Brunswick County Schools Local Academically or ...

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 1 of 7112/11/2019

Brunswick County SchoolsLocal Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Plan

Effective 2019-2022

Approved by local Board of Education on: 04-JUN-19 LEA Superintendent's Name: Jerry OatesLEA AIG Contact Name: Connie EnisSubmitted to NC Department of Public Instruction on: 05-JUN-19

Brunswick County Schools has developed this local AIG plan based on the NC AIG Program Standards (adopted by SBE, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018). These Standards serve as a statewide framework and guide LEAs to develop, coordinate and implement thoughtful and comprehensive AIG programs.

The NC AIG Program Standards encompass six principle standards with accompanying practices. These standards articulate the expectations for quality, comprehensive, and effective local AIG programs and relate to the categories related to NC's AIG legislation, Article 9B (N. C. G. S. 115C-150.5). These best practices help to clarify the standard, describe what an LEA should have in place,and guide LEAs to improve their programs.

As LEAs continue to transform their AIG Programs and align to the AIG Program Standards, LEAs participated in a self-assessment process of their local AIG program, which involved multiple stakeholders. The data gathered during this process guided LEAs in their development of this local AIG plan for 2019-2022. This local AIG plan has been approved by the LEA's board of Education andsent to NC DPI for comment.

For 2019-2022, Brunswick County Schools local AIG plan is as follows:

Brunswick County Schools Vision for local AIG program: The Brunswick County Schools' vision for the Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Program K-12 is to nurture, accelerate, and enrich learning by synergizing efforts that optimize the performance and potential of all advanced learners. It is our collaborative mission to cultivate and empower our diverse student populations to be both globally aware and college and career ready as productive citizens in a complex and challenging world.

This AIG vision aligns with the Brunswick County Schools' overall district vision, which is to develop a community of well-educated, employable, and socially responsible citizens. Likewise, the AIG mission mirrors the district mission to produce college and career ready high-school graduates.

Sources of funding for local AIG program (as of 2019)State Funding Local Funding Grant Funding Other Funding

$685234.00 $12000.00 $0.00 $0.00


Table of ContentsStandard 1: Student Identification...........................................................................................................................3Standard 2: Comprehensive Programming within a Total School Community....................................................11Standard 3: Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction.........................................................................................26Standard 4: Personnel and Professional Development..........................................................................................38Standard 5: Partnerships........................................................................................................................................48Standard 6: Program Accountability.....................................................................................................................56


Standard 1: Student IdentificationThe LEA's student identification procedures for AIG are clear, equitable, and comprehensive and lead towards appropriate educational services.

Practice ADevelops screening and referral processes that lead to AIG identification at all grade levels.

District Response: 1. BCS AIG Teachers and Director meet to review all current screening and referral processes leading to AIG identification at all grade levels beginning second semester of the third grade through high school to determine if they are equitable, inclusive, and consistently followed throughout the district. 2. Needs-assessment and self-assessment survey results are collected from all school levels and reviewed to determine if there are areas needing revision or more focus. 100% of all AIG staff participate in this process that encourages ownership and fidelity to the process.3. Such screening processes include nationally normed testing, such as the Cognitive Test of Basic Skills (CogAT) given to all third graders as a universal screener tool, except those whose parents elect for their students not to participate, usually in February of each school year. Age and/or grade-level percentiles of 88% or higher in the Verbal and/or Quantitative Sections using the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) of 2 points make those students eligible for Academic Identification in either math (AM) or reading (AR). For Intellectual Identification, percentiles of 97% or higher in Non-Verbal along with 80% or higher in Verbal and/or Quantitative are required. Approved Composite percentilesmay also be used. Students who do not score in the percentiles indicated but who do score in the 80% or higher may be referred for re-testing using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) achievement test. Those students scoring in the 90% or higher may then be considered for identification in the Reading Comprehension or Reading Total for AR or Math Total Without Computation or Math Total With Computation for AM in the referral process. At times there are those students who qualify in both the Academic and Intellectual Areas with identification of AI (Academically and Intellectually Gifted) (See Appendix for Flow Chart, AIG brochure, etc.).4. The annual End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) test percentiles of 92% or higher are additional screening tools for referring students at all levels.5. Recommendations from teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and students are examined for referrals to the AIG school team. A recommendation form stating specific reasons for the referral is collected and reviewed in the analytical process (See Appendix for Form).6. Report card results, typically overall A averages in area(s) of consideration, are an important piece of data reviewed for potential AIG testing referrals.7. Students who display extraordinary skills, talents, or special interests in specific areas are also screened and referred for AIG testing at all levels.8. Kindergarten through third grade students are primarily grouped by grade level and pulled for nurturing sessions at all 10 district elementary schools. The goal is to include as many students in this process as possible to gather more information for future screening and referral needs to build potential. Referrals for nurturing groups are based on multiple data sources, such as mClass, which is a universal screener for assessing the development of reading skills including Dibels (Dynamic indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) results for assessing early literacy skills and TRC (Text Reading Comprehension) for assessing comprehension skills from readings, teacher observations/recommendations, and various checklists gathering information about domains of

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 4 of 7112/11/2019 learning and behavior and motivation factors.9. Testing using above-grade level assessments are used as needed in the referral process.10. The AIG Director conducts research gathered from comparative studies and dialogue with sister counties with similar demographics to find other effective screening and referral tools that meet the rationale and goals of equity and inclusiveness.

11. Results from the 2019 AIG Parent Survey showed 97% of those parents always or often felt the current AIG multi-criteria for eligibility was fair in screening students for this academic, performance-based service.12. Another important screening and referral area concerns the under-served student subgroups. Those in the top 5-10% of those subgroups at each school site (elementary or middle school) should be screened and referred for possible AIG identification.13. At the high-school level, students may still be referred for AIG identification using the same percentiles for nationally normed tests.14. Efforts are made to use multiple qualitative and quantitative data collections to build comprehensive learner profiles for referral purposes.15. Portfolio products are examined in the screening and referral process.

Practice BEstablishes a process and criteria for AIG student identification at all grade levels that provides multiple opportunities to reveal a student's aptitude, achievement, or potential to achieve. The criteriamay include both qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop a comprehensive learner profile.

District Response: 1. BCS uses multiple criteria consistently district-wide for AIG student identification to ensure that no one criteria will automatically discount a student for AIG consideration. Identifications possible include AR (Academically Gifted in Reading Only), AM (Academically Gifted inMath Only), AG (Academically Gifted in Both Reading and Math), IG (Intellectually Gifted Only), and AI (Both Academically and Intellectually Gifted). Three of five multiple criteria are used for identification, including a Teacher's Recommendation, use of the William & Mary Behavior & Motivation Checklist, report card overall averages (90+) in the area(s) of consideration, a documentedIQ of 130 or higher, and testing results from nationally normed testing, such as the aptitude CoGAT and the achievement ITBS, in which percentiles of 90 or higher should be attained. Note with the CogAT, a SEM of 2 points is allowed so percentiles of 88 or 89 are accepted. Those percentiles should be earned in Verbal, Quantitative, or Non-Verbal or an approved Composite. For Non-Verbal 97% should be attained along with 80% in Verbal and/or Quantitative for CogAT eligibility in age or grade-level percentiles. For the ITBS, the 90% percentiles should be in Reading Comprehension, Total Reading, Math Total Without Computation, or Math Total With Computation or a combination of two or more. State tests, such as the EOG and EOC are used as screeners for referral (See Appendix for Identification Flow Chart and AIG brochures).2. BCS also requires a performance-based component prior to AIG identification being officially entered into Power School, the data base center. This requires evaluating the AIG candidate's ability to maintain consistent academic success (B or 80 average or higher in AIG class) during a probationary period of at least one semester. During that time, the student must produce an

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 5 of 7112/11/2019 authentic portfolio in the reading/English area and/or math area using scaffolding due dates in the formative assessment. A total rubric score of 85 in the elementary-school grades or 90 in the middle-school grades must be earned. If these required performance criteria are not met, an Action Plan will be developed at a conference where the student and parent/guardian along with the AIG teacher will be involved in developing measurable responsibilities and strategies for student improvement during an implementation set period of time with a reconvene date to assess progress.3. The elementary Nurturing Plan, which is an extension of AIG, for kindergarten-third grade is another opportunity to gather both qualitative and quantitative information for aptitude, achievement, and potential as the AIG team develops a comprehensive learner profile. Multiple criteria are also used for selecting students for pullout, such as reading results from mClass including Dibels or TRC, teacher recommendations, class averages, special interests. etc. At least three criteria are used (SeeAppendix for Portfolio Chart).4. Other types of multiple criteria are also explored, particularly with IG and AI identification. These might include mClass and other writing assessments, technological knowledge outlets, student interviews, specific checklists, interest inventories, other teacher input from multiple settings, as well as both curricular or extra-curricular venues.5. BCS will work with transfer students who have been identified as AIG elsewhere to make sure theirfiles are evaluated to determine if there is adequate documentation to substantiate that identification and to confirm that the documentation is comparable to that of BCS. If there is a question, a conference with the student and parent/guardian will be held and a probationary period of at least onegrading period (nine weeks) will be activated to support AIG placement. If needed, additional testing may be required.

6. BCS offers the AIG In-House Certification Program for teachers primarily as a prominent focus of professional development (PD). Through that program of seven modules of learning, 97% of participants always or often felt they better understood the multiple criteria and opportunities for developing a more effective and comprehensive learner profile for AIG considerations.7. Students designated Talent Pool are also monitored and invited into the AIG class if there is adequate room and if they meet the criteria for membership as a Talent Pool student. The school principal must complete a Principal Waiver for this to occur noting acceptable reasons for placement.Such reasons might include high class averages of 88 or higher, demonstrated initiative in particular skill areas, two teacher recommendations, high EOG or EOC scores of 86% or higher in area(s) of consideration, 86% or higher percentile scores on either CogAT or ITBS in area(s) of consideration, 95% or higher percentile scores on Non-Verbal CogAT Section or comparable Aptitude Test, or other cited reasons. Being a Talent Pool student does not guarantee AIG class entry or continuation of AIGservices from year to year since this classification does not equate with AIG identification but does encourage building capacity for potential growth. Each year Talent Pool students are re-evaluated for best educational class placements (See Appendix for Talent Pool Information, Teacher Recommendation, Principal Waiver Form).8. For high-school students, the AIG student identification is similar to that done in the earlier grade levels. The same criteria is expected with A overall class averages, teacher recommendations, teacher checklists, and national normed tests with percentiles of 90% or higher. The performance-based product is not mandatory provided there are authentic student products available to demonstrate comparable mastery of key components in technology, oral presentation, research, visual depictions, and writing skills. If not, then one will be assigned as needed.9. Based on the regulations set forth by the NC State Legislature, other capable students may be assigned to the AIG class. One such example is students who scored a Level 5 on the previous year's EOG or EOC in math in grades 3-12. Those students are automatically placed in an advanced

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 6 of 7112/11/2019 level math class for the next school year. In many but not all instances that next advanced math class will be the AIG Math class. Those students who do not meet all the criteria for AIG identificationwill be considered Talent Pool if they meet this regulation as their reason for the Principal Waiver (See Appendix for Principal Waiver Form).

Practice CEnsures AIG screening, referral, and identification procedures respond to under-represented populations of the gifted and are responsive to LEA demographics. These populations include students who are culturally/ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, highly gifted, and twice-exceptional.

District Response: 1. The BCS 2019 Administrator Survey showed 100% of the respondents alwaysor often felt the AIG and/or Advanced Studies programs served identified students adequately. 90% of the same respondents also always or often felt their AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers were made aware of subgroups through PD designed to address the unique needs of gifted students and other subgroups. 2. The BCS 2019 Parent Survey showed 98% of the respondents always or often felt the AIG child's school respected and built on their child's unique and special needs, skills, or talents while addressingthose from other subgroups as well.3. The BCS AIG Director meets periodically with the PD Coordinator and the EC Director to discuss the needs of diverse student populations to develop targeted, intentional PD for the district to sponsor.4. In comparing the current BCS or LEA demographics of the general student population to that of theAIG-identified student population in the identified grade levels (4-13), the difference between the White and the Non-White percentages continue to be a concern. (Grade 13 only refers to those students in the Early College High School who concurrently take high-school and college courses to earn both a high-school diploma and an Associate's Degree at the college level within 4-5 years.) Specifically, the total of the general student population in those grade levels is 12,829 with 64% Whiteand 36% Non-White with the highest under-served groups being African-American or Black, Hispanic,Multi, and Asian in that order. For the AIG student population for that same group, the total number is1,396 with 82% White and 18% Non-White with the same under-served groups noted with Hispanics being the highest subgroup. BCS continues to address the discrepancy gap of 18 percentage points.5. BCS offers other testing assessments, such as the Naglieri, that focuses on non-verbal exercises for determining eligibility to address language issues or barriers more fairly.6. BCS utilizes both local and national norms comparatively in analyzing school, district, and individual student data for educational placements for referrals and screening.7. BCS continuously monitors and analyzes sub-group data but especially with the November and theApril AIG Headcounts pulled annually by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in Raleigh (See Appendix for Headcout chart data).8. BCS uses a checklist and other forms to better locate under-served or underachievers for AIG (SeeAppendix for Checklist to Identify Gifted Underachievers).9. BCS assures its stakeholders that appropriate AIG forms, particularly those for parents/guardians, are made available and translated into other languages, especially Spanish, as needed or requested (See Appendix for translated form examples).10. BCS provides PD addressing the under-represented student populations to expand understanding and tackle misconceptions as well as effective ways to screen, refer, and identify

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 7 of 7112/11/2019 practices to address those populations.11. BCS offers AIG interest or information sessions and generic Power Point presentations at PTA/PTO, Open Houses, PAC meetings, etc. with an interpreter, if needed, so that information can be disseminated orally and written without language concerns or barriers.12. The AIG Director and AIG teaching staff are encouraged to research professional reports and studies as well as strategies used by other districts implementing intellectually advanced programs and methods, current trends, and related plans focusing on non-traditional, under-represented populations.13. BCS shares established criteria/ideas, which can be used with identified and non-identified gifted learners, in class environments other than the AIG, Pre-AP, AP (Advanced Placement), or Honors classrooms in order to extend and enrich learning for all student groups.

14. The AIG Director shares information regularly with district principals at Learning Leadership Council (LLC) meetings and at other settings so that they can share with their respective staffs the common myths about giftedness in order to understand the truth about AIG (See Appendix for Common Gifted Education Myths).15. BCS maintains a confidential list secured by the Child Nutrition Director of students considered economically disadvantaged for free or reduced lunch or who qualify using other self-reporting criteria, dealing with such areas as household size affecting income level, yearly income, family receiving Food and Nutrition Services, students listed as state-appointed foster children, emancipatedchildren, special child status as a runaway, migrant, or homeless, children eligible to receive assistance under the Medicaid Program, or family/household receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or family participating in Food Distribution Program in Indian Reservation (FDPIR). This confidential information is particularly needed for AP exam testing data results and reporting.16. BCS encourages each elementary school to maintain a roster of those students who participated in the school's Nurturing Program for grades K-3 for potential screening and follow-up for AIG referrals.17. BCS makes available another pathway for identification when needed to address special situations of students to "level the playing field" (See Appendix for Pathway Evaluation Form).

Practice DImplements screening, referral, and identification processes consistently within the LEA.

District Response: 1. The BCS AIG Parent Survey showed 97% of the respondents felt always or often the current AIG multi-criteria for eligibility was fair in screening students for this academic, performance-based service.2. The AIG Department has developed multiple forms and other tools for understanding the screening, referral, and identification processes consistently throughout the district, such as the ID Flowchart, AIG brochures (in English and Spanish), BCS Website and other social media information,and the actual AIG plan available for public viewing (See Appendix for various forms, such as the Teacher Recommendation Form, Placement Criteria Form, Behavioral/Motivational Scale Checklist, AIG brochures, etc.).3. The AIG Director ensures that all forms and procedures are followed consistently for making arrangements for special AIG testing and then gathering results to analyze. These findings are considered along with the Teacher's Recommendation, Behavioral/Motivational Checklist, and overall

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 8 of 7112/11/2019 course averages. Particular forms are required to be stored in each AIG student's blue folder. Beforeofficial identification can occur, the AIG Director must sign an ID form that is used for Power School entry (See Appendix for appropriate folder forms).4. All testing results for students considered for AIG ID are secured in a locked area both at individualschool sites as well as at Central Services for accountability, compliance, and auditing purposes.5. Internal audits are done periodically to ensure consistency with non-negotiable processes and procedures for screening, referral, and identification.6. BCS provides PD as requested or needed for all school-level committees/teams on screening, referral, and identification procedures to ensure consistent implementation across the district.7. All BCS guidelines for screening, referral, and identification processes are reviewed periodically to ensure they are fairly addressing the full scope of the identification process.

Practice EDisseminates information regarding the screening, referral, and identification processes to school personnel, parents/ families, students, and the community-at-large.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director and other AIG staff, particularly Lead AIG teachers, share information for screening, referral, and identification processes at AIG staff meetings, grade level/school staff meetings and PLC's, Open Houses, PAC (Parent Advisory Council) meetings, Learning Leadership Council (LLC) sessions, and at other venues. (There is a Lead AIG teacher at each elementary and middle school with AIG-designated Counselors at each high school in the district.)2. BCS ensures that information about AIG or other Advanced Studies' programs is made available inspecial brochures in different languages, especially in Spanish, as needed or requested at all school sites and at the Board of Education. These brochures explain the key components of the screening, referral, and identification processes as well as other important AIG, Honors, and AP points about theLEA AIG Program (See Appendix for English and Spanish versions of the AIG brochure).3. AIG interest or information sessions are scheduled periodically to unpack the various AIG multiple steps for screening, referral, and identification processes for AIG for those interested at the school or district level. Guest speakers with expertise in those areas about gifted education may be asked to present their findings and share best practices.4. The AIG plan, including the screening, referral, and identification processes, is placed on the BCS website for public viewing for all stakeholders as well as the community-at-large.5. AIG screening, referral, and identification processes are also reviewed at special sessions, such as the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee meetings, to gather input and answer questions.6. The AIG Director makes available a generic Power Point presentation that covers best practices and addresses the screening, referral, and identification processes to individuals or groups of persons.7. The BCS AIG In-House Certification program consisting of 7 modules of gifted learning emphasizes the screening, referral, and identification processes to ensure better understanding for proper implementation.8. The AIG Director disseminates professional literature, research, and blogs about the screening, referral, and identification process as well as other gifted information with AIG Lead teachers, who, in turn, share with their AIG teachers and students as well as parents/guardians via newsletters, links, and other technological means.9. According to the 2019 AIG-Identified Student Survey, 82% of the student respondents felt always

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 9 of 7112/11/2019 or often their AIG teachers helped them understand in what ways they were gifted (or how identified) and for what reason(s) they were placed in the AIG classes. 10. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 97% felt always or often that the current AIG multi-criteria for eligibility was fair in screening students for this academic, performance-based service.11. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 53% of the teachers shared they always or often helped their AIG students understand in what ways or areas they are gifted and for what reasons they were placed in their AIG classes.12. The 2019 BCS Administrator Survey showed 95% of them always or often fely their AIG and/or Advanced Studies' parents/guardians had been provided specific information about the multiple criteria necessary for identifying AIG students or promoting certain class placements.

Practice FDocuments a student's AIG identification process and evidence which leads to an identification decision. This documentation is reviewed with parents/families and maintained in student records.

District Response: 1.All critical aspects of BCS's identification process is made known via AIG brochures, AIG plan, and presentations at various meetings during the school year. 2. Individual AIG student's identification documentation is kept in a blue AIG folder, which houses various forms that provide evidence for the identification. Such AIG folders are stored in a locked andsecured area, usually the school vault, and can only be accessed after signing a form granting permission. Such folders are not allowed out of the school. When changes in identification are needed due to new testing results, completion of required portfolios, etc., those changes are approved by the AIG Director and then the identification change is made in Power School by the respective Data Manager with help from the school's Lead AIG Teacher. An AIG ID blue card stock form is then also added to the identified student's regular cumulative folder.3. AIG Headcounts pulled annually in November and again in April also show school rosters of all AIG-identified students along with their gender, grade level, entry date, type of identification, birth date, ethnicity, and twice-exceptional status. These headcounts come from Power School, the data entry documentation source.4. Conference or action forms are completed with copies being given to all parties present at meetings concerning various concerns or strengths of AIG students. Often re-convene dates are scheduled to check progress made by certain dates with all parties having set, measurable responsibilities.5. Each year the DEP (Differentiated Education Plan) is completed at a conference with the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), AIG teacher, and other support personnel as needed. The current AIG identification is reviewed with specific, measurable statements being shared about strengths, areas needing improvement, etc. (See Appendix for DEP Form).6. Parent/guardian letters are sent out in English and Spanish and other languages as needed or requested concerning testing dates, reasons for testing, criteria for eligibility, performance-based components, permission to test forms, qualifying letters showing areas of evidence for that qualification, referral guidelines, portfolio requirements, rubrics, etc. Examples of all forms are available for public viewing in the Appendix of the AIG Plan Book. These forms showing parent signatures and dates as well as purposes for the communication are essential as documentation evidence (See Appendix for various documentation forms).7. Parents/guardians have access to their student's AIG folder if they wish to view it. Confidential forms, such as teacher recommendation and behavioral/motivational checklists are typically not

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 10 of 7112/11/2019 shared. If parents/guardians wish to view the AIG student folder, they will need to sign the chart documenting the date and time of such viewing for AIG records (See Appendix for Chart).8. All inactive AIG student folders are housed in a secured storage facility for a period up to 5 years before they are shredded. A list of such folders is kept by the AIG Director for future reference (See Appendix for Accountability Form for Inactive Folders).9. Student AIG folders leaving one level to the next level, such as elementary to middle school or middle to high school are also listed alphabetically on an end-of-year form as evidence of documentation (See Appendix for Transfer Folders' Form).

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. The AIG Director and AIG staff will continue to research ways to serve IG and AI identification more effectively.2. BCS will continue to translate relevant AIG forms into other languages as needed or requested withthe help of the ESL/Migrant Coordinator.3. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers will continue to explore various ways for effectively communicating with parents about the screening, referral, and identification process.4. The AIG Director will review and revise the Q & A section about the components of the AIG identification process on the BCS website.5. The AIG Director and staff will continue to find equitable ways to seek out under-served and under-represented students to screen, refer, and possibly identify as AIG when set criteria are met.6. The AIG Director will continue to help with PD ideas and presentations concerning the AIG identification process using best practices.

Sources of Evidence: 1. AIG brochures2. AIG webpage on BCS website3. Meeting agendas about screening, referrals, and identification process4. PD meeting or workshop rosters about the identification process5. Approved LEA AIG Plan6. AIG Testing Summary Score Sheets from approved aptitude and achievement tests (See Appendixfor Forms)7. AIG folders containing Teacher Recommendation Forms, Behavioral/Motivational Checklists, Principal Waiver Forms, DEP Forms, and all Testing evidences leading to Power School official Entry Forms (See Appendix for various Forms)8. District Nurturing Plans (K-3) (See Appendix for Nurturing Forms)9. Portfolio Samples and Rubrics (See Appendix for Portfolio Information)10. Rosters from PD and coursework activities, including AIG In-House Certification Modules, about the identification process11. Site/AIG team meeting minutes and agendas12. Student interest inventories13. Documentation of IG and AI research and discussions14. AIG Headcount rosters and charts showing sub-group demographics and AIG-identified students, AIG candidates, and Talent Pool students


Standard 2: Comprehensive Programming within a Total School CommunityThe LEA provides an array of K-12 programs and services by the total school community to meet the diverse academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.

Practice ADelivers an AIG program with comprehensive services that address the needs of gifted learners across all grade levels and learning environments. These services are aligned to a student's AIG identification.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 85% of respondents always or often felt their schools' schedules allowed for flexible groupingwithin a grade level and/or among various grade levels to address specific student needs and skill levels within gifted education. 2. AIG Teachers in their 2019 survey reported 84% of them always or often felt their AIG lesson plansincluded extended and enriched learning opportunities that connected to students' interests, abilities, and learning preferences or styles based on their identification needs.3. In the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 99% of the respondents always or often felt their AIG children received appropriately challenging curriculum assignments in the AIG classes that addressed studentneeds.95% of those same parents felt always or often the AIG program at their children's schools respected and built on their children's unique and special needs, skills, or talents. 4. 95% of AIG Students in their 2019 Survey felt always or often their AIG teachers recognized their special and unique needs and skills as comprehensive services were developed to align with their identification.5. One comprehensive service provided is the Early-Entry Kindergarten program available to studentswhose birthdays do not satisfy the state August cutoff date. Those students who demonstrate an appropriate readiness level may be considered for early entry provided their parent/guardian completes the packet addressing the approved state legislature guidelines. This packet is provided toall parents/guardians who wish their children to be considered for early entry. Criteria for early-entry approval include the basic application, proof of physical residency in the district, 2 recommendations, 3-6 authentic student products, and testing results of 98% or higher on both an approved aptitude andachievement test. A county review team examines all submitted material for evidence of compliance with stated guidelines (See Appendix for Early-Entry Packet).6. Another AIG program service extension is the K-3 Nurturing Program, where students are selected based on multiple criteria and encouraged to problem solve using critical and creative thinking. Thematic units, projects, community service, etc. are tapped while the main resource is the workbook series entitled "Primary Education Thinking Skills" or "PETS." Every district elementary school develops its own program based on the county's guidelines so there may be some variances among the schools as to frequency and length of time of nurturing sessions. Most nurturing sessions meet 3 times weekly for at least 30 minutes. 80% of those students who participated in the nurturing sessionsin their questionnaires during 2017 and 2018 felt they had learned new information while 94% of themfelt they were helped to be even smarter, and 94% liked being in the nurturing groups. This program has gained credibility in the way it has encouraged academic growth and built a talent pool of

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 12 of 7112/11/2019 students to monitor their learning needs and performance for AIG potential.7. For K-3, there is no official AIG class; however, there are efforts made to place advanced learners according to their needs in flexible academic groups above-grade level when appropriate to extend and enrich learning. At times compacting or grade skipping is a service where there has been documented data to substantiate such student needs by multiple raters with principal's approval. 8. For grades 4-8, the AIG program has comprehensive services based on student identifications. There are designated AIG classes for reading and math at all district schools. Those students identified in reading are identified as AR (Academically Gifted in Reading). Those students identified in math are identified as AM (Academically Gifted in Math).Those who are AG are identified in both reading and math. The gifted classes address the needs of their AIG students via differentiation strategies addressing content, process, and product in a safe environment. Talent Pool students who do not quite meet all the AIG identification criteria but who are placed in the AIG classes due to particular, approved reasons with a Principal Waiver also benefitfrom those comprehensive services addressing specific needs (See Appendix for Identification Guide,AIG Brochure, and Principal Waiver Form).9. Those students who are IG qualify as Intellectually Gifted. In order to determine what services are needed to address their gifted needs, such instruments as interest inventories, questionnaires, interviews, personal essays, testing results, teacher recommendations, observations, etc., are used to gather relevant data. Those students are also placed in the AIG classes where they may produce such authentic products as independent research, a community service activity, project- or problem-based reports, portfolios, etc. AI students are both academically and intellectually identified and are placed in the AIG reading and math classes with an emphasis focusing on their intellectual interest areas.10. In grades 9-12, the AIG student has a 4-year plan that encourages rigorous course selection based on student needs and interests. The AIG program flows into such courses as Pre-AP, AP (Advanced Placement), Honors, dual enrollment (high school and college course enrollment for credit), virtual high school course work, CDM (Credit by Demonstrated Mastery), or CTE. CDM allows students to earn CDM Pass credit for high-school courses without requiring course seat time. CDM students must earn 90% on the course's EOC or state final exam. Then they must produce an approved, authentic product showing mastery of course objectives. This product is judged using a rubric by a team of teachers who have expertise in that course area. The CDM Pass credit does not affect the student's GPA or Grade Point Average but does show course passed.11. PD is provided to BCS teachers to gain knowledge of AIG comprehensive services using best practices across the K-12 continuum (See Appendix for AIG In-House Certification Program and CDMForms).12. BCS continues to gather empirical data as allowed from all levels about gifted students in order todevelop effective action plans to ensure comprehensive services meet the needs of gifted learners (See Appendix for Action Plan/Conference Form).13. Gifted students are encouraged to participate in special activities, auditions, and competitions to meet their service needs, such as Science Olympiad, fine art performances, Governor's School, DukeTIP, oratory competitions, special clubs and organizations, college seminars, internships, leadership programs, workshops, and sports events. Each of these events or services is intended to address the needs or interests of the gifted learner.14. BCS creates a systematic way to ensure all aspects of student development including academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs are addressed within each grade level, classroom environment, and setting using personal, relevant connections with the curriculum and activities proposed.15. The AIG Director proposes a mindset shift from having a gifted program providing specialized

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 13 of 7112/11/2019 programming for gifted learners instead to a program that provides a full continuum of services to meet the needs of all advanced learners K-12.16. The AIG program offers services that focus not only the development of academic services, interests, special talents, and strengths of students but also to one that encourages the development of critical thinking, collaboration, creative thinking, communication, leadership. problem-solving, and future-ready skills.17. The AIG program provides access to information on students' Differentiated Education Plans (DEP's)to address gifted learner needs and strengths (See Appendix for DEP Forms).18. The AIG Teachers assist in providing direct and indirect support for regular education teachers and other school and district-wide instructional staff to meet the needs of gifted learners by assisting with coaching, consulting, resource development and support, content acceleration, and PD. 19. BCS does not adhere to the practice of "de-gifting" children. Instead, only parents/guardians have the right to exit a student who has been previously identified as AIG from AIG. The exit conference minutes are specific with copies being given to all attendees.20. The AIG Director offers a presentation for elementary staff meetings and PTA/PTO meetings to give an overview of the Nurturing Program K-3 to encourage buy-in and ownership of responsibilities as well as interest in student participation.21. The AIG elementary staff develops rubrics or explanation forms that address each K-3 student's progress in the school's Nurturing Program over a period of pre-determined time (typically 2-4 weeks).22. The AIG Director requests (usually quarterly) that periodic reports about the schools' Nurturing Programs are submitted to the AIG Director by the AIG Lead Teacher for record keeping and auditing.23. BCS uses resources, such as The College of William & Mary Jacob's Ladder Programs, Bloom's/Marzano's higher-order thinking skills and question stems, and Renzulli's methods for teaching the gifted particularly in elementary and middle schools.24. AIG teachers are encouraged to participate in webinars and web quests for the study and development of successful Nurturing Programs and other gifted education strategies and best practices.

Practice BIntegrates and connects AIG services with the total instructional program and resources of the LEA inpolicy and practice.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents always or often felt their schools' schedules allowed for adequate planning time for AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers to meet with like as well as regular core teachers when needed to discuss program alignment. 2. BCS encourages communication and collaboration among various instructional departments to ensure AIG services are integrated and the gifted curriculum resources are aligned with the total instructional program using visuals and other materials to show clear alignment.3. BCS provides opportunities for vertical (various grade levels) and horizontal (same grade level) sessions to occur to align standard goals with program resources for all subjects to ensure continuity and fidelity to proficiency.4. The AIG Director meets periodically with the EC Director to review policies and practices when serving twice-exceptional (2E) children to make sure their strengths (AIG) and deficiencies or

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 14 of 7112/11/2019 disabilities (EC) are addressed and monitored.5. The AIG Lead Teachers for each elementary and middle school in the district share resources and forms via AIG Google Share Drive so that access is available and collaboration is encouraged.6. BCS establishes clear roles for various personnel to support advanced learners with AIG and otheradvanced studies teachers (AP, Pre-AP, and Honors) leading the way.7. BCS safeguards time for collaboration among personnel for planning advanced content and troubleshooting as issues arise in PLC's (Professional Learning Communities) by DuFour Models or PD sessions.8. BCS facilitates continuous site-team meetings to ensure collaboration among those supporting advanced learners using guiding questions to promote differentiation and acceleration.9. AIG maintains an AIG Google Share Drive for encouraging consistency with special AIG rubrics, portfolio structures, work samples, various forms, etc.10. BCS AIG program encourages monitoring of student potential and performance to find advanced learners, over- and under-achieving students, or students who have intense passions or interests in particular areas to invite them to participate in competitions, auditions, talent shows, academic events, etc. 11. The AIG Director participates in LLC sessions, the Instructional Leadership Team, and other administrative teams to promote a better understanding of the needs of gifted learners and to ensure district practice and policy protect those gifted educational rights per regulations.12. The AIG Director and AIG teachers share appropriate resources and professional literature with fellow teachers and administrators about AIG services and program needs assuring every AIG student has a personalized education plan to ensure equity of educational opportunity (See Appendix for Personalized Education: Goal Two of BCS Strategic Plan 2019-2024 and Opportunity: Goal Six).13. The AIG Director serves as the budget director of AIG state funding to ensure appropriation of monies for resources, materials, workshops, conferences, etc. all align to goals of AIG program, which should connect to the overall educational goals of BCS and its Strategic Plan (See Appendix for BCS Strategic Plan and AIG Budget).14. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers provide PD concerning AIG services to the district and to school-site teachers in an effort to dismiss myths and show continuity of services that address educational needs of AIG-identified students in all classes whether they are designated AIG or Advanced Studies classes or regular curriculum with AIG clusters. 15. The AIG Director forms an AIG Strategic Task Force to review the AIG Plan for approval and to serve as advocates for gifted education to ensure that AIG student needs are addressed appropriately.16. BCS presenters provide training for classroom teachers on how to use various district and statewide assessment data to support all AIG students.17. The AIG Director develops and distributes various forms, such as the CogAT General Interpretation Form, that explains percentiles based on age-level and grade level, stanines, scale scores, etc., to testing coordinators, administrators, and parents/guardians (See Appendix for CogAT Form in various languages).18. AIG Teachers work with other colleagues including instructional coaches to develop recommended curriculum and pacing guides for each served grade level.19. AIG Teachers recognize inclusion and co-teaching as best practices in addressing needs assessment and differentiation particularly in classes with clusters of AIG students as well as other categories of students.20. The AIG Teachers work with EC Teachers to respect accommodations in a student's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and 504 Plans for those students who are twice-exceptional.21. The AIG staff abides by the BCS Strategic Plan to ensure personalized education plans for all

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 15 of 7112/11/2019 students (See Appendix for BCS Strategic Plan).

Practice CDevelops procedures for intentional, flexible grouping practices to facilitate the achievement and growth of AIG and other students with advanced learning needs.

District Response: 1. Results from the 2019 AIG Student Survey showed 86% of AIG students always or often felt they were allowed to work with other students in their AIG classes as partners or as members of a group in their studies while 99% of their AIG Parents in their 2019 Survey always or often felt their AIG children were given opportunities to work with partners or to be in flexible group settings in the AIG classes. To support these findings, the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey conveyed 85% of AIG teachers always or often felt they promoted hands-on, interactive learning experiences for theirAIG students in various settings, such as independent work, partnerships, and group work.2. BCS uses cluster grouping (usually 6 or more AIG students) intentionally particularly in classes likescience, social studies, or other non-designated AIG courses in order for AIG students to have academic peers with whom to work to enrich and extend advanced learning needs.3. The AIG class uses flexible, instructional grouping based on some like characteristic that may be ability-driven and/or interest-driven for a variety of comprehensive learning needs. The composition ofthese groups may change as needs are better delineated due to the fluidity of the group placements. 4. The AIG class uses flexible grouping intentionally based on student pre-assessments, formative and summative assessments, observations, and other growth data sources so that the procedures are clear and consistent with appropriate documentation.5. BCS also promotes PD about data analysis, interest inventories, learning styles, grouping practices, and instructional strategies for administrators, teachers, and counselors so that such factors as readiness, interest, learner profiles, student skill levels, and other relevant components canbe considered when grouping is activated.6. The AIG Director shares research about intentional, flexible grouping practices and strategies with AIG Lead Teachers and other AIG staff so that current best practices can be respected in order to facilitate effective instruction and to support the growth of AIG and other students with advanced learning needs.7. BCS uses formative assessments, achievement data, and teacher input to develop flexible instructional groups in classrooms that address gifted students' instruction levels and differentiation needs for acceleration opportunities.8. BCS gathers reliable baseline data on gifted student performance to determine student growth and needs assessment, such as that through the use of EVAAS (Student Value-Added Assessment System) or other available benchmarking/predictor programs to determine grouping needs.9. AIG adjusts instruction in response to AIG students' learning needs considering acceleration options.10. AIG promotes ongoing assessment as AIG students work in various learning settings, such as independent projects, partner work, cooperative groups, and flexible instructional groups, as they engage in inquiry-based activities.11. AIG determines the results of formative and summative assessments as students use various modes of learning, such as the kinesthetic or hands-on approach or the linguistic verbal style to enhance unique learning experiences for students in multiple ways.12. AIG refers to authentic student portfolios, projects, collaborative outputs, and other related types of artifacts and products as another means of assessing 21st Century skills for grouping purposes.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 16 of 7112/11/2019 13. AIG gives interest inventories to help build a battery of information about the "whole child" so that certain topics of interests or skills can be tapped in intentional grouping practices as a resource.

14. The AIG Director provides a lending library of curriculum materials and other resources for teachers in all areas that highlight best practices for intentional, flexible grouping practices.

Practice DInforms all teachers, school administrators, and support staff about delivery of differentiated services and instruction for AIG students, regulations related to gifted education, and the local AIG program and plan.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of administrators responded always or often they had been provided with the newly revised and required AIG State Standards and understood that they were considered non-negotiable. Further, 98% of the same administrators responded the county's Director of AIG and Advanced Studies communicated with them about AIG and gifted matters that impacted their gifted students andtheir AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers when needed.2. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, results showed 63% of teachers felt they kept parents/guardians of their AIG students informed of programs and resources that could assist them inbetter understanding and promoting giftedness in various ways.3. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 73% of AIG parents felt always or often their children's AIG teachers provided them information and resources about special opportunities and/or learning needs for their AIG students. 4. The AIG Director develops and utilizes a common, generic Power Point presentation when sharing about AIG programs and services with schools and makes this tool available for all school personnel interested.5. The AIG Director presents PD focusing on the integration of AIG Program Standards, legislation, and regulations around gifted programs at various workshop settings at the school site and district-wide.6. BCS expects AIG teachers to discuss and share instructional services and programs for gifted learners during grade-level, team, and on-site staff meetings as well as district-wide meetings.7. BCS develops and prints copies of its AIG Plan Book, including the Introductory Sections before the actual plan and the Appendix and Glossary after the plan, for all school principals, Central Serviceadministrators, and all AIG Lead Teachers and AIG-designated high-school counselors. 8. BCS publishes the AIG current plan on its website and offers an FAQ guide. A link to the AIG and Advanced Studies webpage is also available to those interested.9. The AIG Director prepares printed informative AIG brochures citing the essential components, regulations, vision, and differentiated services of the AIG plan K-12 in English and in Spanish. These abridged brochures are available at the Board of Education, on the AIG webpage, in all district schools' offices, and in the actual AIG Plan Book (See Appendix for AIG brochures).10. The AIG Director meets periodically with the PD Director to ensure that AIG issues, standards, legislation, and regulations about gifted programs are included in PD workshops, administrative meetings, and site-team meetings.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 17 of 7112/11/2019 11. The AIG staff, particularly Lead AIG Teachers who are responsible at the school level for AIG matters, are important members of staff committees to address AIG needs to discuss those during grade level, team, and on-site staff meetings.12. The AIG staff share how to access the approved AIG plan with each stakeholder group to encourage a fuller understanding and transparency of equitable, consistent practices, particularly those concerning differentiated services.13. The AIG Director offers AIG In-House Certification for interested educators via 7 modules of in-class participation and extended assignments and readings using the resource book, "Teacher's Survival Guide Gifted Education" by J.L. Roberts and J. R. Boggess. This resource and course informs the participants of AIG differentiated services, regulations, the BCS AIG Plan, and other related gifted information.14. The AIG Director communicates the practices and services of the AIG program via meetings, handouts, brochures, visual presentations, and webpage updates on the BCS website as well as at various meetings at the school-site or district-wide gathering.

15. The AIG Director periodically audits school sites to make sure all AIG students have proper AIG folders or Talent Pool folders that specify the delivery of differentiated services and instruction necessary for those individual students.16. The AIG Director puts a copy of the complete approved AIG Plan for general public viewing in the lobby of the Board of Education for the public to view.

Practice ECommunicates among and between teachers and schools to ensure an effective continuation of K-12services, especially at key transition points.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of administrators from all levels (elementary, middle, and high) felt always or often their schools' schedules allowed for adequate planning time for AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers to meet with like as well as regular core teachers as needed. In addition, 98% of those same respondents felt always or often the county's Director of Advanced Studies communicated with them abut AIG and gifted matters that impacted their gifted students and their AIG and/or Advanced studies teachers as needed.2. AIG Lead Teachers at the elementary and middle-school levels and AIG-designated counselors at the high-school level arrange key transition meetings for AIG students and their parents/guardians to discuss continuity of the AIG program, differentiated services provided in different course offerings, and expectations for success.3. AIG Lead Teachers at the elementary schools send home CogAT interpretation forms and possiblequalifying letters to parents/guardians of those 3rd graders who did not opt out of that universal aptitude test administered in early spring. These forms are printed in English and Spanish and other languages upon request or need (See Appendix for CogAT Interpretation Guide and Form translations).4. As an EOY (End-of-Year) accountability procedure, all 5th grade AIG folders are reviewed and delivered by the respective Lead AIG Teacher of that feeder elementary school to the Lead AIG Teacher of that receiving middle school. The same process applies for the AIG Lead Teacher of the 8th grade AIG folders being delivered to the Lead AIG-designated Counselor at the appropriate

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 18 of 7112/11/2019 receiving high school. Included in these AIG folders are all documented forms, testing results, recommendations, educational goals and services for future planning, portfolio rubrics, data sheets, behavioral/motivational checklists, DEP's, etc. that address the effective continuation of AIG services (See Appendix for EOY Transfer Forms and other related forms).5. The AIG Director schedules quarterly, or more often if needed, AIG Lead Teacher meetings to share information about the gifted programs, research and professional articles, peer discussions andrecommended resources and other strategies or best practices. This collaboration encourages continuity and compliance of gifted procedures and develops mutual respect via networking. The AIGteachers are encouraged to share the meeting agenda, minutes, and handouts, or resource links withtheir administration, other AIG colleagues, and other interested staff.6. The AIG Director meets with school counselors, administrators, AIG teachers, and regular education teachers at district- and school-level meetings periodically to share information that promotes a better understanding of the continuation of K-12 services for gifted learners.7. Selected high-school courses, such as Math I and Earth & Environmental Science, are available to 8th-grade students, most of whom are gifted students who meet the criteria for placement. To encourage a better understanding of the rigor of those courses, meetings are held, and parent/guardian letters are sent home for consideration and signatures. There is an opportunity for the 8th grade teachers who are teaching these high-school courses to communicate with the high-school teachers teaching the same courses to ensure fidelity to the rigor of the course content and expectations for success.8. AIG Teachers and EC Teachers discuss students who are identified as twice-exceptional (AIG strength and EC disability) so that the teachers can communicate about personal learning plans (IEP's, 504's, or DEP's) to address those identifications.

9. The BCS AIG In-House Certification Program consisting of 7 modules of instruction and discussionpresented by the AIG Director promotes a better understanding of the gifted program and the need to ensure the effective continuation of K-12 services.10. The AIG staff participates in both vertical (multiple grade levels) and horizontal (same grade level)work sessions about instruction and curriculum standards and goals for achievement. Here course compacting and grade skipping are possible avenues of differentiation in the continuum of AIG services when there are multiple evidences of documentation.11. The AIG Director campaigns as an advocate for gifted students to ensure the effective continuation of K-12 services at key transition points, from elementary to middle, from middle to high, and within each area in determining the curriculum pathway needs of gifted students to personalize their education needs and interests for a smooth transition.

Practice FAddresses the social and emotional needs of AIG students through collaboration among school counseling personnel, regular education teachers, AIG specialists, and others.

District Response: 1. The 2019 AIG Teacher Survey showed 100% of AIG teachers felt always or often they were sensitive to the social and emotional needs of their AIG students.2. The 2019 AIG Parent Survey showed 98% of parents felt always or often their AIG children felt understood and accepted by their AIG teachers. For this same survey question, from the 2019 AIG Student Survey, 93% of AIG students felt always or often they were understood and accepted by theirAIG teachers. In addition, 92% of those same AIG students felt they were always or often accepted

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 19 of 7112/11/2019 by their peers or fellow students whether they were considered gifted or not.3. To address the social and emotional learning (SEL) needs of AIG, a workbook set entitled "Social and Emotional Gifted Teen Series" by Pieces of Learning was purchased for middle-school AIG students. Such workbooks focusing on modules about boredom, friendship, stress, motivation, or other affective learning are incorporated into the AIG curriculum during appropriate content review, class meetings, seminars, individual conferences, group or partner work sessions, or at other times. The workbook activities are user-friendly and can be reproduced or modified as needed to serve as avenues for self-reflection in this study.4. For elementary students, thematic units about teachable moments along with comparative literature studies provide opportunities for addressing social and emotional issues and personal connections in various ways, such as Paideia Seminars, partner or group work, service learning or projects, journal writing, current events, or other means.5. In the nurturing groups for K-3, the SEL is addressed through role play, journal writing, community service, literature circles, teachable moments, etc. 6. Throughout the K-12 continuum, personal responsibility and ownership are emphasized in positive ways, such as through RAK or Random Acts of Kindness. In addition, inter-personal and intra-personal skills are compared and discussed particularly when collaborating with a partner or a group.7. School counselors meet with targeted groups, such as grief groups, as well as individual AIG students at-risk to provide a safe environment for expressing the gifted learner's feelings. 8. Since the characteristics of gifted students are very diverse, it is hard to characterize the typical AIG child. However, many gifted children are perfectionists and/or extremely sensitive students who exhibit much empathy for others. They can be considered at-risk and need a safe, welcoming environment to grow not only academically but also socially and emotionally. These SEL considerations necessitate the need for school counselors and other support personnel to collaboratewith AIG teachers, parents, and students. AIG students can exhibit other characteristics, such as behavioral concerns, social ineptness, or simply boredom. AIG and regular teachers, counselors, and others should not feel that just because AIG students are considered "smart" in one area and typically score high that they do not also need help or the chance to grow even more academically and socially in other areas.9. When AIG candidates complete their performance-based components (satisfactory portfolio in the areas of consideration and maintain an 80 or B overall average in the AIG class for at least one semester of study after initially qualifying), they become eligible for official identification. At the conference to approve that, parents are given a copy of the SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) booklet entitled "The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children Readings and Resources." This booklet contains true vignettes of AIG children with difficulties and how to address or parent them along with many links to informative resources to help AIG parents better understand their gifted students.10. The AIG Director and AIG teaching staff share information and problem-solve issues supporting the holistic development of gifted learners at various educational departments, such as Curriculum & Instruction, Student Services, Exceptional Children's, MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support), and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports).11. When appropriate, the AIG student's DEP may include strategies to meet the student's unique social and emotional needs and list contacts or personnel involved in supporting that endeavor.12. The BCS School Counseling Specialist provides PD related to SEL and strategies to promote a healthy self-esteem and motivation for effective work habits.13. The AIG Director researches the social and emotional needs of gifted learners from such authorities as Adderholf-Elliott to share with others (See Appendix for Ten Things Teachers Need to Know about Gifted Students; Gifted Students, Gifted Services, and Response to Intervention (RtI);

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 20 of 7112/11/2019 AIG common Myths and Their Subsequent Truths, Giftedness Identifier Tips, Managing the Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted, and The Eight Great Gripes of Gifted Kids).14. The AIG program encourages AIG students to embrace their giftedness and intellectual capacitieswithout feeling the need to "be like everyone else" and thus deny those gifted characteristics. In order to do this effectively, the AIG classroom should evoke a non-threatening climate and school atmosphere that encourages, supports, and respects high attainment and the abilities of the gifted and other high-achieving students as seen in this resource,"The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?" eds. Neihart, Reis, Robinson, Moon, 2002.15. The AIG curriculum encourages support personnel, such as guidance counselors, outside resources, and other teachers, particularly those in the fine arts who recognize and encourage highly gifted artistic potential in areas such as visual art, instrumental and choral music, dance, theatre, and the humanities, to work with AIG students to develop their innate and acquired talents through personal persistence and external, genuine support from others.16. AIG Teachers maintain conference notes in which the affective curricular and instructional practices supporting the social and emotional needs of AIG students are referenced (See Appendix for Conference Form).17. AIG teachers encourage focus group discussion and seminar sessions with gifted students on such strategies as "The Eight Great Gripes of Gifted Kids" (Zaffrann and Colangelo, Kaplan, and Feldman, 1985) (See Appendix for List).18. AIG teachers have their gifted students complete interest inventories to build a battery of information about the "whole child" so that certain topics or skills can be tapped as a resource support.19. The AIG Director makes available such resources as "The Gifted Kids' Survival Guides" and "Managing the Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted: A Teacher's Survival Guide" by Schmitz and Galbraith for reference.20. The AIG staff develops an affective curriculum map that shows common themes at various grade levels K-12 for introducing abstract ideas or emotions effectively in the classroom.21. The AIG Director provides a lending library with curriculum materials and other resources for teachers that highlight best practices for addressing SEL with gifted students.22. The AIG Director shares professional literature and research findings with the District School Counselor Specialist, the Title I Director, and the EC Director concerning SEL in their areas as a means of collaboration of ideas.23. The AIG Director and staff participate in SEL webinars in assessing strategies for dealing with and recognizing various signals or signs of concern.

24. AIG Teachers share with colleagues and others "The 10 Most Common Myths of the Gifted" from the National Gifted Education Association so that stakeholders can understand the dichotomy that often exists (See Appendix for List).25. The AIG staff shares with other school personnel the multiple and diverse characteristics of giftedness and what giftedness actually means or includes so that more educators and other stakeholders can become more vigilant in recommending student candidates for gifted consideration and in working with those students to create a more responsive setting for success (See Appendix forAIG Characteristics Chart).26. BCS gathers and compares behavior trends and disciplinary records of BCS AIG students, especially in regard to suspensions or dropping out of school, to their same age peers to determine areas or "red flags" to address proactively (See Appendix for Semester Documentation Chart of

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 21 of 7112/11/2019 OSS).27. AIG targets intervention efforts, such as extra support in organization skills and Cornell Note-taking as well as interventions in addressing underachievement, low self-esteem, poor work skills, insufficient individualization, apathy, boredom, lack of initiative and responsible actions, as well as inappropriate inter-personal and intra-personal skills, to discuss in curricular settings and elsewhere to develop a plan of action to address them.28. AIG encourages psychologically non-threatening class environments that value independent thought and action, shifting the focus of learning to each student's personal interests and motivations with reasonable limits for experimentation and risk-taking.29. AIG promotes collaboration and team-building in curricular endeavors to develop social skills through mutual respect and accountability.30. AIG encourages creativity in multiple settings and domains in order to allow individuals to realize their own self-worth and contributions towards innovation and non-traditional findings through critical thinking and problem-solving K-12.31. AIG Teachers perpetuate the notion of becoming more tolerant of others as those students attempt to"fit in" without stereotyping, especially those gifted students who might also have social, emotional, physical, or medical problems or disabilities.32. The AIG Lead Teachers and Director hold AIG parent sessions on such topics as gifted characteristics, self-management, gifted intensity, perfectionism, depression and stress, effective advocacy, and gifted parenting complexities as requested (See Appendix for 12 Traits of Giftedness and other related forms and charts).

Practice GDevelops policies and procedures for a variety of acceleration opportunities, including compacted content, Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, subject and/or grade acceleration.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 95% of AIG teachers always or often felt their AIG curriculum and instruction allowed for compacted pacing and challenging expectations to meet growth potentials and accelerate learning.2. From the 2019 AIG Student Survey, 88% of the AIG students felt always or often their AIG teachers took into consideration different student needs and ability levels when assigning projects and other work to extend and enrich learning through such means as acceleration.3. At the AIG Lead Teacher meetings, guidelines and policies surrounding many types of accelerationare developed to ensure consistency of practice across the LEA. Forms are developed and revised as policies are streamlined.4. Students whose birth date comes after the cutoff date in August for kindergarten entry per the statelegislature guidelines are able to enter early if they meet all components for such. The parents/guardians are responsible for collecting a packet of information, including a basic application completion, 2 recommendations, proof of district residency, 3-6 authentic student work products, and proof of the student's earning at least a 98% on both an approved aptitude and achievement test. A district committee reviews everything in the packet and makes recommendations to the district schoolin question. If the recommendation is that the student satisfies minimum requirements, then the principal schedules separate interviews with both the student and the parent(s). Afterwards, the student is placed on probation for 90 days to determine effective transition into kindergarten. The student will be taken off probation and considered in "good standing" after the 90 days if a positive report results. If not, the student will be removed from that program.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 22 of 7112/11/2019 5. The AIG program continues to ensure that certain barriers are not preventing gifted learners from meeting their advanced potential through acceleration means. One example is making arrangementsfor a student who is able to master a particular English or math course grade levels ahead to be able to do so through special scheduling or bus transportation from one school to another. Before that is done, adequate documentation, including observations, teacher recommendations, and above-level testing must support that accelerated course of action.6. Flexible grouping can alert AIG teachers to students needing compacted curriculum that skips content that has been mastered, grade skipping, or enrichment and extension assignments. Decisions to push students or change grouping levels are determined by gathering both qualitative and quantitative data through such means as pre- and formative and summative assessments, interviews, various student products, and observations. 7. A systematic approach to acceleration opportunities is practiced district-wide with the intentional gathering of data sources as evidence of mastery and needs essential to the process. All steps are taken with input from various school staff, parents/guardians, as well as students (See Appendix for Conference Form).8. All opportunities for compacting curriculum or having access to above-grade-level course work are communicated with students and parents/guardians in an intentional plan to be transparent and inclusive of all student groups and their curricular needs and skill levels.9. The AIG Director shares an evidence-based, unbiased tool (rubric) to support acceleration decisions to address equity.10. All accelerated programming, as Early-Entry Kindergarten Admission, AP and Honors coursework, CDM or Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, dual enrollment, and virtual high school, is available for gifted learners via clear policies and procedures. (See Appendix for Forms).11. BCS develops district policies and procedures addressing acceleration practices for all student levels and groups.12. Through a systematic approach, BCS creates opportunities for outside learning, mentoring/job shadowing, or one-on-one time with a specialist/expert in the desired area particularly for advanced learners in the gifted program primarily at the high-school level.13. BCS attempts to remove barriers preventing the highly gifted for achieving their potential through accelerated extension and enrichment strategies.14. The AIG staff confers with students and their parents/guardians periodically about their own perceptions of student potential and goals in an intentional effort to gather more personal data to helpwith acceleration possibilities by subject and/or grade.15. The AIG staff ensures that a variety of acceleration options are available to the AIG student when a body of evidence indicates the need. Examples might include authentic student work samples, portfolio products, observation notes, an interview, a video tape, a psychological assessment, advanced course work, and teacher recommendations.16. The AIG Director works with administrators, teachers, and families to explain acceleration options,such as grade skipping and curriculum compacting, emphasizing possible benefits and potential problems when making those informed decisions after a variety of evidence has been collected by multiple raters. 19. The AIG staff shares opportunities, such as those from seminars, Skype, webinars about college planning, etc., that enrich and/or extend learning opportunities.20. The AIG staff participates in district workshops for developing recommended pacing guides and selecting software and textbooks to meet the needs of various levels, particularly AIG, which is often a year or more ahead of regular course classes. 21. Eligible ninth graders (primarily those considered gifted) can take AP courses at the high-school level when there is teacher recommendation to qualify such action provided there are no AP course

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 23 of 7112/11/2019 prerequisites.

Practice HImplements intentional strategies to broaden access to advanced learning opportunities for under-represented AIG populations, including culturally/ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, highly gifted, and twice-exceptional. These strategies may include talent development efforts.

District Response: 1. One intentional strategy to broaden access to advanced learning opportunitiesfor under-represented student groups is BCS using the universal screener CogAT to cast a wide net of student possibilities in the spring of the 3rd-grade year by encouraging all students to participate unless the parents/guardians choose for their students to opt out. By having this strategic testing, theresults provide a more inclusive pool of students who are eligible due to high percentiles (88% or higher for academically gifted in verbal or quantitative or 97% or higher for IG using non-verbal score with 80% in an academic area). The results district-wide provide data for determining which students need re-testing due to high averages but who had test scores not quite high enough (See Appendix for CogAT Forms).2. ITBS is usually administered for re-testing; however, the Naglieri is also used for those students with significant language barriers. Again, percentiles at 88% are sought for AIG eligibility purposes.3. For under-served student groups, each district school screens and tests its top 5-10% of each ethnic sub-group for AIG consideration. 4. For the BCS Nurturing Program in K-3 grades, the AIG Lead Teacher oversees the implementationof the program to ensure all student groups and especially those for under-represented populations have access to advanced learning opportunities throughout the school year. The goal is to expand the talent pool for future AIG consideration.5. For the under-represented, the service delivery is comparable to that of any other AIG program. However, differentiation to "level the playing field" is activated as potential is developed.6. The AIG Director works with the Title I Director and the Migrant and ESL or ELL Coordinator to gather a cadre of students who fit the Alternate Education Pathway Plan. This plan does not have different expectations but various strategies for achieving those expectations based on learner needs and skills. Potential is key here whether observable at first or not yet tapped (See Appendix for Alternate Education Pathway Plan).7. The AIG Director shares service options to broaden access to move along grade continuum with the AIG staff and regular staff through presentations and PD concentrating on safe, trusting learning environments that focus on student interests and skills.8. Another intentional strategy to broaden open access to advanced learning is to partner with local businesses to develop more programs developing mentorships, internships, and job shadowing with the goal to have many optional paths to pursue.9. BCS partners with Brunswick Community College in the CTE (Career and Technical Education) realm to target and develop advanced learners in the workplace. To strengthen this goal, one of the district schools, COAST (Center of Applied Science and Technology), is being equipped for this purpose. The AIG Director offers PD on gifted education to all staff, including these teachers to extend and enrich their learning.10. Since the NC State Legislature enacted the regulation that all Math Level 5 EOG or EOC studentsin grades 3-12 shall be placed in advanced math classes the following school year, the AIG program has included those students who may have high potential if they have not already been identified as

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 24 of 7112/11/2019 AIG. Those students are placed either in the next level advanced math class or AIG whichever is more appropriate to meet the learners' needs.11. The current April headcount data suggests that of the additional 90+ new students identified this school year (2018-2019), there has been approximately 9% growth in the under-served populations being identified. 12. The AIG staff will design a student questionnaire to provide feedback for developing needed programs or opportunities for all groups, especially those under-represented.

13. The AIG Director translates important parent letters and forms in Spanish and other languages asneeded or requested to encourage better communication methods (See Appendix for Translated Forms).14. The AIG Director requests that interpreters are present as needed at informative meetings and sessions where language issues may be a barrier.

Practice IEncourages extra-curricular programs and events that enhance and further develop the needs and interests of AIG students.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 85% of parents felt always or often their AIG children were given choices for projects/demonstrations that elicited their special interests and learning preferences or styles in and out of school.2. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 95% of the teachers shared they always or often felt they kepttheir AIG parents informed of programs and resources that could assist them in better understanding and promoting giftedness in various ways in and out of school. Further, those same AIG teachers indicated they promoted hands-on, interactive learning experiences for their AIG students in various settings, such as independent work, partnerships, or group work. 3. The AIG Director shares resources and links to special outside services and programs, such as Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program) dealing with early SAT or ACT nationally normed testing for 7th graders and college summer studies in investigative programs or academic or leadership seminars or courses. Duke TIP also offers competitions in essay writing, short stories, poetry, visual art, and other modalities that BCS students consider for participation.4. For rising seniors at BCS, Governor's School held at Meredith College and High Point University for over 5 weeks in the summer is a well-respected residency program that enhances the academic, leadership, and artistic needs and interests of AIG and Fine Art students who are selected as finalists.5. From the BCS 2019 Administrator Survey, 100% of administrators shared they always or often supported the AIG and/or Advanced Studies program and promoted its special student opportunities for enrichment and extension, such as Governor's School, Duke TIP, Presidential Scholars, as well asother leadership, academic, and creative experiences.6. Other extra-curricular programs available to BCS students and particularly AIG students at various levels include oratory competitions and toastmaster events, Science Olympiad, Debate Teams, Problem-Solving Teams, Quiz Bowl, Odyssey of the Mind, Math Fair, school club activities both academic and interest-driven, school or community athletic programs, dance teams and clinics, youthgroups at school and in the community, play festivals, band and chorus concerts and camps, talent shows, summer enrichment camps, literacy and writing clubs, Battle of the Books, Summer Ventures,People to People, volunteer opportunities at school and in the community, and student exchange

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 25 of 7112/11/2019 programs for study abroad among many others. 7. The AIG program encourages AIG students to demonstrate examples of their research or interest-driven projects explored during the school year at special programs at school and/or district levels.8. BCS incorporates time for various guest speakers and artists-in-residence to share their experiences and expertise and discuss career options with advanced and artistic learners.9. BCS has a Public Information Officer who communicates special extra-curricular programs for AIG and other students and events to the public through ConnectEd, a district-wide phone call-out service,or through mass e-mails or announcements using other forms of media on the BCS website or other social media options, the newspaper, or radio.10. BCS currently holds summer reading/writing programs and camps for academics and the arts. Other summer programs and workshops for AP exam preparation, AP Academy (virtual or live), SAT or ACT vocabulary and critical thinking studies, or other engaging venues are possibilities when fundsare available.11. The AIG Director shares information about other collegiate camps, seminars, and workshops available to gifted learners in and out of state with AIG teachers, students, and parents.

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. Locate more resources to gain ideas or plans from organizations, such as the NCAGT (NC Association of the Gifted and Talented), local colleges and universities, professional networks, SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), and others to provide teachers more insight into recognizing the social and emotional needs of gifted learners.2. Continue to research both traditional and non-traditional ways of serving those students identified as intellectually gifted.3. Explore ways to discover the advanced potential of under-served student populations.4. Continue to share information about SENG as it explores the gifted dynamics.5. Consider developing an Advanced Placement Academy for a portion of the summer break.6. Gather questionnaire feedback from various sub-groups of the under-represented to discover needs and recommendations for promoting advanced potential or special interests or talents.

Sources of Evidence: 1. SENG library of information2. NCAGT journals and newsletters3. Region and district AIG meeting notes, minutes, and agendas4. Annual survey forms and results5. Rosters, agendas, and minutes from PD sessions and AIG In-House Certification modules6. Copies of DEP conferences at school sites7. Shared AIG lesson units, portfolio topics, rubrics, and other forms 8. Copies of relevant, current articles about AIG issues9. Governor's School and Duke TIP information packets


Standard 3: Differentiated Curriculum and InstructionThe LEA employs challenging, rigorous, and relevant curriculum and instruction K-12 to accommodate a range of academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.

Practice AAdapts the NC Standard Course of Study (SCOS) K-12 to address a range of advanced ability levels in language arts, mathematics, and other content areas as appropriate through the use of differentiation strategies, including enrichment, extension, and acceleration.

District Response: 1. The AIG Lead Teachers and AIG Director provide differentiation strategies through enrichment, extension, and acceleration in the Nurturing Program K-3 using the resource "PETS" and other enriching lesson-plan options based on student needs, interests, and skill levels (See Appendix for Nurturing Ideas and Overview).2. AIG Teachers provide differentiation through enrichment, extension, and acceleration for AIG-identified students, AIG candidates (need to complete performance requirements of an approved portfolio and maintenance of B average in AIG classes), and Talent Pool students, who have Principal Waiver to place them in the AIG classes due to various skills or interests, lack one or more criteria for identification, or score at the Math Level 5 Level (grades 3-12) (See Appendix for Principal Waiver Form and Advanced Math Placement Form).3. The AIG Director or AIG Lead Teachers provide school-level or district-wide PD on differentiation strategies. One such PD is the AIG In-House Certification course of 7 modules of which differentiation is a main component.4. The AIG Director shares research findings and current trends for differentiation strategies, including enrichment, extension, and acceleration through such resource authorities as Mary Ruth Coleman, Julia L. Roberts, Sally M. Reis, Joseph S. Renzulli, and Carolyn Coil among others.5. The AIG Director confers with administrators, teachers, parents, and others about the acceleration of the Early-Entry Kindergarten Placement based on the guidelines of the NC State Legislature requiring 98% on both an approved national normed aptitude and achievement tests, 3-6 authentic student work samples, 2 recommendations, a completed application showing proof of residency, and interviews to determine the best educational setting for the student candidate (See Appendix for Early-Entry Kindergarten Packet and Sequence Chart).6. The AIG Director coordinates CDM coursework by students wishing to earn CDM Course credit for high-school courses without needing to have seat time in that course via 2 requirements--earning at least a 90% on the EOC or State Exam in that CDM course and producing an authentic student product demonstrating mastery of course standards based on a rubric score of 90%.7. Eligible students in grade 8 may take 2 high-school courses for credit, Math I and Earth & Environmental Science. This approval allows students to accelerate course learning (See Appendix for Parent Letter and Teacher Form).8. High-school students may take the AP exam without taking the AP course beforehand. In order to get college credit, a Level 3, 4, or 5 must be earned. 9. Compacted (skipped mastered content areas) curriculum and full grade skipping are other ways of accelerating the mastery of standards when ample examples of evidence are accumulated from multiple raters.10. The AIG staff meets with instructional coaches and other regular core teachers in developing

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 27 of 7112/11/2019 pacing guides and selecting software and textbooks aligned to the AIG course's differentiated level of rigor.11. AIG students are grouped homogeneously in AIG classes for reading/English and math. In other courses, they are cluster-grouped with 6 or more AIG peers. Having peers with similar interests and skills allows AIG students to participate in accelerated opportunities that enrich and extend learning inother classes.12. AIG students are not held to the grade-level curriculum when they can show mastery via formative and pre-assessment of standards and practices.13. Push-in opportunities are available for students in developing special projects or portfolios tied to the NCSCOS in math, reading/ELA/English, science, social studies, or the fine arts.14. AIG students access 1:1 technology utilizing blended learning in creating personalized learning environments via pacing and differentiation.15. Advanced Talent Pool learners and Math Level 5 students are included in AIG classes based on ability or interests primarily in partnerships or accelerated groups.16. AIG students often work on extended assignments that incorporate multiple content areas, such as ELA and social studies, using interdisciplinary content skills in a variety of settings that emphasize learning connections.17. AIG students have their math standards compacted in advanced math classes in order to move forward more quickly to cover more than one grade level. This same compacting is observable in other classes as well.18. Eligible ninth-grade AIG students who have a strong teacher recommendation may now take AP courses that do not require a course prerequisite.19. The AIG Director shares information about compacted curriculum via grouping strategies as well as grade-skipping possibilities when there is evidence documentation to justify such acceleration methods for students in grades K-12.

Practice BEmploys diverse and effective instructional practices according to students' identified abilities, readiness, interests, and learning profiles, to address a range of learning needs at all grade levels.

District Response: 1. AIG classes employ formative common assessments and review data sourcesin classrooms to determine students' instruction and learning levels.2. AIG teachers conduct student-interest inventories and learning-style inventories as guides for offering possible courses, enrichment activities, and/or independent projects so that student choice and personalized learning can occur as often as possible.3. AIG teachers develop lesson plans that include extended learning/enrichment opportunities for students (See Appendix for IRP (Instructional Resource Project) Lesson Plan and Learning-Focused Lesson Plan templates).4. AIG teachers work with elementary-school and middle-school students to develop a curriculum or 4-year plan addressed on the AIG student's DEP to be reviewed periodically, or at least annually, thatmeets their identified abilities, readiness, and interests and then monitor that progress. At the high-school level, the AIG-designated Counselor also works with the high-school AIG students to ensure they are challenged via Honors and AP coursework (See Appendix for DEP Forms).5. The AIG Director gathers information gleaned from parent inventories or checklists about their AIG students to gain another learning perspective and gauge leaning directions.6. According to the 2019 AIG Student Survey, 87% of the students felt always or often they were

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 28 of 7112/11/2019 challenged in their AIG classes while their parents concurred in their 2019 AIG Parent Survey always or often at 99%. In addition, the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey showed AIG teachers always or often felt their AIG curriculum and instruction allowed for compacted pacing and challenging expectations to meet growth potentials.7. AIG teachers often use blended lesson strategies incorporating technology and the actual lesson plan or flipping using the technology first and then pushing it via lesson delivery. 8. Another diverse and effective instructional practice is the use of other resources, such as internships, mentorships, job shadowing, and actual partnerships between the student or course itselfwith others from outside with special skills or expertise from professionals, businesses, or other organizations.9. Other diverse and effective instructional practices include using resources, such as the Great Books series, independent study, or Socratic or Paideia Seminars district-wide (See Appendix for Seminar Guide).10. By having a layered curriculum, the AIG classes show flexibility in serving the identified abilities, readiness, interests, and learning profiles to address a range of learning needs at all grade levels.11. These diverse and effective instructional practices provide rigor, depth, complexity, sophistication,and abstractness, which all encourage critical and creative thinking.12. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers are available to present PD on employing these diverseand effective instructional practices as a support to regular classroom teachers and other AIG teachers.13. Selected AIG students are eligible to participate in summer study sessions on college campuses, such as those offered to Duke TIP students who qualify, or attend academic or other interest-driven camps to address a range of learning needs, including Governor's School, a well-respected residencyprogram of more than 5 weeks offered to state finalists during the summer before the student's senioryear.

Practice CIncorporates a variety of evidence-based resources that enhance student learning.

District Response: 1. The AIG staff develops and implements evidence-based curriculum strategies and resources that support the needs of advanced learners by collaborating with the instructional support staff at the school or district level.2. The AIG Director researches and identifies appropriate resources to utilize with gifted learners by providing the AIG staff opportunities to do so at AIG Lead Meetings, PLC's, or at other settings.3. The AIG curriculum includes such evidence-based curriculum resources as William & Mary's Curriculum units and Jacob's Ladder, Mentoring Mathematical Minds, Pre-AP or Springboard, "PETS"for K-3, Math Quest, various technological software programs particularly in math (Gizmos, TinkerPlots, Geometer Sketchpad, Robotics, the Navigator System, Probeware), Singapore Math, Study Island, Worldly Wise, Word Master, Junior Great Books, Vocabu-Lit, Stem Word Study, and other research-based resources.4. Each AIG Department at all elementary and middle schools has a set of the Gifted "Practical Strategies" series (approximately 30 booklets in each set), which covers all aspects of research and evidence-based resources and strategies for best practices for gifted education.5. Each middle-school AIG Department has a set of the "SEL Teen Series" by Pieces of Learning thatcovers many emotions and character values in a workbook format. This set is also based on evidence-based reports and resources.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 29 of 7112/11/2019 6. The AIG curriculum focuses on inquiry-based approaches as an effective method for higher-level questioning strategies. Projects related to these approaches are assigned to encourage critical and creative thinking and problem-based solutions.7. The AIG curriculum employs the tiered lesson design and scaffolding as a way of directing learningfor those who need more structure using check points for assessment controls in the design with built-in opportunities to receive teacher feedback for revising student products to a higher level.8. The AIG curriculum utilizes Thinking Maps as a visual organization tool to address learning needs and profiles to enhance student learning for showing connections and relevance.9. The AIG staff encourages organization skills, such as the use of Cornell Note-taking practices, as an effective resource for structuring learning priorities in a logical sequence.10. The AIG Director ensures evidence-based resources and/or links to them are available in the AIG Google Share Drive to encourage AIG use district-wide in order to enhance student learning and rigorous progress.11. AIG teachers incorporate Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge Domains as evidence-based resources for high-order thinking to reach synthesis and creation through critical and creative thinking. 12. The Nurturing Program K-3 uses evidence-based resources, such as "PETS," to enhance studentlearning through current events, service projects, literature texts, and other means.

Practice DFosters the development of future-ready skills including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership.

District Response: 1. AIG teachers infuse the future-ready skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership into their lesson delivery as a mainstay of instruction.2. In the AIG class, advanced learners foster creativity in multiple settings and domains as they realize how their authentic thought processes result in innovative student products that may impact orinfluence others to bring about new and advanced learning.3. In the AIG class, personal relevance and connections with literature or math real-world skills are encouraged. Examples in AIG math include learning personal finance, budgeting, and Stock Market skills and practices.4. AIG teachers develop integrated curriculum units incorporating future-ready skills across all grade levels and content areas.5. The AIG program seeks out opportunities to learn in real-life contexts, such as Model UN, GeoCaching, Odyssey of the Mind, and similar programs that require collaboration and leadership.6. The AIG program promotes future-ready skills through partnerships with community organizations via real-world scenarios, community service projects, mentorships, job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, and volunteering.7. The AIG program invites public speakers to share their focus of needing future-ready skills in the workplace to be successful. These skills center around creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking for problem-solving, and leadership.8. In AIG classes, advanced learners have the opportunity to engage in critical discussions and dialogue with like-minded peers through the use of student seminars, lunchtime activities (i. e. book club discussions), and other partner or group collaborations both in and out of school.9. In AIG classes, AIG teachers assign portfolio projects, service projects, or problem-based projects to infuse such real-world learning as research, civic and economic literacies, health awareness, and

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 30 of 7112/11/2019 "thinking outside the box," in order to experience personal learning in the global society as purposefuland relevant. These future-ready skills encompass a deliberate plan of action with realistic, legitimateshort-and long-range goals.10. The AIG program works collaboratively with other school programs, such as these college and career ready programs: AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and CTE (Career and Technical Education). This shared collaboration is instrumental in closing opportunity gaps by sharing resources and fostering the development of future-ready skills including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership.

Practice EUses on-going assessment, both formative and summative, to differentiate classroom curriculum and instruction and inform flexible grouping practices.

District Response: 1. The AIG teacher uses formative assessments to develop flexible instructional groups in classrooms to address AIG students' instruction levels and differentiation needs.2. AIG teachers adjust instruction in response to students' learning needs considering acceleration opportunities.3. AIG teachers promote ongoing assessment as students work in various learning settings, such as independent project, partner work, cooperative groups, and flexible instructional groups with inquiry-based activities.4. AIG teachers use results of formative and summative assessments to determine various modes of learning, such as kinesthetic or hands-on approach or the linguistic or verbal approach, to enhance unique learning experiences for students in multiple ways.5. AIG teachers provide AIG students instruction to support a variety of testing data, including high-quality valid standardized testing with national and local norms for reliable comparisons used for educational placements.6. AIG teachers use ongoing formative assessments to address needs assessment, coaching, and re-teaching through modeling and sharing as well as pre-assessments to determine learning and mastery levels (See Appendix for Key Points in Determining AIG Student's Engagement and Productivity).7. AIG teachers use summative assessments as reflections of student learning and mastery of content and skill to determine next steps.8. AIG teachers gather reliable baseline data on student performance to determine student growth and needs assessment, such as using EVAAS (Student Value-Added Assessment System) or other available benchmarking/predictor programs.9. AIG teachers refer to student portfolios, projects, collaborative outputs, and other related types of artifacts and products as a means of assessing 21st Century or future-ready skills.10. The AIG Director was provided additional local funding ($12,000) for updating and replacing versions of the nationally normed, reliable aptitude (CogAT) and achievement(ITBS) tests used for AIG identification.11. The AIG Lead Teacher at each elementary and middle-school site and the AIG Director at the district site store in secure, locked areas testing results of approved assessments.12. BCS administers the CogAT aptitude test to 3rd-grade students whose parents/guardians have given permission for testing. This universal testing is done in early spring to gather testing data that will be used with other evidence documentation for determining the best educational placements for those students starting in the 4th grade. This special 3rd-grade testing is conducted via the BCS

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 31 of 7112/11/2019 Testing Department in conjunction with the AIG Director. Letters explaining the testing and explanations of CogAT scores, percentiles, and stanines are sent home in English and Spanish as needed to parents/guardians (See Appendix for CogAT Parent/Guardian Letters and Interpretation Guide Forms).13. Assessment results from EOG and other testing/NC Check-ins, report card averages, and teacherrecommendations are used to help determine which advanced students will be allowed in the 8th grade to take Math I and/or Earth & Environmental Science, both of which are high-school courses.14. Math EOG's and EOC's are used to place students scoring Level 5 in advanced math classes the following school year.15. AIG teachers administer pre-assessments to match instruction with academic need as they drive curricular decisions and support flexible grouping decisions.16. AIG teachers, regular teachers, administrators, and instructional support staff discuss student growth during collaborative planning sessions to chart progress and develop intentional plans to address areas of concern.17. AIG students use self-assessments and self-reflections periodically as well as peer-assessments to gather data from multiple perspectives.18. Assessment data from both formative and summative sources is used to accelerate learning opportunities particularly towards achieving the Career & College Promise, one of the BCS Strategic Goals (See Appendix for BCS Strategic Goals).19. Multiple sources of on-going assessments are stored in the AIG student's folder and referred to asDEP's (Differentiate Education Plans) are written and course planning is determined to enhance the rigor of advanced learning for AIG students.

Practice FAddresses the social and emotional needs of AIG students through affective curricular and instructional practices.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 100% of respondents felt always or often they were sensitive to the social and emotional needs of their AIG students.2. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 99% indicated always or often their AIG children felt understoodand accepted by their AIG teachers while 93% of the AIG Students on their 2019 Survey always or often felt understood and accepted by their AIG teachers. The AIG students also felt 92% always or often accepted by their peers or fellow students whether they were considered gifted or not.3. For addressing social and emotional needs of AIG students, school counselors prepare collaborative lessons on character development emphasizing one value or character trait at a time, such as integrity or empathy, in role-playing episodes, discussions, or reflections.4. AIG teachers and school counselors also use bibliotherapy, or the study of mindsets through reading selections, as a valuable aid to affective curricular practices with discussion and journal writing.5. AIG teachers access SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) lessons obtained from the AIG IRP lesson plans on the NCDPI website for Advanced Learning as well as AIG SEL Booster Shots using best practices for lessons or other information developed by various AIG programs in selected NC counties.6. The "SEL Teen Series" by Pieces of Learning is a series of workbooks that address various social and emotional needs and situations directed to the middle-school AIG student and encourages scrutiny of individual response, purpose, and collaboration. This series is incorporated in lesson

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 32 of 7112/11/2019 studies.7. The AIG Director researches the social and emotional needs of gifted learners through studies from such authorities as Adderholf-Elliott (See Appendix for "Ten Things Teachers Need to Know about Gifted Students"; Gifted Students, Gifted Services, and Response to Intervention (Rtl)"; "AIG Common Myths and Their Subsequent Truths"; "Giftedness Identifier Tips"; and "Managing the Socialand Emotional Needs of the Gifted: The Eight Great Gripes of Gifted Kids").8. AIG teachers encourage book talks and Socratic/Paideia seminars about topics from the affective domain using such booklets as "Social & Emotional Teaching Strategies" by Stephanie K. Ferguson, 2005.9. The AIG Director presents studies or interest sessions addressing the affective domain with the curriculum. These are essential to understanding how gifted students' social and emotional traits may include divergent thinking, over-excitabilities, super-sensitivities, adept perceptiveness, and entelechy(the actualization of potentiality or the inherent forces that control and direct one's activities and development) by Lovecky, 1992.10. AIG teachers encourage AIG students to understand how they are gifted and to embrace their giftedness and intellectual capacities without feeling the need to "be like everyone else" and thus deny those characteristics. To do this effectively, the AIG classroom must be non-threatening with the school climate or atmosphere encouraging, supporting, and respecting high attainment and the abilities of the gifted and high-achieving students ("The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?" eds. Neihart, Reis, Robinson, Moon, 2002).11. AIG teachers collaborate with other support personnel and other teachers, particularly those in the fine arts and humanities to help AIG students recognize their artistic potentials and develop their innate and acquired talents through personal resolve and genuine support from others.12. When AIG teachers hold conferences with parents/guardians and/or students, a conference form containing any affective curricular and instructional practices supporting the social and emotional needs of AIG students is referenced (See Appendix for Conference Form).13. AIG teachers give interest inventories to build a battery of information about the "whole child" so that certain abilities, skills, or interests can be tapped as resource support.14. The AIG Lead Teachers and the AIG Director share with colleagues and others "The 10 Most Common Myths of the Gifted" from the National Gifted Education Association so that those involved can better understand the dichotomy that often exists (See Appendix for Myth List).15. The AIG Lead Teachers and the AIG Director share with colleagues and others charts that list themultiple and diverse characteristics of giftedness (many of which focus on SEL), what it actually means to be gifted, and how to better recognize those traits in referring student candidates for gifted consideration (See Appendix for Chart of Gifted Characteristics).16. The AIG Director shares with other personnel and departments resources, such as "The Gifted Kids' Survival Guides" and "Managing the Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted: A Teacher's Survival Guide" by Schmitz and Galbraith,2011.17. AIG Teachers distribute copies of the SENG booklet "The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children: Readings and Resources" to parents of newly identified AIG students so that they can have access to important references and links as well as authentic student scenarios about giftedstudents.18. AIG teachers work with colleagues to develop an affective curriculum map that shows common themes at various grade levels for introducing abstract ideas or emotions effectively in the classroom.AIG teachers create units of study from this affective curriculum map to utilize at targeted grades focusing on the social and emotional needs of AIG students, such as the Freshman Academy (Freshman Seminar) for 9th graders to foster abilities, readiness, and interests using learning profiles to assist with the transition to high school, strengthen organizational and study skills, and build

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 33 of 7112/11/2019 relationships with teachers. 19. Another strategy might be a summer camp for rising 4th-6th or 4th-8th grade AIG students arounda specific instructional theme each summer. 20. Another strategy is a unit of study provided for entering grade-level gifted students (typically 3rd or 4th grade) on the topic, "What it Means to be Gifted."21. The AIG Director provides a lending library with curriculum materials and other resources for teachers that highlight best practices for meeting the social and emotional needs of gifted students.

Practice GCultivates and develops the potential of young (K-3) students through purposeful and intentional differentiated curriculum and instruction.

District Response: 1. The AIG Lead Teacher at each district elementary school oversees the school's Nurturing Program for developing the potential of young (K-3) students and works with the administration to secure facilitators and share curriculum ideas and resources for the program. They also help determine the multiple criteria used to select K-3 students for this grouping activity, which meets periodically according to a set schedule that can vary somewhat from one district elementary school to another, (usually 3-4 times weekly for 30 minutes each session) (See Appendix for Nurturing Program K-3 Overview and Guidelines and other Forms).2. AIG teachers and the AIG Director develop effective programming in all 10 district elementary schools intentionally to cultivate the potential of all K-3 students using evidence-based curriculum andresources, such as the main resource "PETS" ("Primary Education Thinking Skills"), which is a set of workbooks of critical thinking using fun and challenging activities for problem-solving.3. AIG Teachers and AIG Director research other differentiated curriculum and instruction tools, such as Using Science Talents and Abilities to Recognize Students or USTARS, Project Bright Idea, Mind Benders, selected puzzle sets, Jacob's Ladder Programs, Renzulli's gifted forms, Makers-Space, Vertical Question Stems, Noetic Problem-Solving Word Problems, etc.4. AIG teachers observe all primary students as a component of talent development efforts for screening. These students include representation from under-served student population groups.5. From the 2017 and 2018 AIG Nurturing Student Survey, nurturing students felt 94% of the time they liked being in the Nurturing Group at their school; 84% of the time they did fun things in that group; 80% of them said they did fun things in the group; 94% said they felt smart as a result of the grouping; and 87% of them said they thought the Nurturing Group helped them become a better student.6. The Nurturing Program's premise is that students are pulled for these groups based on at least 3 multiple criteria, such as results from reading programs (mClass), class overall averages, teacher recommendations, writing samples, etc.7. The AIG Director shares research-based information about the Nurturing Program, including themes and topics with facilitators (See Appendix for Nurturing Tips and Overview of the program).8. The AIG Teachers and facilitators share information about the Nurturing Program, including the length of time and frequency a student will spend in a group, its lesson focus, and its multiple criteria for participation. Parents/guardians receive letters about the program written in English and Spanish or other languages upon request (See Appendix for Nurturing Information Letters).9. The AIG Lead Teacher tracks the progress of nurturing students through periodic reports that amass general data, especially that reflecting diversity by targeting the under-served student population (See Appendix for Checklist to Identify Underachievers and Traits of Gifted Students).

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 34 of 7112/11/2019 10. The Nurturing facilitator with the help of the AIG Lead Teacher develops activities that differentiate based on skills, talents, needs, and special interests and abilities.11. The Lead AIG Teacher and school administrator secure nurturing facilitators from various sectors,such as regular or AIG teachers, teacher assistants, media specialists, administrators, volunteers, retired teachers, community representatives, businessmen, etc.12. The AIG Director shares research about the characteristics of the developmental, formative youngyears related to academic and intellectual gifted potential and performance.13. The AIG Lead Teacher or AIG Director offers a presentation for staff meetings to give an overviewof the Nurturing Program that encourages buy-in and ownership of duties.14. The AIG Lead Teacher shares acceleration and differentiation strategies as well as information about flexible grouping, cooperative grouping, compacting (when the student proves mastery of certain course objectives and thus is allowed to skip those and move on to new learning), mentoring, and grade skipping when there is adequate support for doing so to address different high-level skills or needs of young K-3 students.15. The AIG Lead Teacher along with the nurturing facilitator develops rubrics or explanation forms that address each K-3 student's progress in the Nurturing Program over a period of pre-determined time.16. The AIG Director requests periodic reports from each elementary school's AIG Lead Teacher about the school's Nurturing Program for record keeping and auditing.17. The AIG Lead Teachers share Nurturing Program ideas at AIG Lead Teachers' Meetings to glean what is working at various schools to incorporate into their own program.18. The AIG teachers and AIG Director participate in web quests and webinars as appropriate for the study and development of successful Nurturing Programs for young students K-3.

Practice HDevelops and implements differentiated curriculum and instruction through collaboration among regular education teachers, AIG personnel, and other related instructional staff.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the administrators felt always or often their school's schedule allowed for adequate planning time for AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers to meet with like as well as regular core teachers when needed. These collaborative opportunities allow for differentiated curriculum and instruction implementation.2. AIG Teachers and others collaborate in PLC's (Professional Learning Communities) using DuFour Models or PD sessions to plan advanced content and troubleshoot issues as they arise.3. AIG Teachers and other Advanced Studies Teachers (AP, Pre-AP, and Honors) confer with other personnel to establish clear roles for developing and implementing differentiated curriculum and instruction both vertically and horizontally.4. AIG Teachers and other personnel facilitate site-team meetings to ensure collaboration among those supporting advanced learners using guiding questions that promote differentiation and acceleration.5. AIG Teachers maintain an AIG Google Share Drive to encourage collaborative sharing of special AIG rubrics, portfolio structures, work samples, forms, etc. that develop and implement differentiated curriculum and instruction.6. The AIG Director along with the PD Director and the Testing Director provide PD training for classroom teachers on how to use various district and statewide assessment data to support all

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 35 of 7112/11/2019 students in differentiated learning settings.7. The AIG Director distributes to elementary schools via the AIG Lead Teacher and school administrator the CogAT General Interpretation form that explains percentiles based on age and grade, stanines, etc. for 3rd grade student parents/guardians as well as other school staff (See Appendix for English and Spanish version of CogAT Forms).8. AIG Teachers along with instructional coaches and other teachers develop instructional pacing guides for each served grade level. The guides for AIG include such products as portfolios, novel units, cross-curricular connections, vertical and horizontal learning, thematic units, extended and enriched math and reading activities, math problem-solving competitions and projects, creative and analytical research, and general essays with a technological component or foundation.9. Honors Teachers submit portfolios of their intended Honors course based on a rubric with test samples and student work samples for approval by the instructional coach, principal, Counseling Supervisor, Advanced Studies Director, and Assistant Superintendent (See Appendix for Approval Form).10. Teachers of Advanced Placement (AP) classes attend College Board Summer Institute classes toreceive AP certification as they study the differentiated curriculum and instruction for their AP courses. During the school year, AP mentoring classes are available.11. Inclusion and co-teaching are also best practices in addressing AIG needs assessment and differentiation for curriculum and instruction as more than one teacher works collaboratively with another.12. The AIG Director works with the EC Director to provide PD opportunities to address twice-exceptional AIG students and the need for differentiated curriculum and instruction that address both the disability and the strength.13. AIG teachers include in the DEP of AIG students any specific goals or accomplishments that might address both strengths and possible disabilities of any twice-exceptional AIG students (See Appendix for Placement and DEP Forms).14. The AIG Lead Teacher and AIG Director provide PD sessions on the Learning-Focused Lesson Plan that allows for differentiation implementation practices (See Appendix for Lesson Plan).15. The AIG Director presents AIG In-House Certification for teaching AIG in teacher's licensed area that focuses on differentiation (See Appendix for PD Forms).

Practice IDevelops and documents a student plan that articulates the differentiated curriculum and instruction services that match the identified needs of the K-12 AIG student, such as a Differentiated Education Plan (DEP). This document is reviewed annually with parents/families to ensure effective programming, provide a continuum of services, and support school transitions.

District Response: 1. The AIG Lead Teacher and other AIG teachers along with the parents/guardians, student, and other possible support staff meet annually or more often as needed to review each identified AIG student's DEP (Differentiated Education Plan) with specific, measurable comments affixed. At the high-school level, AIG-designated counselors oversee the DEP process to affirm that all AIG-identified students have their annual conferences. At the elementary or middle-school levels, AIG teachers, especially the Lead AIG Teacher, oversee this process (See Appendix for DEP Forms).2. At the DEP conference, the AIG teacher or AIG-designated counselor (high-school level only) use

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 36 of 7112/11/2019 recommended forms for indicating four-year pathways for AIG students to experience their educational rights in the best possible educational setting that matches the identified needs of AIG students. This ensures that the 4-year high-school plan places AIG students in the more rigorous courses (AP and Honors) as well as other courses of interest, such as the fine arts or CTE (Career and Technical Education) (See Appendix for DEP Guidelines and other Forms).3. The AIG Lead Teacher or high-school AIG-designated counselor sends the AIG Director the DEP Accountability Form confirming all DEP conferences were held according to AIG procedures. This EOY (End-of-Year) form ensures accountability and compliance (See Appendix for DEP Accountability Form).4. The AIG Lead Teacher arranges meetings and/or PD sessions between the AIG feeder teachers inthe transition grades (5th and 8th) and their receiving teachers in the 6th and 9th grades to share insights about the AIG student's academic plans requiring differentiation to address academic and intellectual or artistic gifts.5. The AIG Teachers review DEP's and other related documents to ensure effective programming, a continuum of services, and successful school transitions.6. The AIG Teachers validate that any twice-exceptional AIG students have their needs in the spectrum addressed with both the DEP (Differentiated Education Plan--strength cited) and the IEP (Individualized Education Plan--disability cited with accommodations to address it).7. The AIG Teachers establish meetings with parents/guardians of AIG students about the DEP and course planning associated with rigorous, differentiated placement both short-term and long-term.8. AIG Teachers meet with parents/guardians of other under-served student populations who are AIG-identified in a concerted plan to challenge those students for success through effective programming.

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. Offer PD district-wide to address differentiation so that challenging, relevant curriculum and instruction K-12 will result.2. Offer AIG In-House Certification Modules to help interested school staff understand more about differentiated curriculum and instruction and the strategies to implement for success.3. Encourage AIG and other Advanced Studies Teachers of AP and Honors to participate in outside conferences, seminars, AP Summer Institutes, Pre-AP workshops, AP Mentoring, etc. that address differentiation techniques and other AIG issues.4. Continue to research differentiation strategies and share those with AIG and Advanced Studies Teachers.5. Disseminate pacing guides as recommended planning guides aligned to the NCSCOS and compacted curriculum.6. Confer with principals, parents/guardians, teachers, and others about the acceleration of the Early-Entry Kindergarten Placement Program for approved younger students.7. Continue to share information about CDM with teachers, students, and parents/guardians making note of testing windows for satisfying the 1st part of the process.8. Allow eligible 9th graders, particularly AIG or advanced learners, to take an AP course that does not require a prerequisite with teacher recommendation.

Sources of Evidence: 1. Student interest and/or Learning Style Inventories2. Pacing guides3. AIG IRP(Instructional Resource Project) K-12 Lesson Plans4. "PETS" program information

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 37 of 7112/11/2019 5. Annual DEP review and conference documentation6. Nurturing Forms from elementary schools7. CDM forms for documentation8. Approval forms for Early-Entry Kindergarten enrollment9. CogAT documentation10. Selected journals and research articles


Standard 4: Personnel and Professional DevelopmentThe LEA recruits and retains highly qualified professionals and provides relevant and effective professional development concerning the needs of gifted learners that is on-going and comprehensive.

Practice AEmploys an AIG-licensed educator as lead coordinator to guide, plan, develop, implement, revise, and monitor the local AIG program and plan.

District Response: 1. The 2019 BCS Administrator's Survey showed that 98% of them felt the county's Director of Advanced Studies communicated with them about AIG and gifted matters that impacted their gifted students and their AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers when needed. 2. The AIG Director's complete BCS title is Director of Fine Arts & Advanced Studies and involves multiple areas and responsibilities; however, for this purpose the title AIG Director will suffice. 3. The AIG Director's office is housed at the Board of Education, which is centrally located to the 19 BCS schools. The Director visits schools when appropriate to observe or meet with AIG or other Advanced Studies teachers, principals, parents/guardians, or students as needed for monitoring.4. The AIG Director ensures that the approved AIG plan is adhered to according to the policies and procedures set forth. In this effort, the Director conducts internal audits of AIG folders, testing protocol, class placements and assignments, as well as appropriate course offerings to meet the educational rights of gifted students as stated in Article 9B (See Appendix for Article 9B).5. The AIG Director schedules national aptitude (CogAT) and achievement (ITBS) testing at school sites for those students who are screened and referred as potential candidates for AIG. The Director also trains AIG Lead Teachers in testing protocol to assist in the testing regimen.6. The AIG Director monitors the Nurturing Plan of each of the 10 elementary schools to make sure student subgroups are represented, that the groups are meeting regularly per schedule, and that the instruction is fun and challenging based on critical thinking using "PETS" resources primarily.7. The AIG Director oversees the Early-Entry Kindergarten Program in which students are consideredfor entry into kindergarten when their birth dates go past the August cutoff providing they meet certainrequirements. These requirements are disclosed in a packet based on the NC State Legislature guidelines. When all the components needed are provided, the AIG Director holds a district committee meeting to review and approve if minimum requirements are met. 8. The AIG Director monitors the Advanced Studies curriculum, including Honors courses primarily in high schools. To teach an Honors' Course, the teacher must produce an Honors Portfolio aligned to the Honors' rubric that is reviewed by the Instructional Coach, principal, Counseling Specialist, AIG Director, and finally the Assistant Superintendent. The objective is to verify that the rigor of the curriculum warrants the Honors' status.9. The AIG Director monitors the Advanced Placement (AP) program at the district level. The Director determines which new or experienced AP teachers will be allowed to attend AP Summer Institutes based on principal recommendations, scholarships, and funding availability. The Director develops an AP spreadsheet to show the district and high-school scores over a period of years that provide the numbers of students and the percentage of them who score a Level 3-5 on their AP exams and the numbers and percentage who do not. This comparative data is essential to planning for AP success district-wide. The Director also develops the list of AP teachers who receive bonuses based on their student-level scores of 3-5 and provides it to the Director of Human Resources.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 39 of 7112/11/2019 10. The AIG Director collaborates with others in other academic programs, such as Governor's School, Duke Tip, Presidential Scholars, and oratory competitions, to ensure district representation.11. The AIG Director presents the AIG In-House Certification PD consisting of 7 modules of gifted learning and extension assignments and readings. Also, the Director helps prepare teachers for taking the Gifted PRAXIS Gifted Education test for licensure if they score 157 or higher on it.12. The AIG Director prepares a current roster of Lead AIG Teachers and other AIG teachers at each elementary- and middle-school site as well as AIG and AP-designated Counselors at high schools. The Director works directly with these Lead AIG Teachers and Counselors to confirm that the AIG and Advanced Studies programs and their students are provided educational rights for course placements wth their identification needs served for compliance and equity.13. The AIG Director maintains a current listing of all school personnel who are AIG state-licensed and AIG In-House Certified to assist principals as they match approved teachers with teaching AIG courses.14. The current BCS AIG Director is AIG state-licensed in gifted education, mentoring, English, English Language Arts, and School Administration K-12. 15. The AIG Director plans AIG Lead Teacher Meetings and PD for AIG Teachers. These Lead Teacher Meetings are held 5-8 times a year with an agenda that addresses gifted matters of concern and allows for the sharing of projects and other resources, including professional readings. Minutes are sent via e-mail. These Lead AIG Teachers serve as the conduit for gifted communication and adherence to policies and procedures for gifted learning at the school level. The Director may audit paperwork, folders, differentiated lesson plans, etc. at school sites.16. The AIG Director serves on the administrative leadership team to assist in coordinating programs with AIG and collaborating with others concerning adherence to AIG policies and procedures to synergize efforts on behalf of gifted students and to share information regularly with other departments or programs.17. The AIG Director serves as the Budget Manager of PRC 034 (AIG) using state funding allocations. Decisions on how to delegate line items are made in alignment to the district's AIG plan and goals.18. The AIG Director affirms that an least one AIG parent/guardian is a member of each district school's PAC (Parent Advisory Council) team to represent and advocate for AIG and Advanced Studies.19. The AIG Director participates actively in workshops, conferences, seminars, webinars, and other venues at the region and state level and includes AIG Lead Teachers when funding permits.20. The AIG Director researches current gifted best practices and strategies and shares with AIG Teachers and other AIG leaders and other personnel as appropriate.21. The AIG Director collaborates with AIG Lead Teachers at each elementary- and middle-school site to develop surveys for all stakeholder groups and complete self-reflections and needs-assessments of the AIG plan to accumulate data evidence for reviewing and revising the local AIG program and plan per guidelines.22. The AIG Director guides, plans, develops, implements, revises, and monitors the local AIG program and plan in an effort to create consistency, equity, diversity, and compliance in all areas. 23. The AIG Director works with the AIG Lead Teachers to schedule AIG testing needs for each district school during the school year so that the AIG program is constantly screening, referring, and testing students to build the potential for additional AIG identification.

Practice B

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 40 of 7112/11/2019 Engages AIG-licensed specialists in tasks that explicitly address the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents always or often felt their schools' AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers understood and implemented challenging and rigorous curriculum in their classes. This addresses their perspective of the academic component of gifted learners. Further, 90% of the respondents always or often felt their AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers were made aware of professional development designed to address the unique needs of gifted students. This finding focuses on the personal needs of the gifted.2. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 100% of the teachers always or often felt they were sensitive to the social and emotional needs of their AIG students. Also, these AIG teachers felt 84% always or often they prepared AIG lesson plans that included extended and enriched learning opportunities that connected to students' interests, abilities, and learning preferences or styles. Moreover, these AIG teachers felt always or often 100% of the time they emphasized higher-level critical and creative thinking in their AIG lessons via real-world, personal connections to learning. These AIG teacher findings illustrate their focus on the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of their gifted learners.3. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 83% of the parents always or often felt their AIG children received appropriately challenging curriculum assignments in the AIG classes and felt 98% always or often their AIG children felt understood and accepted by the AIG teachers. These findings reflect the parent confidence in the academic program as well as the social and emotional needs of their children.4. According to the 2019 AIG Student Survey, 87% of the students always or often felt challenged in the AIG classes and felt 93% always or often their AIG teachers understood and accepted them. TheAIG students also felt 89% of the time always or often the AIG teachers recognized their special and unique needs and skills and 89% felt always or often their AIG teachers took into consideration different student needs and ability levels when assigning projects and other work. These findings suggest that gifted learners' academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs are respected and taken into consideration.5. The AIG-licensed specialists in BCS are referred to as AIG Lead Teachers. Every AIG Lead Teacher is either AIG-certified or AIG-licensed. They are the head of the AIG school program and work directly with the AIG Director on all AIG matters for compliance and equity. In most instances, there are 2 or more other AIG teachers who work with the AIG Lead Teacher at each district school. The goal is to continue to train more teachers via the AIG In-House Certification program, PRAXIS licensing, or the gifted university-licensed route since the best practices and effective strategies of differentiation, enrichment, extension, and acceleration are all important skills for any teacher to understand more effectively.6. At the high-school level, there are AIG- and AP-designated counselors who work with primarily the AP teachers and AIG students to ensure appropriately challenging course placements are available for AIG students. These should meet the approved policies and procedures of the AIG plan and program. High-school teachers are also encouraged to become AIG-certified or licensed, especially those teaching Honors and AP courses.7. The AIG Lead Teachers receive a stipend each year in May that compensates them for serving in that leadership role to fulfill various duties and responsibilities as their school's Lead AIG Teacher.8. Duties and responsibilities of the AIG Lead Teacher include the following: --Serve as the school-site conduit for the AIG Director via regular reporting to the school administration and school staff,

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 41 of 7112/11/2019 --Attend countywide AIG Lead Teacher Meetings as scheduled or arrange approved designated substitute school representatives as needed, --Share relevant AIG information with school administration, AIG teams, students, parents, and others when necessary, --Lead and facilitate AIG conference sessions with students, parents, AIG staff, and other groups and individuals as needed, --Store AIG confidential folders in a locked and secured area to maintain their integrity, --Meet all AIG required deadlines with AIG headcounts, DEP's for students, file transfers, inactive folder accountability, and other gifted matters, --Schedule AIG student testing with the AIG Director as needed, --Maintain correspondence with AIG parents on a regular basis particularly about enrichment opportunities, such as Duke TIP, Governor's School, other leadership and academic opportunities, --Assist 3rd-grade teachers and the school-site administration (elementary school Leads only) in analyzing the CogAT universal testing results in determining potential AIG candidates and further testing needs, --Check to ensure all appropriate forms are completed and stored properly in student AIG folders, --Provide PD when needed to address a teacher or school needs, such as differentiation, extension,acceleration, enrichment, questioning strategies, critical thinking, portfolio and rubric development, grouping practices, independent study, and inter-connective study using various learning styles and interdisciplinary lessons, --Actively engage in the development of district AIG plans and assess their merits and deficiencies for streamlining and proper focus of alignment via surveys, questionnaires, needs-assessments, self-reflections, committee work, and strategic task forces, ---Support the administration and school staff in addressing overall student academic success and their social and emotional learning (SEL) through the incorporation of AIG principles and best practices in advancing rigor, challenge, and self-empowerment, --Oversee the school's development and monitoring of its Nurturing Plan by collaborating with the administration in promoting high student potential through targeted resources and other help if an elementary-level AIG Lead Teacher, --Ensure student opportunity to enroll in high-school courses and meet all requirements of such at the middle-school level if a middle-school AIG Lead Teacher, --Work with administrators and other AIG and regular core teachers with scheduling issues to ensure homogeneous AIG classes in the served areas of reading/English/English Language Arts and math and AIG student cluster groups of ideally 6 or more AIG students in other general education classes to promote the best educational placement for AIG students, --Continue to grow professionally through professional reading, attending or presenting at AIG-related conferences or workshops or other means, and ---Comply with all local, state, and national legislation and regulations as they relate to AIG studentsor students who show academic or intellectual potential in all subgroups, especially those of the under-served student populations.9. As a result of these before-mentioned duties and responsibilities of the AIG Lead Teacher, the AIG Director offers one professional leave day per school year paid by the AIG budget to provide time for Leads to work on AIG-related matters, meet with AIG parents/guardians and students, complete and file AIG paperwork, observe other AIG colleagues, or perform other AIG tasks at the school site as needed.10. The AIG Lead Teacher ensures that parents/guardians of newly identified AIG students receive a copy of the booklet entitled "The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children: Readings and Resources" by SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) published in 2011. These booklets

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 42 of 7112/11/2019 contain true vignettes and links to supportive resources addressing the social and emotional needs ofthe gifted learner.11. The AIG Lead Teacher coordinates the completion of selected interest inventories, observations, and interviews with AIG students identified as IG (Intellectually Gifted) or AI (Academically (in readingand/or math as well as Intellectually Gifted) to develop personalized study plans that might include internships, mentorships, internships, research study, independent work, community service, job shadowing, or other options to better serve those students in their high interest areas.gh

Practice CEstablishes specific and appropriate professional development requirements for all personnel involved in AIG programs and services, including classroom teachers, special education teachers, counselors, and school administrators.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents felt always or often their schools' AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers were qualified to teach those particular courses through some type of special training, such as AIG In-House Certification, University licensure, meeting PRAXIS test results for AIG-Licensure in Gifted Education, AP Mentorships, AP Summer Institute Sessions for certification or refresher study, Honors'Portfolio Submission Training, or other related training or preparation. As an incentive for this specifictraining for AIG and AP, tuition reimbursements and/or stipend payments are awarded if funding is available (See Appendix for Tuition Reimbursement Form).2. According to the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 95% indicated always or often they had personally metthe criteria for being qualified to teach AIG students through AIG In-House Certification or state licensure through the university graduate program or PRAXIS testing results for Gifted Education. The 5% who did not indicate being qualified was actively participating in a training program at that time. As of May 2019, approximately 130 teachers have been certified via the AIG In-House Certification program around 15 have earned AIG state licensure by passing the Gifted Education PRAXIS with a score of 157 or higher. Approximately 75 teachers or administrators in BCS have state university AIG licensure.3. The 2019 AIG Parent Survey showed 98% of parents felt always or often their children's AIG teachers appeared to be qualified to teach their AIG children.4. From the 2017 and 2018 cohort groups of teachers taking the AIG In-House Certification Program, the overall evaluation of the program was 41% indicated a strong positive response of 3 while 56% of the participants gave a high excellent response of 4. 5. The roles of the AIG, AP, and Honors staff as well as other related personnel regarding the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to work with AIG learners are clearly indicated; and administrators make note of those roles and training involved in the selection of qualified staff.6. The AIG Director works with administrators and the Human Resources Director and Coordinator to ensure that all AIG and Advanced Studies teachers are trained and certified or licensed to teach specific higher-level courses. A list of those teachers licensed or certified is kept current and is distributed to all school administrators to make sure teacher selections meet guidelines for teacher mandated requirements.7. For Honors teachers, training includes participating in PD sessions on how to produce an Honors portfolio and the support documentation including assessments and rubrics required. To help those teachers, the high-school Instructional Coach is available to assist in this process of development to

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 43 of 7112/11/2019 make sure the Honors course has the rigor needed and covers all course standards appropriately. A due date is set each semester for submitting the Honors' Portfolio and an Approval Accountability Form is completed with signatures from the school principal, instructional coach, counselor specialist, AIG/Advanced Studies Director, and the Assistant Superintendent.

Practice DProvides general education services by personnel who have earned an AIG add-on license or have met the LEA requirements for that position.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director works with administrators to ensure that teachers assigned to teach AIG courses and/or Advanced Studies (Honors or AP) are qualified to do so. Licensure for AIG or gifted education is earned through the university graduate program or by earning a score of 157 or higher on the PRAXIS Gifted Education exam. There is also the In-House AIG Certification program, which covers 2-3 months with 7 modules and extension assignments and readings; the AP Summer Institute training for AP course certification; and the Honors PD, which trains those teachers on how to do a portfolio showing rigor for that class. Those licensures or certifications allow the teachers to be able to teach the AIG and/or Advanced Studies classes.2. Just having a license or certification, however, is not enough. BCS teachers also participate in ongoing PD that addresses essential topics to provide professional growth in that course area. Such PD topics are higher level questioning strategies; differentiation concentrating on content, process, and product within a safe environment; characteristics of the gifted and advanced learners; portfolio development; rubric templates; the social and emotional needs of advanced learners; AP mentoring with other AP teachers; refreshers with Honors; twice-exceptional gifted learners; inclusion of under-represented student subgroups and how to screen and refer them; curriculum compacting (skipping proven content mastered already to move on to new learning at a faster pace); data analysis understanding; and effective formative and summative assessments as well as pre-assessment strategies.3. The AIG Director works with the Staff Development Director and the EC Director to share ideas and collaborate on effective PD to meet the needs of the AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers. 4. Another way BCS provides general education services is by enlisting the expertise of the Lead AIGTeacher to hold PD sessions at the school site during PLC's or staff meetings for groups or individually with one teacher, model certain practices for fellow teachers, observe peer teachers and provide targeted feedback, and present at district-wide PD sessions or workshops. The AIG Director purchased the "Practical Strategies Series" by Prufrock Press as a PD guide. These 30+ booklets are short and provide information about particular gifted topics or skills to share with fellow teachers.5. The AIG Director also collaborates with the Staff Development Director to present gifted topics to the district during work days or at other times as determined. A needs-assessment by teachers provides the leading topics to be included in the PD sessions.6. AIG, Honors, and AP teachers are also encouraged to attend and present at workshops, webinars, and conferences that target gifted matters and provide more resources to build confidence and success for class lesson delivery.7. All teachers are encouraged to stay current with their curriculum and professional research. The AIG Director also shares such gifted research findings with administrators and AIG and Advanced Studies teachers as appropriate and discussed at AIG meetings.8. Whenever possible as an incentive, the AIG state budget (PRC 034) is used to help defray or pay for tuition reimbursement, conference, workshop, AP Summer Institutes, or PRAXIS registration costs

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 44 of 7112/11/2019 to encourage teachers to continue their professional learning to build upon their pedagogy and classroom management skills as well as their inter-personal and intra-personal skills.9. The AIG Director incorporates enrichment, extension, and grouping practices in additional PD opportunities.10. The AIG Director works with administrators and other staff in scheduling AIG and/or Advanced Studies classes by making sure homogeneously (same level)grouped students are in the AIG classes(Reading/English/English Language Arts and Math) that are served with heterogeneously (different) grouped students in other regular core classes with clusters of AIG included in those.19. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% always or often indicated they were provided with the newly revised and required AIG State Standards and understood that they were considered non-negotiable. This acknowledgment certainly adds purpose and conviction in respecting the educational rights and compliance regulations associated with the gifted learning and teaching of AIG and Advanced Studies. These same administrators also felt 100% always or often those same AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers were qualified to teach those courses through some type of special training, such as AIG In-House Certification, university licensure, meeting PRAXIS test results, AP mentorships, AP Summer Institute sessions, Honors' portfolio submissions, etc. 20. The AIG Director and the Staff Development Director consider best methods for administering PDservices. Both in-house local training, tuition support for AIG licensure, coursework at the university site for AIG licensure, and PRAXIS on-line testing for AIG licensure are the most common methods for training.21. The AIG Director presents the locally administered AIG In-House Certification PD in 7 modules of learning primarily face to face after school hours. However, future sessions may be blended into a hybrid with a combination of both face to face and online. Another training is done via book studies using the AIG lending library and collaboration brainstorming groups with other programs or departments. Follow-up or refresher sessions may also be included as needed or requested.

Practice EAligns professional development opportunities with local AIG program goals, other district initiatives, and best practices in gifted education.

District Response: 1. The AIG program goals produce a vision of nurturing, accelerating, and enriching learning by synergizing collaborative efforts to optimize performance and potential of advanced learners. Its mission is to cultivate and empower its diverse student population to be globally aware and college and career ready as productive citizens in a complex and challenging world. That vision mirrors the district vision of developing a community of well-educated, employable,and socially responsible citizens. Further, the AIG mission also aligns with the BCS district mission to produce college and career ready high-school graduates.2. The AIG Teachers participate in district surveys and needs-assessments to determine ways and topics to provide continuous training through a coordinated approach with the Staff Development Director and the AIG Director.3. The AIG Director works with the Staff Development Director to integrate AIG best practices, effective strategies, and research-based procedures within other PD initiatives across the district for the teaching and learning of K-12 gifted learners.4. The AIG Teachers and AIG Director work with administrators and AIG parents on the PAC (Parent Advisory Council) at district schools to connect the needs of gifted learners with the goals of the

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 45 of 7112/11/2019 School Improvement Plans of each district school and align PD activities and topics accordingly.5. The AIG Lead Teacher and other AIG Teachers at each district school site, particularly at elementary and middle schools, cover such AIG topics as gifted characteristics and myths and using current research and models for their school-site staffs (See Appendix for Gifted Characteristics and Gifted Myths).6. The AIG Director consults with other instructional leaders and coaches to consider effective ways to share resources when designing and delivering PD with BCS and other school districts.7. A district initiative is to promote opportunities where teachers can participate in learning activities atworkshops or conferences to become district leads and then bring that expertise back to the district toshare with colleagues. These venues support best practices and state/national standards.8. The AIG Director collaborates with instructional and administrative teams as an AIG advocate and spokesman for gifted learning. One goal is to make sure that the AIG perspective is incorporated intoany district-wide vision, mission, or strategic priority to safeguard the educational rights of gifted learners.9. The AIG Director reviews periodically the list of licensed and certified teachers in BCS to make sure it is complete and accurate for being able to serve those gifted students according to state standards and district initiatives.10. The AIG Director encourages teachers to participate in gifted training for licensure or certification for AIG or AP and distributes NC AP Partnership Scholarships when available to selected teachers recommended by their respective principals for AP Summer Institute training and/or AP Mentoring training.11. The AIG Director pursues additional funding through possible grants, local funding support, or other available means to purchase additional above-grade-level resources and support efforts to sendAIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers to additional training at workshops, state and national conferences, and other appropriate venues.12. The AIG Director awards AIG In-House Certification certificates when participants complete their required AIG Certification training. A copy of the certificates is filed in each teacher's personnel file verifying that they completed all work required to earn 3.0 CEU's (Continuing Education Units) totalingapproximately 30 hours of training.

Practice FProvides opportunities for AIG specialists and other teachers to plan, implement, and refine applications of their professional development learning.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director promotes collaboration between AIG Lead Teachers and other AIG teachers at district school sites usually during scheduled work days to discuss AIG matters and share ideas.2. The AIG Director and/or the AIG Lead Teachers encourage the opportunities at the school sites to observe, model, and coach their AIG teacher colleagues as they focus and reflect on AIG best practices and effective classroom strategies to accelerate, extend, and enrich learning.3. The AIG Director manages the AIG budget (PRC 034) and sets aside appropriate funding to pay for full-day substitutes so that new AIG teachers may have a professional day to visit another AIG setting at their own school or at another district school in order to glean ideas about class set-up, resources used, classroom delivery, focusing activities, questioning strategies, assessment types, differentiated practices, grouping particulars, etc.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 46 of 7112/11/2019 4. The AIG Director and selected AIG Lead Teachers utilize PD district-wide work days to offer AIG sessions focused on certain AIG components as a follow-up or refresher workshop.5. The AIG Teachers support district and school PLC's to promote gifted learner needs and appropriate rigorous curriculum and instruction.6. The AIG Director encourages AIG, Honors, and AP Teachers to collaborate with general educationteachers to exchange AIG suggestions for differentiation and expectations as well as to foster interdisciplinary studies with the fine arts or other subject areas on daily assignments or more developed projects.7. AIG, AP, and Honors Teachers incorporate technology tools both at the teacher level and with gifted students to show a mastery of digital literacy expectations. These technology tools are used with research and in the production of authentic student products.8. The AIG Director works with Instructional Coaches and the Instructional District Team, especially the Staff Development Director, to develop opportunities for vertical and horizontal planning at school and district meetings and workshops to encourage smooth curriculum transitions and better student preparation of prerequisite learning. 9. The AIG Director shares the AIG Lead Teacher meeting schedule with other administrative and leadership staff as well as other AIG teachers to encourage attendance at those meetings to build capacity and transparency for extending AIG learning via open public information gatherings. The AIG Director asks particular persons to participate or present at such meetings based on specific subjects or topics of interest. An agenda and minutes of all meetings are available via e-mail or hand copies.10. As a result of PD opportunities, the AIG Specialists (better known in BCS as AIG Lead Teachers) and other teachers collaborate to plan, implement, and refine those gifted applications at the school and district level and then share their findings with others for more effective teaching and learning across the curriculum spectrum.

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. Continue to provide AIG In-House Certification training and consider hybrid ways for delivery so that it is not all face to face but also includes on-line sections.2. Continue to share gifted education information with administrators and other staff through meetings, workshops, PD sessions, and presentations.3. Develop additional PD topics for follow-up or refresher studies on gifted learning.4. Continue to secure additional gifted resource books and journals to use for professional growth ideas and/or to share with teachers wishing to learn more about particular best practices or effective strategies.5. Continue to provide funding for AP Summer Institutes (scholarships from NC AP Partnership), AIG university or PRAXIS licensure, and conference or workshop participation.6. Continue to offer professional days with full-day substitute teachers in order for gifted teachers to observe or meet with other AIG, Honors, or AP teachers at their own school site or elsewhere district-wide.7. Continue to work with administrators and teachers about scheduling students into gifted classes appropriately or scheduling nurturing groups in the elementary schools more intentionally for programconsistency.8. Encourage more teachers to become AP readers or work with DPI in developing or analyzing tests,textbooks, or curriculum.

Sources of Evidence: 1. Meeting rosters, agendas, and minutes

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 47 of 7112/11/2019 2. Exemplar lesson plan focus on gifted best practices highlighting differentiation and grouping strategies.3. List of BCS AIG-licensed or AIG-certified teachers, AP-certified teachers, and Honors teachers approved via their portfolio submission4. Chart of current Lead AIG Teachers (AIG Specialists) and other AIG teachers, AP and Honors teachers, and AIG- and AP-designated High-School Counselors5. Annual schedule of AIG Lead Teacher meetings6. Verification of continuing Education Units (CEU's) and/or certificates placed in confidential personnel files from PD sessions with record history on BCS website for staff retrieval and downloading7. List of websites and supplementary resources from the AIG lending library and other locations housing pertinent information on gifted education8. List of PD sessions involving AIG, Honors, or AP coursework, etc.9. Record of professional leave for AIG teachers to observe seasoned colleagues at their respective schools or at other district schools to promote networking and collaborating10. Current chart of district AIG staff assignments11. Copies of AIG In-House Certification certificates upon participant completion of course work


Standard 5: PartnershipsThe LEA ensures on-going and meaningful participation of stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the local AIG program to develop strong partnerships.

Practice ADevelops partnerships with parents/families that are intentional and meaningful to support the following needs of AIG students: *academic and intellectual *social and emotional

District Response: 1. From the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 63% of respondents always or often felt they kept the parents of their AIG students informed of programs and resources that could assist them in better understanding and promoting giftedness in various ways while 32% of them felt they seldom did that. There was a slightly higher percentage level for the the respondents from the 2019 Parent Survey. 73% of parents felt always or often their AIG children's AIG teachers provided information and resources to them about special opportunities and/or learning needs for their AIG students while 26% of them always or often felt they did not. The survey results from both reports clearly show an area of concern--the need for more effective communication. 2. To address this communication concern, the AIG Director and the AIG Lead Teachers have brainstormed avenues of approach. Many of these are now being used more effectively. These include teacher AIG web pages on the school website. The AIG/Advanced Studies web page on the BCS website, ConnectEd voice messages, Remind, social media, e-mail exchanges, notes, newsletters online and in hard copies, conferences, and other meetings and gatherings to share information.3. From the Nurturing Program K-3, an extension of the AIG program, the lack of communication or adequate feedback is noteworthy. According to the Nurturing Program Student Surveys of 2017 and 2018, the nurturing students admitted only 42% of them ever shared anything about that program withtheir parents/guardians. This admission is surprising since the survey yielded so many positive findings, such as 94% of those students liked being in that program at their school; 84% shared that they did such fun things in that group; 80% reported that they were always learning new and interesting information while in that setting; 94% announced that they felt smart as a result of having been in those groups, and 87% felt that the Nurturing Groups helped them be better students in their other classes. As a result of this disconnect, a few procedures have been put into place. They include periodic reports about the Nurturing Programs from the AIG Lead Teachers about the various grade-level groups concerning the resources used, frequency of sessions, length of sessions, and reflections from the group facilitators. In addition, the facilitators now provide more feedback to the regular teachers of the students involved as well as allow some work and comments to go home for the parents/guardians to view. 4. The AIG Director sends information primarily via e-mail to AIG Lead Teachers who share it with other AIG Teachers at their school sites about available opportunities for AIG, AP, and Honors students. These opportunities include Duke TIP, Governor's School, Summer Enrichment Camps, Summer Ventures, Presidential Scholars, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Battle of the Books, Math Competitions, conferences, workshops, and webinars of special interests. These announcements go to the gifted students and their parents/guardians sometimes via a flyer, e-mail,

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 49 of 7112/11/2019 links to various sites, form letter, or other methods as needed.5. The AIG Teacher gives the parent/guardian of each newly identified AIG student a copy of the SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) booklet entitled "The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children Readings and Resources," 2011. This booklet addresses the social and emotional issues of gifted children through real vignettes of gifted situations and provides informative resource links and a bibliography of other resources.6. The AIG Teacher meets with gifted parents/guardians to make them aware of their AIG student's identification and the overall AIG program to serve the learner's needs. 7. The AIG Director coordinates surveys to provide meaningful feedback to assess current gifted services and plan evaluation from AIG parents/guardians as well as other stakeholders so that their input is considered and respected for the AIG plan.8. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers often meet with and/or make presentations to parents/guardians, students, and others at information or interest sessions, Open Houses at school sites, PTA/PTO meetings, Board of Education meetings, and other venues to discuss the AIG and/or Advanced Studies programs and how to address the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted students.9. The AIG Teachers invite gifted parents/guardians and others to participate on the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee. The goal is to make sure the members of this committee represent the demography of BCS by being geographically diverse with all sub-groups and school levels included. The committee meets 2-4 times a year typically to share concerns, ideas, and suggestions about the current AIG plan with the goal of making the new plan as equitable and consistent as possible district-wide while addressing all 6 State AIG Standards effectively. The committee reviews any proposals for the new plan and considers its viability to serve the gifted students by protecting their educational rights.10. The AIG Teachers find ways to showcase their gifted learners' awards, honors, and other special skills or talents as they highlight student products of various kinds at the school site.11. The AIG Teachers intentionally encourage gifted parents/guardians to volunteer in the AIG classes in some way, such as being a speaker, presenter, artist-in-residence, a chaperone of a field trip, etc. to develop that partnership in a meaningful way.12. The AIG Director reminds all school administrators their respective PAC (Parent Advisory Council) committee must include at least one AIG and/or Advanced Studies parent/guardian, who serves as an advocate for the gifted program to make sure gifted programming is equitably addressed in the overall district plan to safeguard the educational rights of all gifted learners.13. The AIG Teachers and AIG-designated High-School Counselors meet with their gifted students and parents/guardians annually or more often as needed to review the students' DEP (Differentiated Education Plan) and assess the gifted students' progress for that school year noting strengths and/or possible areas of concern using specific, measurable data.14. The AIG Teachers and AIG- and AP-designated High-School Counselors meet with the gifted students and their parents/guardians for course registration purposes to develop a 4-year plan noting a path of rigorous, challenging courses that intentionally address their academic, intellectual, social, and/or emotional needs.15. The AIG Director makes sure that all relevant forms, letters, and brochures about gifted policies and procedures are available for parents/guardians in English and Spanish or other languages as requested for more effective communication.

Practice B

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 50 of 7112/11/2019 Shares with stakeholders, including all students' parents/families, information regarding the local AIG program, the local AIG plan, and other policies relating to gifted education.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 99% of the respondents felt always or often they were generally pleased with the AIG program at their AIG child's school and 97% of them also felt always or often the administration at their AIG child's school seemed supportive of the AIG program there.2. The AIG Director disseminates AIG information to all stakeholders about its goals and policies whenever possible. Such opportunities include Open Houses or PTA/PTO meetings at the school sites, interest or information sessions at school and district sites, PD sessions with teacher participants, LLC (Learner Leadership Council) sessions, Board of Education Committee and full Board meetings, community presentations, student assemblies, etc.3. The AIG Director ensures that the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee is comprised of gifted students, gifted parents, gifted teachers, regular teachers, school administrators, school counselors, other district administrators, and interested community representatives. The goal is to form a committee that reflects the ethnicities, demographics, school levels, and geographical areas of Brunswick County for a representative and diverse group. This committee typically meets 2-4 times ayear to review the current AIG plan, share ideas, raise concerns and questions, suggest revisions or changes, and advocate for the AIG program services reflecting gifted policies and educational rights. The proposed AIG plan is reviewed by this representative group of stakeholders to ensure equity and consistency district-wide.4. The AIG Director then presents the AIG plan to the Curriculum Committee of the Board of Education and highlights any revisions and/or service options for that committee's review. If approved, the proposed plan is then presented and voted on by the full Brunswick County Board of Education.5. The AIG Director distributes AIG brochures in English and Spanish or other languages as requested to provide important information about AIG and Advanced Studies--its identification process, various service options, general policies and procedures, and other related gifted matters in an abridged, reader-friendly format (See Appendix for AIG Brochure in English and Spanish).6. The AIG Director makes sure that all relevant forms and letters about the AIG program are available in both English and Spanish and other languages as requested to all interested stakeholders.7. The AIG Director works with certain BCS personnel to make sure the approved AIG plan is available on the BCS website for public viewing and information gathering by all interested stakeholders.8. The AIG Director will provide a generic visual PowerPoint presentation about the approved AIG plan to all interested. Typically, AIG Lead Teachers use this informational tool at various school meetings and settings.9. The AIG Director collaborates with the BCS Public Information Officer to report information, write articles, and make presentations or awards recognizing gifted students for local news outlets or media outlets, Board meetings, and website viewing to improve community relations through better perception and transparency.10. The AIG Director is available for interviews by phone or in person as requested about the BCS approved AIG plan in order to promote a more positive understanding of it serving as its gifted advocate.11. The AIG Director will propose a district AIG parent/community group to continue advocating for gifted education in BCS.12. The AIG plan also includes introductory pages of general gifted information before the basic

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 51 of 7112/11/2019 approved plan as well as an appendix showing current forms, etc. as well as a glossary of common gifted terms and acronyms for a clearer understanding of gifted vocabulary. Copies of these approvedplans go to school administrators, Central Services administrators, Lead AIG Teachers, and AIG-designated High-School Counselors. In addition, a complete copy of the approved AIG plan will be housed in the lobby of the Board of Education for public viewing as well as a copy of the basic plan on the BCS website for interested stakeholders to review.13. The AIG staff uses the term FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) in the Subject line when communicating via e-mail or other forms of delivery as needed with parents/guardians about individual gifted student concerns to ensure confidentiality and student privacy rights.14. The AIG Director attends AIG Regional Meetings and collaborates with AIG counterparts in sister counties to share ideas about AIG programming, identification, under-served populations, nurturing, AP matters (course minimum enrollments to "make" and other issues), parent advocacy groups, etc. Often the coordinators and directors share forms and templates as they network with one another.15. The AIG Director collaborates with other programs and departments within BCS to share programideas, policy issues, statistics and other data findings, as well as other plan components for better understanding to streamline processes for reports and possible grant writing. These programs and departments include but are not limited to Title I, the Migrant and ESL program, technology, CTE, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), and EC. As a result, internal partnerships result.

Practice CEstablishes and utilizes an advisory group to develop, implement, and monitor the local AIG program and plan. This advisory group is representative of the diverse populations of the district and is at leastcomprised of community members, AIG parents and families, AIG teachers, and other instructional and support staff.

District Response: 1. In order to reflect the diversity of AIG and Advanced Studies parents/guardians and families, the gifted students, the AIG or Advanced Studies teachers, other school personnel (administrators, counselors, etc.), and the community in general, the AIG Director establishes and utilizes an AIG Strategic Task Force Committee from across all grade spans. This is done intentionally to ask for interested stakeholders representing various geographical areas of BCS as well as its various diverse ethnicities to meet as needed to review and make recommendations for the BCS AIG Plan (2019-2022) inclusively. After the plan has been approved, then the goal will be to encourage the members to meet periodically to address ongoing AIG issues and support AIG presentations to the general public. Previous partnerships of representative stakeholders have been in place via such a committee structure in the past. In essence this volunteer AIG Strategic Task Force Committee will serve 2 important roles--short-term to help review the development, implementation, and monitoring of the local AIG and Advanced Studies programs and plan as well as long-term to serve as a representative body to address AIG matters, promote information sessions with presenters about AIG issues, and serve in a supportive role as advocates for the AIG program. 2. In lieu of a specific AIG Advisory Group per the BCS Central Administration, the structure is to have at least one AIG and/or Advanced Studies parent/guardian as a representative of those gifted programs appointed to each district school's PAC (Parent Advisory Council) team. Those AIG councilrepresentatives address AIG matters as they review the overall school programs and policies for safe and effective learning environments respecting the educational rights of all students.3. These Task Force and PAC parent/guardian volunteers are also invited to attend and participate in AIG Lead Teacher Meetings, Curriculum Committee and General Board of Education meetings, and

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 52 of 7112/11/2019 AIG conferences when appropriate.4. The AIG Director will consider the feasibility of collaborating with teacher-sponsors to work with their older student groups in their clubs or organization, such as National Honor Society, Beta Club, Key Club, Student Government, and other groups to provide necessary childcare for the children of the committee volunteer stakeholders to encourage more participation at meetings and other events. This practice will be a positive way to demonstrate community service actions.

Practice DInforms parents/families and the community of opportunities available to AIG students on an ongoing basis and in their native language.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 95%of the respondents always or often felt their school's AIG and/or Advanced Studies parents/guardians had been provided specific information about the multiple criteria necessary for identifying AIG students or certain class placements.2. Also from the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents always or often indicated they supported the AIG and/or Advanced Studies program andpromoted its special student opportunities for enrichment and extension, such as Governor's School, Duke TIP, Presidential Scholars, as well as other leadership, academic, and creative experiences.3. According to the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 63% of respondents always or often felt they kept theirparents/guardians of their AIG students informed of programs and resources that could assist them inbetter understanding and promoting giftedness in various ways.4. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 73% of respondents shared they always or often felt that their children's AIG teachers provided information and resources to them about special opportunities and/or learning needs for their AIG students.5. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers and other AIG teachers share information with their gifted students and families about partnerships with civic and local agencies, including the CTE department and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) opportunities. These include mentorships, community outreach/service learning activities, internships, and/or job shadowing. 6. High-school counselors work with the AIG Director to share specific information about various types of scholarships, college touring and selection processes, financial aid workshops, and other college-related topics with high-school gifted students. High-school counselors also work with the AIG Director to encourage gifted student participation in school-level and district oratory competitions resulting in awards and scholarships.7. The AIG Director works with the BCS Public Information Officer to communicate via the BCS website, the AIG webpage, the district schools' AIG webpages, resource links, e-mails, brochures, flyers, other news outlets, and automated phone calls (Connect Ed) to inform parents of upcoming opportunities for gifted students.8. The AIG Director also works with the BCS Public Information Officer to share and highlight about gifted students who win special awards, honors, or opportunities. Examples include finalists for Governor's School and 7th-grade gifted students who score high on SAT or ACT national exams thus allowing them to participate in summer studies programs at selected universities. 9. The AIG Director works with the Migrant and ESL Coordinator to have all pertinent parent/guardiannewsletters, information letters, and relevant forms translated into Spanish and other languages when

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 53 of 7112/11/2019 requested and also make sure interpreters are available at meetings where parents/guardians may be informed about AIG opportunities.10. The AIG Director makes sure that diversity of ethnicities is apparent and intentional on the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee and the school's PAC (Parent Advisory Council) to promote inclusionand respect for all student populations.11. The AIG Director works with the Brunswick Arts Council and Brunswick Community College with its annual Brunswick County Intercultural Festival to promote participation from different cultures and countries of not only the community at large but also those representing families of gifted students participating.12. The AIG Director requests that AIG Teachers share specific information about gifted opportunitiesat the annual DEP conferences and continue to send home gifted information via notes or e-mails (See Appendix for Contact Form and DEP Guidelines Form).

Practice EPartners with community stakeholders, such as institutions of higher education, local business and industry partners, and others to enhance and gain support for AIG programs and services.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director networks with IHE (Institutions of Higher Education) at the community college as well as other college or university levels to search for gifted education workshops, courses, or other activities for gifted teachers and students to provide enrichment, extension, and acceleration opportunities. Examples of this search is Duke TIP Summer Studies, UNCW Seahawk Youth Programs, BCC Intercultural Festivals, and Governor's School programs at Salem College and High Point University. 2. For high-school students, dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment of high-school and college courses is encouraged in the school system as another pathway to extend and accelerate learning forcollege credit.3. AP teachers prepare their AP students to take AP exams for possible college credit if the AP student earns a Level 3, 4, or 5 on AP exams sponsored by College Board.4. The NC AP Partnership provides limited scholarships for high-school teachers to take AP Summer Institute courses in order to get certified to teach AP courses at their respective high schools. AP Mentoring with AP teachers primarily teaching the same AP course across the state promotes collaboration as more seasoned mentors assist and share best practices for effective AP course lesson delivery with other AP teachers and especially those less experienced. As a result of these programs, the gifted students benefit greatly from the educational expertise gained by their AP teachers.5. The AIG Director works with other groups, such as CTE, to partner with local business and industryvolunteers or mentors to support gifted learners at all levels by tutoring, providing internships or mentorships or job shadowing, becoming speakers or presenters, encouraging field trips to various sites of interest, or simply sharing pertinent information.6. The AIG staff shares resources from the IHE about workshops, conferences, classes, webinars, or other venues with other AIG or Advanced Studies teachers, gifted parents/guardians, and/or gifted students when appropriate to support and enhance gifted programs and services.7. At the elementary level, the school AIG Lead Teacher works with the school administration and other teachers to locate facilitators to work with students with gifted potential in the Nurturing ProgramK-3, an extension of AIG. Retired educators and IHE staff are two sources for locating leaders for this important role.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 54 of 7112/11/2019 8. The AIG Director works with neighboring AIG Directors and Coordinators to share events, such as gifted workshops or PD, led by IHE professors or experts from the business or industry sector with gifted teachers.9. The AIG Director invites IHE and business and industry representatives to serve as judges at various district academic or artistic programs, such as the annual oratory scholarship competition or the one-act play festival.10. The AIG-and AP-designated High-School Counselors, as well as the AIG and Advanced Studies Teachers, aid gifted students in a better understanding of multiple, diverse career paths available to them through research, literature, speakers, and group forums. The CTE staff is also consulted in thiscareer exploration.11. The AIG Director maintains a database of community leaders, professionals, university professors, entrepreneurs, cultural artists, and parent volunteers to promote opportunities to mentor, serve internships, conduct enrichment activities, and troubleshoot ideas for gifted students.12. The AIG Director and other AIG and Advanced Studies Teachers offer information sessions on the importance of being a gifted education advocate (See Appendix for Ten Things to Know about Gifted).13. The AIG Director keeps abreast of and researches currently established local, regional, state, andnational organizations and advocacy groups about the gifted to share with gifted teachers, students, and their parents/guardians as appropriate.14. The AIG Director collaborates with the Director of Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College (BCC) and different groups at UNCW as well as in the community (mainly artistic organizations or civic groups) to discover upcoming events that may enhance the gifted program.

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. Encourage continued participation of teachers, students, parents/guardians, administrators, counselors, support personnel, and other interested community representatives on committees or other settings where their expertise and feedback is helpful to the overall AIG plan effectiveness.2. Continue to netwok with IHE, especially BCC, UNCW, Duke University, William & Mary, and ECU to work with gifted education departments to expand research, examine and implement teaching gifted resources, and provide PD opportunities.3. Continue to participate as often as funding permits in conferences, seminars, webinars, workshops,and region and state meetings dealing with gifted education and effective best practices. 4. Continue to work with and receive newsletters and other gifted literature and relevant articles from such organizations and professional groups as SENG, NCAGT, DPI and its consultants and directors,businesses, industries, arts groups (BAC or Brunswick Arts Council and NC Arts Council), and other specific companies offering assessments, instructional materials, or technological or artistic support.5. Expand opportunities for gifted parents/guardians to serve on PAC committees or other groups, such as the Gifted Advisory Groups in other LEA's related specifically to gifted education.6. Increase feedback and needs assessment reflections on gifted education via surveys, both online and paper copies.7. Make sure sessions and meetings as well as important parent/guardian forms and letters are available in translations of other languages, particularly Spanish, to be more sensitive and inclusive with the BCS diverse family populations.

Sources of Evidence: 1. Database of interested stakeholders to aid and serve gifted learners in various capacities

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 55 of 7112/11/2019 2. Rosters of those attending AIG conferences statewide and other workshops and seminars with notes and agendas3. Samples of information gathered through research of advocacy groups that is available to those interested via e-mail and other communication methods4. Copies of surveys, needs assessments, and self-reflections with data results to share with various groups5. Rosters, agendas, and minutes of AIG meetings6. Generic Power Point presentation about AIG identification, myths, data results from headcounts, etc.7. AIG plan and policies including FAQ on AIG webpage on BCS website8. Printed copies of the approved BCS AIG Plan including its introductory sections of general information, such as the Executive Summary, AIG definition, Approval Accountability From by BCS Board of Education and supplementary ending information housed under the Appendix and Glossary9. AIG Brochures printed in English and Spanish10. Copies of such booklets or handbooks, as "The Joy and the Challenge: Parenting Gifted Children Readings & Resources" by SENG11. Copies of relevant gifted education forms and letters to parents/guardians translated in English and Spanish


Standard 6: Program AccountabilityThe LEA implements, monitors, and evaluates the local AIG program and plan to ensure that all programs and services are effective in meeting the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.

Practice ADevelops a written AIG plan to describe the local AIG program, in accordance with state legislation and SBE policy (N.C.G.S. 115C-150.5-.8 {Article 9B}), which has been approved by the local board ofeducation and sent to SBE/DPI for review and comment.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director completes and submits an AIG Plan after gathering stakeholder input based on state legislation (Article 9B), guidelines, and 6 revised Program Standards(See Appendix for Article 9B and NC AIG Program Standards).2. The AIG Director leads and meets with the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee, AIG Lead Teacher Cadre, district administrators, and others to revise the local AIG Plan to span the next 3-yearcycle (2019-2022).3. The AIG Director presents the proposed AIG Plan to the BCS Curriculum Board of Education Committee for consideration and consent for the full BCS Board of Education agenda.4. The AIG Director presents the new AIG Plan that will be in effect starting with the 2019-2020 School Year and will remain in effect through the 2021-2022 school year to the entire BCS Board of Education for their official approval.5. The AIG Director submits and sends the locally approved AIG Plan 2019-2022 to DPI and the State Board of Education for its review and comments to support the approval process for implementation.6. In order to be able to accomplish #1-5 above, the AIG Director develops a time line for accomplishing each step toward the final proposed and then approved BCS AIG Plan.7. The AIG Director attends regional meetings, workshops, and conferences as well as participates inimportant webinars about each Standard with its Practices concerning the development of the new AIG Plan.8. The AIG Director collaborates with AIG Lead Teachers and others to create a strategy to develop the new AIG Plan with intentional priorities set forth for each AIG Lead Teachers' meeting session in order to create synergy for the plan and buy-in with reviewing and revising the previous AIG Plan.9. The AIG Director assigns Standards and specific Practices to various AIG Lead Teachers to reviewcritically and then share with other colleagues in order to develop consensus or full agreement with clear examples provided.10. The AIG Director shares research, ideas, and data gleaned from other gifted programs and supplementary sources within NC and other states for ideas to consider and possibly incorporate into the new AIG Plan.11. The AIG Director collaborates with other LEA's and their AIG Leaders to seek possible new ideas to strengthen the areas of need in the new AIG Plan.12. The AIG Director sends progress reports and monitors the plan procedures and time line to ensure a continuum for the development and implementation of the AIG Plan and subsequent program.13. The AIG Director enlists assistance from AIG colleagues, especially AIG Lead Teachers representing each district elementary and middle school and AIG-designated Counselors

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 57 of 7112/11/2019 representing each district high school, to conduct ongoing monitoring of the AIG Plan as a "living document" realizing that changes in the plan and policies can be reviewed and revised as needed by the AIG Director and AIG Staff with appropriate Board approval. However, other related AIG forms, letters, and general information documents can be revised as needed by the AIG Director and staff when needed without Board approval since those items do not affect in any way the new AIG Plan and Program policies.14. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers along with others on the Strategic Task Force, etc. collect and analyze local self-assessment and needs-assessment data and all stakeholder survey results from 2017 and particularly those from 2018-2019 as an important process in the proper development of a representative, inclusive AIG Plan.15. The AIG Director shares the BOE Approval Certification and System Commitment Forms (See Appendix for Board Forms and Revision Plan Consent Form).16. The AIG Director retains all meeting rosters, agendas, and minutes focusing on the AIG Plan.17. The AIG Director retains the document of Submission to the State Board of Education or SBE andDPI (Department of Public Instruction).18. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents indicated they always or often had been provided with the newly revised and required AIG State Standards and understood that they were considered non-negotiable.19. The AIG Director meets with the AIG Strategic Task Force 2-4 times annually concerning the newAIG Plan to elicit their feedback and thoughts for approval. This Task Force is intentionally representative of the demographics and ethnicities of BCS and has stakeholders representing each grade level, gender, and gifted program in BCS.

Practice BMonitors the implementation of the local AIG program and plan in accordance with current legislation and state policies to ensure fidelity of implementation for all AIG program components.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers monitor the AIG services at district schools to ensure consistency and compliance of the approved AIG Plan policies and practices, especially in regard to diverse student populations, under-served student groups, unique school needs and dynamics with scheduling and student placement, as well as the licensure/certification of AIG teachers and other staff serving AIG students and facilitating the Nurturing Program (K-3) as a program extension.2. The AIG Director shares information about implementing AIG services in equitable ways using research-based strategies and best practices, especially in regard to grouping, differentiation, and general student placement and course offerings to address the AIG student's educational rights and encourages all AIG staff to do the same and communicate concerns or highlights.3. The AIG Director reviews and shares current legislation and state policies of the gifted to ensure fidelity of implementation for all AIG program components.4. The AIG Director shares with the local BCS BOE, Central Services administrators, and school administrators the AIG Plan and Policies annually or as often as needed or requested to ensure better understanding, support, and compliance.5. The AIG Director sets a meeting schedule at the beginning of each school year, usually 5-8 meetings, with AIG Lead Teachers to review AIG practices, monitor due dates, collect required data, and share new information to ensure fidelity to the BCS AIG Plan and its implementation for accountability compliance.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 58 of 7112/11/2019 6. The AIG Director visits district AIG, AP, Honors, and Nurturing Group classes announced and unannounced to gather first-hand information and share observation feedback with those teachers when possible.7. The AIG Director makes the AIG Plan available to the LLC (Learning Leadership Council) comprised of school administrators, coordinators, directors, and others to emphasize the AIG Board-approved class make-up procedures when scheduling, including homogeneous class placement in served areas of reading/English/ELA and math, cluster grouping, pullouts, nurturing sessions, consultative services, and exiting procedures.8. The AIG Director and the AIG Lead Teachers for district schools present AIG information at staff meetings, PLC's, or other gatherings of particular school personnel. These may include the portfolio process, gifted identification and characteristics, gifted myths, twice-exceptional issues, and the screening and referral of under-served student groups.9. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teacher meet with school administrators to review the Principal's Recommendation Waiver Form so that it clearly states how a student can be classified as a Talent Pool student and be placed in the AIG class as well as the differentiated academic expectations that ensure his/her remaining in that AIG class. Note that extraordinary skill areas of interest, recommendations, collection of authentic student work samples, student projects, and adequate averages and percentiles on the report card and standardized testing are all considered for placement (See Appendix for Principal's Waiver Recommendation Form).10. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers review the Alternative Placement Form and criteria for placing under-served students into the AIG class as Talent Pool based on one or more of the listed conditions referring to residing in a depressed economic area, being in the top 10% of the minority subgroup at that district school, transience at the elementary-school level especially, limited developmental or cultural experiences, irregular attendance, home responsibilities/necessary student employment interfering with learning activities, low family income (free and reduced lunch), and documented language barriers.If one or more of those conditions occur, then significant review is required to monitor entry of those students, especially those with acceptable class averages or grade potential, authentic student products or work samples, and teacher recommendations. When placed in the AIG class, those students are considered Talent Pool and differentiation strategies are put into place to "level the playing field" without adversely lowering AIG expectations (See Appendix for Alternative Placement Form).11. The AIG Director ensures that levels of monitoring are established through internal audits, conferences, meetings, and other means including the AIG staff and administration when needed.12. The AIG Director gathers various stakeholders' input annually or as needed through surveys, interviews, and self-assessments so that data is assessed appropriately.13. The AIG Director makes available copies of all gifted legislation and policies regarding gifted education practices in AIG brochures, handouts, e-mail messages, and other means (See Appendix for Article 9B, Legal Background Information, and Accountability, Assessment, and Learning Growth for Gifted Students).14. The AIG Director collaborates with the IAS (Instructional Accountability Services) Coordinators/Directors Team for Curriculum to promote AIG awareness and share AIG program information.15. The AIG Director encourages AIG peer visits, especially of new AIG teachers, with more seasoned AIG teachers at the same or different school sites to observe gifted class procedures and practices and reflect on gifted resources and differentiated lesson plans and deliveries to gather new information to aid in implementing gifted learning. The AIG state budget provides a professional substitute day for this visitation opportunity pending funding availability.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 59 of 7112/11/2019 16. At AIG Lead Teacher meetings, teachers address areas needing gifted program future development to find viable solutions to encourage compliance.17. The AIG Director relies on AIG Lead Teachers to work with school administrators and other AIG staff to report areas of concern or areas deserving recognition so that BCS promotes consistency andfidelity of the AIG program's vision and service delivery across schools for compliance.18. The AIG Director oversees the Early-Entry Kindergarten Program according to the guidelines set forth by the NC Legislature in sharing the requirements for entry including all components needed, such as testing to be paid for by the parents/guardians of the student under consideration. A district committee reviews all packets for this program to confirm if minimum requirements have been met. Ifso, the information is sent to the school administrator in whose district the student lives for interviews and to set in place a probationary period of 90 days as a precursor of the child's official placement in that program.19. The AIG Director builds capacity and leadership in the AIG and Advanced Studies Teachers as they serve as conduits at their respective schools to the district leadership.20. The AIG Director cooperates with the Region AIG Committees and DPI State Consultants and Advanced Studies State Director at DPI to share information, assess effective progress, and utilize feedback from key stakeholders.21. The AIG Director systematically reports program progress and fidelity of program components to the AIG staff, Instructional Teams, Central Services administrators, school administrators, and the Strategic Task Force annually or as needed.

Practice CDevelops and monitors a budget using allotted state funds, and local funds if applicable, to address the needs of the local AIG plan in accordance with state policy.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director allocates state AIG funding (PRC 034) according to the goals of the AIG Plan so that all expenditures are aligned to those line items, such as AIG-licensed teachers' salaries and aligned benefits constituting over 98% of the budget. The other monies available are used to pay for substitute teachers for peer AIG visits to collect information from others and to provide professional leave for AIG Lead Teachers to address AIG matters, such as checking AIG folders for compliance and completion and meeting with parents/guardians and students to discuss DEP's. There is a workshop line item to pay for those attending AIG conferences, AP Summer Institutes, and other meetings. Another line item addresses tuition reimbursement for those teachers earning state licensure through the university pathway or PRAXIS scores. Another line item pays for some intentional AIG resources, materials, or instructional supplies to encourage a rigorous curriculum that enriches and extends learning. Still another line item allows for a stipend for the AIG Lead Teachers who serve as the head of those AIG Departments at their respective schools. They have designated duties as Leads to ensure compliance with AIG policies. These are just a few important ways how allocated state funds are used to address the local BCS AIG Plan in accordance with state policy and procedures.2. The AIG positions are based on school needs resulting from the April Headcounts showing AIG-identified students. The state AIG budget pays for 10.5 AIG teacher positions with their related benefits including social security, retirement, and hospitalization expenses. However, there are manymore than 10.5 AIG positions in BCS district schools. Nearly all of those AIG teachers do not teach just AIG classes. Instead, they teach other regular levels or other classes in addition to AIG classes

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 60 of 7112/11/2019 and thus may be split-funded using local funding or have other funding sources.3. The AIG Director is the Budget Manager of the AIG funding and presents requests annually in the budget process for how to spend or allocate AIG state funds based on the guidelines established. The BCS AIG Plan with its program goals/standards, student and stakeholder needs, resource needs,projected assessment needs, teacher professional growth processes, and plan implementation is aligned to those dedicated state funds.4. In the spring of 2019, a decision was made to order new assessment materials since the test versions being used for CogAT and ITBS testing were outdated. The BCS Board of Education allocated $12,000.00 from other funding sources to purchase these new national testing assessments. The vendor representatives and the AIG Director will begin sharing information about the new testing materials and training on how to administer them according to set protocols starting with the 2019-2020 School Year.5. The AIG Director works diligently with the AIG and Advanced Studies Administrative Assistant to monitor all expenditures as often as needed to ensure that all funds are utilized for intended, aligned, and approved uses per the state budget requirements.6. The AIG Director prioritizes budget uses based on program needs, teacher requests, and comparative costs to develop value-added choices for gifted needs.7. The AIG Director with the Administrative Assistant makes clear connections between each goal and practice of the AIG plan and program with the corresponding budget line item as a budget check.8. The AIG Director reviews funding with the BCS Chief Finance Officer and Assistant Superintendentto discuss any concerns or alignment of the plan with budgeted resources.9. Whenever possible, the AIG Director asks AIG, Honors, Nurturing, and AP teachers to submit lists of resource requests and needs in priority order by the school with appropriate reasons for each resource listed to determine which ones may be purchased with available funding to benefit the most AIG, Honors, Nurturing, and AP students.10. The AIG Director and other AIG staff investigate other funding sources via grants, scholarships, and business partnerships to help meet the needs of gifted learners and the AIG and Advanced Studies programs.11. The AIG Director shares the approved AIG budget and its reports with appropriate stakeholders and especially the AIG Lead Teachers periodically throughout the school year or when requested to do so to ensure transparency and a clear understanding of the allocation process for the AIG state funding.12. The AIG Director, AIG Lead Teachers, and Instructional Coaches share curricular needs, such as advanced resources and materials of the AIG program, with school and Central Services administrators to garner support for those specific needs possibly through other funding sources.13. The AIG Director shares targeted AIG In-House Certification class needs, such as ordering the primary teacher resource book entitled "Teacher's Survival Guide; Gifted Education" by Roberta and Boggers, 2011 along with the visual presentation and aligned work activities from "An Introduction to Gifted Education" by Neumeister and Burney, 2011 with Finance and other departments to assist or supplement resource funding needs.

Practice DMaintains, analyzes, and shares student achievement, student growth, and annual drop-out data for AIG students.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director and AIG and Advanced Studies teachers disaggregate data

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 61 of 7112/11/2019 on gifted achievement and growth for review. The AP exam levels are recorded on a spreadsheet covering years 2007 through 2018 at the district level and school level to compare performance outputs to guide review and sharing of expertise from those schools who had a high percentage of Levels 3-5 on AP exams with those who may not have had that level of success (See Appendix for AP Exam Chart).2. The AIG Director asks for gifted drop-out and OSS (Out-of-School Suspension) data to review (See Appendix for Semester Documentation for OSS and Drop-outs' Form).3. The AIG staff works together with other representative groups to develop a plan of action to address "red flags" of gifted potential drop-outs, especially at the middle and high school levels, while also noting behavior concerns at district elementary schools. Causes and solutions for these negativeactions are reviewed and further researched.4. The AIG and Advanced Studies staff and counselors work together to implement school plans of support using SEL strategies to curtail and hopefully eliminate gifted drop-outs and OSS.5. The AIG staff and school administration use EVASS (Education Value-Added Assessment System)or a comparable data collection source as a data tool for analyzing AIG student performance growth as compared to the growth of the general student population.6. The AIG staff and school administration analyze data trends and consider how this information can inform instruction and service delivery by taking into consideration the holistic needs of gifted children.7. The AIG staff gathers, analyzes, and shares AIG student growth and achievement data including EOG, EOC, AP, SAT, ACT, and PSAT results and other quantitative testing data as well as additionalqualitative data collections.8. The AIG Director and AIG staff scrutinize under-represented gifted populations and particularly disproportional issues and concerns associated with student growth and performance as well as with drop-outs and OSS.9. The AIG staff along with certain other school staff follow up when possible with AIG drop-outs (via interviews or phone conversations) to gather specific information concerning reasons why these students decided to leave their schools and then use this information to implement strategies to address that action. Further, this staff works with the school administration and counseling department to develop specific personalized plans of action for the AIG drop-out to re-enter school to regain active student status whenever possible.10. The AIG staff and school administration maintain other indicators of student growth and performance that correlate to success for AIG and Advanced Studies students, such as the number ofinternships or mentorships, college acceptance information, scholarship information, successful AP class completion rates, credit for AP exams by earning a Level 3, 4, or 5 on each AP exam taken, in addition to qualitative data on social and emotional gifted needs.11. The AIG Director along with the PD Director sponsor PD training on understanding student achievement and growth data so that appropriate programming can be developed to address negative trends or weak areas.

Practice EMonitors the representation, performance, and retention of under-represented populations in the localAIG program, including students who are culturally/ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, highly gifted, and twice-exceptional.

District Response: 1. From the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 90%

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 62 of 7112/11/2019 of the respondents shared they always or often felt their AIG or Advanced Studies teachers were made aware of PD designed to address the unique needs of gifted students and 100% felt always or often that their schools' AIG and/or Advanced Studies programs served identified students adequately.2. The 2019 AIG Teacher Survey yielded that 84% felt always or often their AIG lesson plans included extended and enriched learning opportunities that connected to students' interests, abilities, and learning preferences or styles. 3. According to the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 98% felt always or often the AIG programs at their AIG child's school respected and built on their child's unique and special needs, skills, or talents.4. From the 2019 AIG Student Survey, 95% felt always or often their AIG teachers recognized their special and unique needs and skills.5. The AIG Director collects and analyzes the data inputted each school year in November and April with AIG Headcounts "pulled" by DPI. The results allow the AIG Director to chart the numbers and percentages of the White and Non-White general student population with that of the AIG-identified populations in the 19 district schools. From the last review in April 2019, there were 64% White students in the general student population in grades 4-13 while in the AIG-identified population in those same grades there were 82% White. In contrast, in the general population, there were 36% Non-White in the general student population compared to only 18% Non-White in the AIG-identified population. The top under-represented groups were Black, Hispanic, Multi, and Asian. This comparison shows a gap of 18% between the 2 groups. Fortunately, there has been some improvement, especially with the Hispanic subgroup, to yield nearly 9% growth overall in under-represented student groups in AIG. This collection of subgroup data allows for a systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing data as an examination of identification procedures occur to address disproportionality issues.6. The AIG Director monitors the identification of under-represented student populations by incorporating reliable traditional and non-traditional ways for supporting identification, such as assessing with non-verbal standardized tests to address documented language barriers.7. The AIG Director maintains accurate records of testing results and retentions, including the under-represented students, for data collection and documentation evidence.8. The AIG Director asks the AIG Lead Teachers from each of the 10 district elementary schools to produce reports of student participation in the school's Nurturing Program showing under-representedK-3 student groups for review.9. The AIG Director collaborates with the EC Director and the ESL/Migrant Coordinator to develop proactive plans to recognize under-represented students for screening and AIG test referrals. The AIG Director also works with others to discover "red flags" that could result in the loss of AIG under-represented students either through exiting when requested by parents/guardians or through other reasons (See Appendix for Semester Documentation Chart for OSS and Drop-outs and Exit Conference Form).10. The AIG Director consults with other AIG Teachers and especially AIG Lead Teachers to brainstorm other support methods, including assigning mentors, to the under-represented students when appropriate.11. The AIG Director develops a spreadsheet or chart showing the representation and retention of under-represented student population groups in the local AIG plan so that individual student plans can be considered for implementation.

Practice F

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 63 of 7112/11/2019 Maintains current data regarding the credentials of personnel serving AIG students.

District Response: 1. According to the 2019 BCS Administrator Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% of the respondents felt always or often their school's AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers were qualified to teach those particular courses through some type of special training, such as the AIG In-House Certification program, university licensure, meeting PRAXIS Gifted Education test requirements, AP mentorships, AP Summer Institute Sessions, Honors' portfolio submissions, etc. 2. According to the 2019 AIG Teacher Survey, 95% responded always or often they have personally met the criteria for being qualified to teach AIG students through AIG In-House Certification or state licensure through the university graduate program or PRAXIS Gifted Education testing results.3. From the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 98% felt always or often the students' AIG teachers appeared to be qualified to teach their AIG children.4. The AIG Director works directly with the Human Resources Coordinator and school administrators for Teacher Licensure in ensuring that qualified personnel serve identified AIG students in the AIG program as well as in the AP program by reviewing personnel credentials.5. When there appears to be an issue with proper gifted credentials, the AIG Director works with the school administrator and teacher in question to determine the best and most speedy pathway to earn that certification and/or licensure.6. As an incentive, the AIG Director offers tuition reimbursement from the state AIG budget, pending funding availability, for teachers to earn their university AIG licensure based on completing either 4 sequential graduate gifted courses from an accredited university or reimbursing PRAXIS registration costs when the teacher meets or surpasses the cutoff grade of 157 on the Gifted Education exam (See Appendix for Tuition Reimbursement Form or Check Request).7. The AIG Director offers scholarship slots when made available from the NC AP Partnership to high school teachers and sometimes middle-school AIG teachers for AP Summer Institutes of study at NC accredited universities. Certificates are issued for AP teachers who complete their institutes or mentorships. In addition to the scholarships offering tuition and daily stipends for the teachers selected, the AIG budget pays for lodging, meals, and possibly certain travel expenses8. The AIG Director and AIG Teachers participate in AIG conferences, workshops, institutes, etc. that yield certificates for which CEU's (Continuing Education Units) based on hours of study are awarded to participants. These CEU's are collected over a period of 5 years for licensure renewal purposes based on state requirements for CEU categories needed. In addition to conferences, workshops, institutes, etc. that offer CEU's for licensure, the AIG In-House Certification program consisting of 7 modules of study with extension assignments also yields participants up to 30 hours or 3.0 CEU's for licensure needs. This certification also allows those earning the 3.0 CEU's to be able to teach AIG courses in their NC licensed areas.9. The AIG Director works with the Human Resources Coordinator to maintain a current listing of credential data for AIG licensure and certification. The AIG Director provides that Coordinator with copies of certificates earned by teachers who meet all the requirements for the locally endorsed certification to teach AIG via the AIG In-House Certification program.10. The AIG Director maintains a current listing of AP-certified personnel from AP Summer Institutes sponsored by College Board as well as school roster of Honors teachers who have had their Honors' portfolios approved at all required levels. 11. The AIG Director maintains a list of personnel actively seeking state AIG licensure, AP certification, or AIG certification to monitor progress towards achieving those goals.


Practice GElicits regular feedback from students, parents/families, teachers, and other stakeholders regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the local AIG program.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director asks The AIG Lead Teachers for recommendations for the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee to ensure the group has volunteer stakeholders representing the various geographical areas, grade levels, and diverse ethnicities of the student population in BCS with targeted short-range and long-range goals. The students, parents/guardians/families, teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches, and other community stakeholders represented in that Task Force provide feedback and share ideas about the implementation and effectiveness of the local BCSAIG program via meetings, e-mail, and other means as a short-range goal. A long-range goal includes being advocates for gifted education to address AIG or Advanced Studies issues and serving as a monitoring group as the AIG plan is reviewed periodically through surveys, questionnaires, self-assessments, and other means.2. The AIG Director communicates with the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee via e-mail, phone calls, letters or notes, and other means to announce meetings, send pertinent information to review, provide agendas, as well as share meeting minutes.3. The AIG Director institutes multiple ways of gathering input, including surveys, interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, and panels or forums, as needed from a variety of modes, including online and face-to-face opportunities.4. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers review previous surveys and create new surveys for multiple stakeholder groups that parallel the self-assessment tool used in the AIG plan development process and mirrors major goals of AIG standard practices to gain important feedback for reflection and analysis.5. The AIG Director works with district leadership in various settings and groups, such as LLC (Learning Leadership Council) meetings, PLC's (Professional Learning Communities) sessions, and others to use district collaborative team structures for ongoing reflection.6. The AIG Director assigns various Lead AIG Teachers certain tasks based on particular AIG program Standards and subsequent Practices to observe and reflect on AIG programming at selectedschools for random checkpoints as part of possible internal audits to ensure consistency and fidelity of the program with its vision for equitable delivery.7. The AIG Director encourages forums for AIG, Honors, and AP students so that they have an audience for expressing their own concerns or suggestions about their AIG, Honors, or AP coursework and the district AIG plan itself.8. The AIG Director will work with AIG and AP teachers as well as district leadership to consider setting up a Student Gifted Advisory Group that would meet possibly twice a year or as needed to strengthen focus areas and survey materials and resources. The group could also serve as a panel for gifted concerns, issues, and recommendations for enhancement or improvement of gifted services.

Practice HUtilizes multiple sources of data to review and revise the local AIG program and plan during comprehensive program evaluation.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director and the AIG Lead Teachers put together and distribute

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 65 of 7112/11/2019 multiple surveys and self-assessment and needs-assessment forms targeted for particular stakeholder groups to gather information about the local AIG program as the plan is reviewed and revised in its developmental process.2. The AIG Director and the AIG staff schedule general parent conferences, DEP (Differentiated Education Plan) meetings, PTA/PO sessions, or other related review meetings annually or as neededto ensure program accountability in the comprehensive AIG program evaluation process.3. The AIG Director publishes the AIG plan development time line for public viewing for participation and to gather questions or concerns to address.4. The AIG Director shares the survey questions and results of data collection with the AIG Lead Teachers, district administration, and others to ensure transparency.5. The AIG Director or other AIG staff document feedback attained from conferences and other meetings as well as surveys and other self-assessment or needs-assessment tools to provide feedback to those who participated as well as others who might be interested.6. The AIG Director schedules AIG Lead Teacher meetings to reflect on data gathering information to determine if changes or revisions are needed to be made in mid-cycle or at the end. Such revisions to AIG forms and letters may be made by the AIG Director after consulting with the AIG Lead Teachers and other affected personnel without further BCS Board of Education approval since those revisions would not impact the AIG plan or programming as approved. However, any changes to the local BCS plan or specific policies would need to be approved by the local BCS Board of Education after presentations are made with justifications for such alterations.7. The AIG Director also refers to other types of externally developed and administered surveys or plans for additional input, such as the Teacher Working Conditions Survey, various accreditation surveys (AdvanceED), The BCS Strategic Plan 2019-2024, or other district-wide strategic surveys and data collection sources.8. The AIG Director along with the AIG Lead Teachers verify that the language, vision, and mission ofthe BCS AIG plan reflect the BCS Strategic Goals, vision, and mission in relation to those goals, objectives, and strategies.9. The AIG Director and the AIG Administrative Assistant maintain the AIG web page on the BCS website as a communication delivery system via e-mails from various stakeholders.

Practice IDisseminates all data from evaluation of the local AIG program to the public.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director ensures equitable services for gifted students through ongoing reflection and dissemination of all data.2. According to the 2019 AIG Parent Survey, 99% felt always or often they were generally pleased with the AIG program at their children's schools. Moreover, those parents also felt 97% always or often the administration at their children's schools seemed supportive of the AIG program there.3. From the 2019 BCS Administrative Survey for AIG and Advanced Studies, 100% shared as administrators they had been provided with the newly revised and required AIG State Standards and understood that they were considered non-negotiable. Further, 98% felt the county's AIG and Advanced Studies Director communicated with them about AIG and gifted matters that impacted theirgifted students and their AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers when needed.4. From surveys given to AIG In-House Certification participants in 2017 and 2018, the results showed that 97% felt the overall evaluation of the AIG In-House Certification modules PD allowed them to understand more fully the local AIG program. Moreover, 97% in that certification PD

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 66 of 7112/11/2019 indicated their course work allowed them to feel either good or excellent about being able to teach gifted education.5. The AIG Director, AIG Lead Teachers, and other AIG staff review the current and approved AIG plan periodically as a "living document" in order to make sure it is being adhered to equitably. They also determine if any forms or letters need to be revised or changed in the plan implementation with its policies or procedures to make it more credible and reliable. If so, those areas that might change the actual BCS AIG plan policies would need to be explained, justified, and approved by the local BCS Board of Education before any real changes could take place officially. However, any other non-policy binding forms and letters could be approved by the AIG Director after consulting with AIG teachers and others affected. If any changes were to be approved by the BCS BOE, their points of entry for collection of data analysis and revisions' procedures must be clearly shown (See Appendix for Local Board-approved System Commitment Form and Revised Consent Form).6. The AIG Director shares data in a variety of formats and outlets to illustrate data trends to encourage transparency, fidelity, and credibility.7. The AIG Director allows for interviews about the AIG plan and gifted education and publishes the AIG program evaluation data in a variety of ways, such as the BCS website with other relevant data sources, AIG brochures, and other sources as deemed appropriate.8. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers collect and sort data from other sources, such as surveys, self-assessments, needs-assessments, gifted student performance and growth comparative figures, gifted drop-out numbers, gifted suspension numbers, as well as student population groups' demographic data in the total AIG-identified student count by grade and school and district as a whole.9. The AIG Director and AIG Lead Teachers disseminate data in a variety of formats at various gatherings, such as the school PAC (Parent Advisory Council) meetings, the AIG Strategic Task Force Committee meetings, district-wide leadership meetings, principal group meetings, student advisory group sessions, as well as gatherings from family groups (PTA/PTO) and community groupsand organizations.10. The AIG Director protects the confidentiality of all stakeholders who may have provided feedback during the comprehensive program evaluation process if requested to do so.

Practice JSafeguards the rights of all AIG students and their parents and families through established written policies, procedures, and practices. The LEA plan includes: informed consent regarding identification and placement,reassessment procedures, transfers from other LEAs, and procedures for resolving disagreements.

District Response: 1. The AIG Director and AIG teachers safeguard the rights of all AIG students and their parents/guardians and families through multiple communication means, such as parents/guardians signing Permission to Test forms before any student testing occurs (See Appendix for CogAT Testing Letter for 3rd-grade testing and General Permission to Test Form).2. The feedback gathered from the various 2019 surveys indicated the following: 98% of BCS Administrators felt always or often that the Director of AIG and Advanced Studies communicated with them about AIG and gifted matters impacting gifted students and their AIG and/or Advanced Studies teachers. 63% of AIG Teachers felt always or often they kept AIG parents informed of programs and resources that could assist them in better understanding and promoting giftedness in various ways. 73% of AIG Parents felt always or often their child's AIG teachers provided information and resources

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 67 of 7112/11/2019 to them about special opportunities and/or learning needs for their AIG students. 82% of AIG Students felt always or often their AIG teachers helped them understand in what ways they were gifted or for what reasons they were placed in the AIG classes. Only 42% of nurturing students shared information about the Nurturing Program K-3 with their parents. 3. All AIG student folders and records are safeguarded in a locked and secured area, such as the school vault.4. In all aspects of the AIG plan and programming, due process laws and legislation are respected.5. AIG teachers are encouraged to communicate in various ways with their AIG parents/guardians. Inall situations, such information is considered confidential and is marked in the Subject line of any e-mail sent as FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) to protect the contents from Public Information Access.6. All active AIG testing records are secured and locked both at the school site and at the district office by school year (See Appendix for Confidentiality of Student Records' Form).7. The AIG Director secures and locks all school deliveries of Inactive AIG Student Folders/Records in an appropriate BCS storage facility for up to 5 years (See Appendix for Inactive Folder Form).8. The AIG Lead Teachers or other AIG teachers hold conferences as needed to develop confidential Plans of Action with AIG students, parents/guardians, and others to address AIG concerns. A reconvene date is set with specific responsibilities listed for student, parent, and teacher (See Appendix for Action Plan/Conference Form).9. The AIG Lead Teachers and other AIG Teachers hold DEP (Differentiated Education Plan) conferences confidentially to address measurable, specific strengths and possible areas needing improvement annually or as needed with AIG students, parents/guardians, and others as needed (See Appendix for DEP Form).10. If AIG parents/guardians request an Exit Conference, a meeting is scheduled with the AIG parent/guardian, student, teacher, and AIG Director if possible. Specific reasons for this exit request are noted and reassignments are made. The goal is to build gifedness and not encourage "de-giftedness" (See Appendix for Exit Form).11. The AIG Lead Teacher and AIG Director review all school AIG student reporting, such as official state headcounts generated in November and April each school year to determine their accuracy.12. The AIG Lead or AIG Teachers schedule conferences with parents/guardians and students to share AIG testing results, which is part of the multiple criteria for AIG eligibility (See Appendix for Summary Score Sheets for CogAT and ITBS Testing).13. AIG Lead Teachers explain possible re-testing to satisfy scores/percentiles needed for AIG eligibility. The same type of national test (aptitude or achievement) may only be given only once in thesame school year.Other tests may be given if needed. With each new school year, a different level of any standardized test can be administered once.14. Transfer students enrolling in BCS as being identified as AIG in another district or state are placed, after receiving documentation from the last school, in the AIG class under probation for one grading period or nine weeks to make sure that is the proper placement. If all is satisfactory at the end of the probationary period, then the student is allowed to remain in that AIG class. If there are issues, then a conference is held to develop an Action Plan with specific, measurable responsibilities noted for the student, teacher, and parent with a reconvene date noted. If the responsibilities are still not met, then placement in a regular class with consultative AIG services given by both the AIG and regular teachers ensues until such time as the student proves he is ready for re-admission into the AIG class.15. The AIG Director works with other departments to confirm that the AIG parent/guardian and familyrights are stated clearly throughout LEA policies related to AIG and Advanced Studies and are shared

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 68 of 7112/11/2019 clearly in multiple ways in various settings to affirm understanding of such AIG program procedures as screening, referral, testing, performance-based expectations, service delivery, grievance policy, and exiting process.16. The AIG Director along with input from AIG Lead and other AIG Teachers develop other forms when needed to obtain informed consent for identification, services, or other AIG student information.17. Each district school has a check-out/check-in process and form that includes the approved personneeding to review the AIG student folder, date and time of such review, and date and time the AIG folder is returned to its secured and locked storage area. No AIG student folder is allowed to leave the school site at any time unless being requested by another school when the AIG student has officially withdrawn or transferred (See Appendix for Review Form for Confidential AIG Folders).18. The AIG Director has all pertinent parent/guardian forms translated into other languages, especially Spanish, as needed or requested to ensure a full understanding to protect student rights.19. The AIG Director connects all gifted student educational rights with Article 9B that protects gifted students (See Appendix for Article 9B).20. The AIG Director along with the AIG staff will consider developing an AIG Parent Handbook and AIG Lead Teacher Handbook, if needed, that would include a clear outline of AIG student rights, identification processes, and appropriate services offered in the BCS AIG Plan.21. AIG Teachers and the AIG Director use HIPPA (Health Portability & Accountability Act) in the e-mail subject line if the student information being discussed within that message centers around healthissues. Again, student rights need further protection from public viewing.22. When there is an AIG or Advanced Studies issue and a grievance is filed by the parent/guardian for review, this activates the Appeals'Procedure Process to ensure rights are protected and voices heard respectfully with timely responses done in writing at various levels as needed. First, a parent/guardian requests a conference with the AIG Teacher or AIG Lead Teacher stating the issue or concern. The conference is scheduled within 5 school days with a written decision noted after meeting. If needed, the next step or level is requesting in writing such a conference with the school principal stating the issue or concern and the decision already provided. The principal conference is held within 5 school days with a written review decision completed. If unsatisfied, another written request can be made with the AIG Director to review both the teacher's and principal's decisions.This conference with the AIG Director is scheduled within 5 school days with a review decision provided in writing within 5 school days. The next step is to request in writing another conference withthe Assistant Superintendent of the grade level of the AIG student (elementary, middle, or high school). All previous decisions are shared at this conference with a written response provided within 5 school days. If needed, the parent/guardian can then request in writing a continuation of the reviewprocess for meeting with the BCS Superintendent. That conference follows similar protocol meeting within 5 school days. If needed, a written request is then made for a conference with the BCS BOE. The Board's response is granted within 5 school days following the next scheduled Board meeting with a written response. If needed, the final step is for the parent/guardian to petition the administrative law judge for a contested case hearing to review all previous decisions to determine due process (See Appendix for Appeals' Procedure Form).

Ideas for Strengthen the Standard: 1. Make copies of the 6 NC AIG Program Standards and their subsequent Practices available to all interested stakeholders to generate a clearer understanding on non-negotiables for gifted learners.2. Continue to create groups and committees, such as the AIG Strategic Task Force, purposely including diverse stakeholders to review the AIG plan.

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 69 of 7112/11/2019 3. Continue to refine AIG surveys to gather quantitative and qualitative data for developing the new AIG plan using various mixed-methods' approaches.4. Continue to attend with other AIG Teachers, pending funding constraints, the regional and state AIG meetings and conferences to network and garner information and intentional ideas for the new AIG plan.5. Ensure that the new AIG plan adheres to all 6 State Standards and expectations with all Practices stated in an understandable, reader-friendly format.6. Obtain local BCS Board of Education (BOE) approval as well as State Board of Education review approval for the new AIG plan by the timeline set forth of July 15, 2019.7. Continue to conduct periodic internal audits of AIG folders, Nurturing Program sessions, AIG and AP class scheduling and student membership, the development of Honors' portfolios, and other AIG and/or Advanced Studies matters to ensure compliance and equity.8. Complete any interim AIG reports as needed to assess and report progress of plan development.9. Continue to monitor the AIG State Budget (PRC 034) to verify that all funding is aligned to the localAIG plan and state guidelines.10. Continue to request a local AIG budget to further address gifted education needs per budget requests.11. Continue to analyze the AIG student subgroups or those under-represented in AIG to determine ways to increase the student numbers based on multiple criteria using both the traditional and non-traditional models and alternate placement options for using differentiation to achieve results of equityand consistency (See Appendix for Alternate Placement Form). 12. Continue to work with the Human Resources Coordinator concerning teacher AIG state licensure and local endorsement certification for AIG in order to validate that trained teachers are teaching the AIG student population as well as trained AP teachers having the official summer institute and/or mentorship training to teach the AP student population. 13. Confirm that at least one AIG and/or AP parent/guardian is an active member of each school PAC(Parent Advisory Council) team to represent and advocate for the AIG program in county planning and support.14. Consider forming an AIG/Advanced Studies Student Advisory Group so that their perspectives and needs have an official avenue from which to be heard.15. Continue to ensure that the rights of parents/guardians/families of the gifted and gifted students are clearly articulated for all areas of gifted programming including but not limited to identification, services, exiting the program, DEP conferences, appeals' procedures, and all other phases of the AIGprocess.

Sources of Evidence: 1. Copies of current AIG Plan and Policies2. Copies of NC AIG Program Standards and their Practices (Revised June 2018)3. Rosters, agendas, and minutes from AIG and Advanced Studies meetings, conferences, workshops, and webinars4. Copies of all Stakeholder Surveys from 2017-2019 available as well as data findings5. AIG Interim or other reports available or requested6. State AIG Budget and subsequent transactions aligned with AIG plan goals7. Copies of AIG data about student concerns, such as OSS and drop-outs8. Copies of AIG student growth and achievement on state and other testing, such as EOG, EOC, and AP9. Copies of AIG Headcounts from November and April of each school year10. Spreadsheet of AIG-licensed and AIG-certified staff as well as AP-certified staff11. Copies of any grievances with respect to appeal procedures and parental and student rights

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 70 of 7112/11/2019 12. Copies of translated AIG forms, letters, and other documents needed for clearer communication13. Copies of any exited AIG students whose parents/guardians initiated such a status change

Local AIG Plan, 2019-2022 Page 71 of 7112/11/2019 Glossary (optional):

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