly able and gifted and talented students.

○      Standard 1: Learning and Development Description: Educators, recognizing the learning and developmental differences of students with gifts and talents, promote ongoing

self-understanding, awareness of their needs, and cognitive and affective growth of these students in school, home, and community settings to ensure specific student outcomes.

○      Standard 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.

○      Standard 3: Curriculum Planning and Instruction Description: Educators apply the theory and research-based models of curriculum and instruction related to students with gifts and talents and respond to their needs by planning, selecting, adapting, and creating culturally relevant curriculum and by using a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to ensure specific student outcomes.

○      Standard 4: Learning Environments Description: Learning environments foster personal and social responsibility, multicultural competence, and interpersonal and technical communication skills for leadership in the 21st century to ensure specific student outcomes.

○      Standard 5: Programming Description: Educators are aware of empirical evidence regarding (a) the cognitive, creative, and affective development of learners with gifts and talents, and (b) programming that meets their concomitant needs. Educators use this expertise systematically and collaboratively to develop, implement, and effectively manage comprehensive services for students with a variety of gifts and talents to ensure specific student outcomes.

○      Standard 6: Professional Development Description: All educators (administrators, teachers, counselors, and other instructional support staff) build their knowledge and skills using the NAGC-CEC Teacher Standards for Gifted and Talented Education and the National Staff Development Standards. They formally assess professional development needs related to the standards, develop and monitor plans, systematically engage in training to meet the identified needs, and demonstrate mastery of standards. They access resources to provide for release time, funding for continuing education, and substitute support. These practices are judged through the assessment of relevant student outcomes.

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