South Carolina Snapshot

2. South Carolina Snapshot South Carolina Department of Education November 27, 2007 SCCGE State Convention Rick Blanchard rblancha@ed.sc.gov

3. Agenda • Sharing • Taking Stock • State of the States Report • A Guide to State Policies Report • Education Oversight Committee Studies • Data Resources • Legislation • Call to Action

4. Introductions • Name • District • Pre-assessment Questions • How are we doing in SC with GT? • How do we compare nationally? • What Change would have the most impact?

6. State of the States Introduction “With the lack of federal policy, mandate, or funding as a backdrop, the current condition of gifted education in the states is mixed. As readers will see, although many states require gifted education programs and services and support those requirements with state-level funding, other states have minimal policies or regulations and little to not funding to support these special-needs students.”

7. Nine Key Areas of the Report • Funding Support • State Agency Support • Definition • Identification • Mandate to Identify and Serve Gifted Students

8. Nine Areas Continued • Programs and Services • Personnel Preparation • Accountability • Related Policies and Practices

9. How Does SC Compare? • Early Entrance • Nine states have early entrance policies • Twelve states prohibit early entrance into Kindergarten • Where are we?

10. SC • Acceleration: • Eleven States have Acceleration Policies • Where are we?

11. SC • Fifteen States Permit Middle School Students to Earn High School Credits • And we are…?

12. South Carolina • Thirteen States Have a Virtual School • Are we one of the thirteen?

13. South Carolina • Fifteen states have state-wide residential schools for Math and Science • Fourteen states have state-wide residential schools in performing arts • Where are we?

14. SC vs US • Only Eight States Require Districts to Report on the Effectiveness of GT Services Through State Accountability Guidelines • Where are we?

15. SC vs US • Only twelve states spent more than $10,000,000 on Gifted Services. • How do we Fare?

16. On State Policy • Key Elements on Identification • Operational Definition of GT • Multiple Dimensions for Identification • Under-represented Instrument Sensitivity • Match Between Identification and Services • Placement Options • The Arts and Other Domains

18. State Policy • Connection Between Identification, Curriculum, and Service • Process for Decision Making (Screening) • Appeals Process

19. State Policy • Key Elements in Program/Curriculum • Grouping Arrangements • Contact Time Guidelines • Curriculum Options • Links to State Standards • Higher Level Thinking Embedded

20. State Policy • Assessments Match Curriculum • Program Modifications for At Risk or Highly Gifted • Social-Emotional Support • Guidance and Counseling for Careers • Shared Leadership (Advisory Committees)

21. State Policy • Abbreviated others • Teacher Preparation • University Based • NAGC/CEC Standards Linked • Leadership Opportunities • Ongoing Professional Development for Coordinators • Ongoing PD for All School Personnel

22. State Policy • Abbreviations Continued: • Key Elements in Program Management • Regular Review of District Plans • Comprehensive District Plans • Site Visits • Yearly Progress Requirements

23. Policy Checkup • How do we measure up?

24. Education Oversight Studies • Descriptive Study of South Carolina’s Gifted and Talented Programs – June ’05 • A Performance Analysis of South Carolina’s Gifted and Talented – April ‘06

25. Findings from EOC • We Have Challenges: • in Teacher Preparation • in Funding

26. NCLB Issues (Call) • Equity Versus Excellence • Equity – access to opportunity – every child, even those born into poverty, can achieve eminence through effort • Excellence – Americans want to be the best – in science, engineering, movie-making, athletics and countless other endeavors • NCLB is an equity initiative that discourages attention to excellence

27. Data Sources • District PACT Data • State Demographics • State PACT Trends • Program Surveys • Forthcoming Database

29. Legislation Impetus • EOC Studies • Other National Studies, such as “Tough Choices or Tough Times”; “A Nation Deceived” • Endorsement Challenges

30. Shatter the Ceiling (Call) State efforts to improve schools must include shattering the ceiling as well as lifting the floor. Strong programs for gifted and talented students can serve to increase the percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced (meeting NCLB guidelines) as well as affirm the potential of public schools to offer the strongest academic programs (i.e., a strong choice for our citizens).

31. Dr. Rex’s Five Initiatives • Accelerating Innovation • Reforming accountability to ensure success • Expanding public school choices for parents and students • Promoting fair and equitable funding • Elevating and reinvigorating the teaching profession.

32. Funding Initiative: Promoting Fair and Equitable Funding (Call)

33. Teacher Initiative: Elevating and Reinvigorating the Teaching Profession (Call)

34. Teacher Initiative: Elevating and Reinvigorating the Teaching Profession (Call)

35. Teacher Initiative: Elevating and Reinvigorating the Teaching Profession (Call)

36. Innovation Initiative: Accelerating Innovation (Call)

37. Innovation Initiative: Accelerating Innovation (Call)

38. Choices Initiative: Expanding public school choices for parents and students (Call)

39. Accountability Initiative: Reforming Accountability to Ensure Success (Call)

40. Accountability Initiative: Reforming Accountability to Ensure Success (Call)

42. Post Test • How are we doing in SC with GT? • How do we compare nationally? • What Change would have the most impact?

43. Success (We cannot spell success without “U”) • Familiarize yourself with the EOC reports • Analyze the data • “Start where you are” • Acknowledge the positives • Keep the Faith

44. Reference • Call, Debbie “Legislative PowerPoint” 2007