Roth said, should the need arise, older academically advanced students can move into a higher grade level to study, for example, math.Īnd through the district’s Gifted and Talented Education program, students can receive enrichment and differentiated learning to make sure they’re being challenged, she said. It’s important to understand, she said, that the decision to advance a child early is based on factors that go beyond academic mastery. The process of screening for aptitude has begun, she said. So far this school year, there have been four applications for early entrance into kindergarten in 140, she said. So we had the tools pretty much in place.” Katherine Roth, director of curriculum, said, “We reviewed our assessments to make sure they were the best assessments and that they were still accurate. This really gives us an opportunity to reflect and make sure we have a clear pathway for those students who are excelling.” It’s just that oftentimes, we focus on our struggling learners. “It does not mean we have to have a gifted or talented program, or honors track. “We get to develop the procedures, so we can choose which metrics to use,” she said. She said the law gives a lot of flexibility on how districts meet those needs. “So, if you have a student very strong in math, there is access to more challenging curriculum,” she said. Kathleen Gavin, assistant superintendent in Hometown-Oak Lawn District 123, said, in addition to offering early entrance to the primary grades, she said, the act requires districts to have a path for students who want to do a whole grade acceleration, for example skip third and go to fourth, and also for subject acceleration. “Illinois districts with high percentages of low-income students are now much less likely to provide enrichment and advanced learning opportunities, and yet low-income families are most dependent on public schools to meet the needs of their high-ability students,” she said.ĭr. Since state funding for gifted programs in Illinois ended in 2003, Welch said, the number of elementary and middle school districts providing such opportunities has dropped from more than 80 percent then to 27 percent in 2016, she said. When high-ability students are not provided for in education policy, attention and resources often get directed exclusively to students below the proficiency bar, resulting in the dismantling of acceleration and enrichment programming,” Welch said. “In Illinois, one-third of students are already at proficiency and in many cases well-above. Welch cited several reasons for the legislation, including the need to close opportunity gaps, particularly among low-income students and students of color who are high-achieving. The measure received bipartisan support, Welch added.Īlso signed into law last year and effective this year is the Report Card Act, which requires the State Board of Education to publish information annually about the availability of gifted programming, students receiving services by subgroup and teachers holding gifted endorsements at each school, Welch said. The efforts culminated in the passing of the law, which requires all school districts to establish policies allowing early entrance to kindergarten and 1st grade, whole grade acceleration, and individual subject acceleration. “The Illinois Association for Gifted Children, the Untapped Potential Project and advocates for advanced learners throughout the state worked hard to educate policy makers about the negative impact of neglecting high-ability students in state policy and to push for change,” Welch said. But we still want to monitor that.”Ĭarolyn Welch, policy and advocacy committee co-chair for the Illinois Association for Gifted Children, said the Accelerated Placement Act is part of the statewide effort to close equity gaps for all students, including those who have been historically underserved. “When students are placed with students of similar intellectual levels and ability levels, oftentimes that’s advantageous from a peer and social standpoint. Snyder said research shows that when students are appropriately placed academically it can be a benefit to their peer interaction.
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