A synopsis of the Franklin County District Schools AIG plan of 2010-2013.

1. Created, Researched, and Presented by:
Pamela Mould

2. A Few Terms to know. . .
there are many, many more
Gifted - persons between the ages of five and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for
accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special
provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Gifted students include gifted students
with disabilities (i.e., twice-exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all
socio-economic and ethnic, cultural populations.
Twice-exceptional - Students who are identified as gifted and talented in one or more areas of
exceptionality and also identified with a disability defined by Federal/State eligibility criteria.
Accelerated – A strategy of progressing through education at rates faster or ages younger than the
norm.
Differentiated –Modifying curriculum and instruction according to content, pacing, and/or product to
meet unique student needs in the classroom.
Intelligence - The ability to learn, reason, and problem solve. Debate revolves around the nature of
intelligence as to whether it is an innate quality or something that is developed as a result of
interacting with the environment.
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) - a test of reasoning skills. It is a norm-referenced test and the
national average is 50th percentile. To identify students for AIG programs, Nash-Rocky Mount
Public School District administers advanced versions of the CogAT to all students in grade 2 and to
selected students in grades 3-5.There are three parts to the CogAT: Verbal Battery, Quantitative
Battery, and Non-Verbal Battery.
NAGC Glossary of “Gifted” terms

3. A Few Acronyms to know. . .
there are many, many more
AIG (Academically Intellectually Gifted): category for students who consistently demonstrate evidence
of mastery of the curriculum that is well above grade level in reading/language arts and/or
mathematics.
LEA (Local Education Agency): a school district or county office of education
DPI (Department of Public Instruction): The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is the
agency charged with implementing the State’s public school laws and the State Board of
Education’s policies and procedures governing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public
education. The elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction heads the Department and
functions under the policy direction of the State Board of Education.
AP (Advanced Placement): – Advanced Placement - A program developed by the College Board
where high schools offer courses that meet criteria established by institutions of higher
education. In many instances, college credit may be earned with the successful completion of an
AP exam in specific content areas.
IQ (Intelligence Quotient): – Intelligence Quotient - A numerical representation of intelligence. IQ is
derived from dividing mental age (result from an intelligence test) by the chronological age times
100. Traditionally, an average IQ is considered to be 100.
DEP (Differentiated Education Plan): outlines the instructional setting where delivery of DEP services
will occur, the way curriculum content will be modified, and the specific differentiated instructional
strategies that will be used.
IEP (Individualized Education Plan): A written plan and legal document that states a child’s present
level of functioning; specific areas that need special services; annual goals; short term objectives;
services to be provided; and the method of evaluation to be implemented for children 3 to 21 years
of age who have been determined eligible for special education.
FCS (Franklin County Public Schools): school district located in North Carolina
NCSCOS (North Carolina Standard Course of Study): identifies the minimum competencies for each
grade level for the state of North Carolina (aka North Carolina Essentials)
NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children): an association that provides support to gifted
children and their supporters.
NAGC Glossary of “Gifted” terms

4. Legal Guidelines and Provisions
Franklin County Schools adheres to the Legal Guidelines and Provisions of the State of North
Carolina.
Article 9B, Academically or Intellectually Gifted Students [N.C.G.S. § 115C-150.5-.8 (Article
9B)]provides a state definition for Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) students and
requires local education agencies (LEA) to develop three year AIG local plans with specific
components, to be approved by local school boards and subsequently sent to the State
Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for review and comment.
Article 9B is the current legislation mandating identification and services for gifted
education K-12.
Each LEA determines how to identify and serve its own AIG student population. This honors
local context and supports each LEA to do what is best for its own AIG student population.
LEAs must adhere to state legislation, which guides LEAs and defines academically or
intellectually gifted students (see below), and will also use the NC AIG Program.

5. AIG Program Standards
Standard 1: Student Identification: LEA’s student identification procedures for AIG are
clear, equitable, and comprehensive and lead towards appropriate educational services.
Standard 2: Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction: 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.
Standard 3: Personnel and Professional Development: LEA recruits and retains highly
qualified professionals and provides relevant effective professional development concerning
the needs of gifted learners that is ongoing and comprehensive.
Standard 4: Comprehensive Programming within Total School Community: The 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.
Standard 5: Partnerships: The LEA ensures on-going and meaningful participation of
stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the local AIG program to develop
strong partnerships.
Standard 6: Program Accountability: The LEA implements, monitors, and evaluates 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.
AIG Program Standards
(as approved by the State Board of Education on July 9, 2009)

6. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plans to meet requirements of Standard 1: Student
Identification
Franklin County District Schools:
Screening procedures and referral procedures for the AIG program, including
transfer students, and identification procedures at the school and district
level are on the website.
Each school's AIG Site Team has an intentional process of disseminating
information to their school personnel, students, and parents/guardians.
Actions may include, but are not limited to, linking information from the
school website to the AIG Department on the district website, presenting
information at Open House about the AIG program and its components,
providing an AIG information brochure to all parents, and having a
handbook available.

7. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plans to meet requirements of Standard 2: Differentiated
Curriculum and Instruction:
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study is enriched and extended by
classroom teachers and AIG Facilitators in a variety of ways, such as:
Elementary:
use data from pre and on-going assessments
compacting
independent study
choice boards
learning stations and centers
task cards
flexible
Middle and secondary
ability grouped classes
dual-enrollment with local community college
access to North Carolina Virtual Public School
grade or course acceleration
on-line college-based courses

8. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plans to meet requirements of Standard 3: Personnel and
Professional Development:
The AIG Department will provide professional learning that align with each of the four broad areas of the North
Carolina Professional Teaching Standards:
Standard 1: Teachers Demonstrate Leadership. Professional Learning Opportunities will include, but
are not limited, to the following:
AIG Facilitators will participate in implementing professional growth opportunities at assigned schools that
improve educational programming
Standard 2: Teachers Establish a Respectful Environment for a Diverse Population of Students.
Professional Learning Opportunities will include, but are not limited, to the following:
Differentiation using Thinking Maps" with a focus on incorporating different points of view to provide greater
attention to diversity
Standard 3: Teachers Know the Content They Teach. Professional Learning Opportunities will
include, but are not limited, to:
"Professional Learning Communities" and "Smaller Learning Communities" for AIG Facilitators will provide
time to broaden curriculum content and develop ways to interconnect areas/disciplines with 21st Century
Skills
Standard 4: Teachers Facilitate Learning for the Students. Professional Learning Opportunities will
include, but are not limited, to the following:
"Project Based Learning" with a strong emphasis on employing a wide range of techniques (technology,
learning styles, differentiated instruction
Standard 5: Teachers Reflect on their Practice. Professional Learning Opportunities will include, but
are not limited, to the following:
Training on how to analyze student performance data to improve classroom effectiveness

9. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plans to meet requirements of Standard 4:
Comprehensive programming within total school
community:
Through the use of Differentiated Education Plans (DEPs) and/or Individual
Differentiated Education Plans (IEPs), communication among and between
teachers and schools has been successful.
To ensure continuation of services, NRMPS uses a consistent form for all 5th
graders transitioning into middle school that includes quantitative and
qualitative data about each student. Students with an AIG identification are
clearly marked on the form, along with the statement that the child has a
Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) and/or Individual Differentiated Education
Plans (IEP). This form of communication, as well as the Differentiated
Education Plan (DEP) and/or Individual Differentiated Education Plan (IEP), has
been key in successful transitioning and continuation of services.
Students transitioning from 8th grade to high school work with their parents,
teachers, and a guidance counselor to complete a plan for their four-year
course of study with consideration given to Pre-IB and/or Honor Courses.
Differentiated Education Plans (DEPs) and/or Individual Differentiated
Education Plans (IEPs)for secondary students allow for self-selected courses
based on student's strengths. Parent input and a signature is required for each.

10. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plans to meet requirements of Standard 5:
Partnerships
FCS's AIG department ensures that parents/guardians are involved in all
stages, from nomination to identification, as applicable.
Information regarding the local AIG plan, program, and policies will
continue to be shared through the departmental website, AIG Parent
Handbook, and AIG Brochures.
An Advisory Committee involving stakeholders from all aspects of AIG
programming meet to discuss, review, and refine the local AIG
program and plan. Members of the committee share the common goal
of advocating for the needs of gifted students from all populations at
all grade levels.

11. Franklin County District Schools
Overview of Plan to meet requirements of Standard 6: Program
Accountability
The Academically or Intellectually Gifted Coordinator and AIG
Department members will conduct ongoing program evaluation in
many ways, including but not limited to:
• Monitoring of student referrals and identification to ensure equity
• Opportunities for professional development in the area of
differentiated curriculum and instruction for AIG Facilitators and
classroom teachers of AIG students
• Monitoring of service delivery options at each school to ensure
that the academic and instructional needs of AIG learners are
being met
• Placement of students in classrooms of AIG licensed teachers or
teachers who have met the LEA's local requirements for teaching
AIG students
• Data reflecting growth of AIG students on End of Grade Tests

12. Nomination Process
Kindergarten through Second Grade:
 May be formally identified for AIG services if student clearly
demonstrates an extreme need for differentiated service
that is two or more grade levels above current grade level.
Third through Twelfth Grades
 Students are formally identified in these grades
 Consistently demonstrates mastery of curriculum well
above grade level in language arts and/or math
 Formal and informal data is used
Teacher
Recommendation
With parent
permission,
additional testing
may be conducted
if necessary
Teacher & AIG facilitator
collect qualitative &
quantitative documentation
showing outstanding
academic and/or intellectual
potential.
School-based AIG team reviews all
documentation and makes a
recommendation to the District Level
Compliance Review Team for:
a. AIG Identification services in Language
Arts and/or Math
b. Nurturing Services
c. No Services
District Level Compliance
Review Team and AIG
Coordinator review all
documents and make the
final decision.

13. Assessment Process for Identification
for Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools
The AIG department of the Franklin County District Schools System
administers both non-traditional and traditional standardized
measures that are based on current theory and research when
screening for identification in the AIG program. Assessment
instruments that are sensitive to the traditionally under-
represented AIG populations such as culturally/ethnically diverse,
economically disadvantaged, English Language Learners, highly
gifted, and twice exceptional are provided to ensure equal
opportunity for consideration for all students.

14. Assessment Process for Identification
for Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools
AIG Facilitators will support teachers in the early recognition of outstanding potential in
children from all populations and share opportunities for nurturing these students.
Through this program, a systematic approach for collecting data (qualitative and
quantitative) will be utilized to track students for formal identification.
At the third-grade level, all students are assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Test
(CogAT) and a district wide effort is made to review available scores to identify
students who show clear evidence of needing AIG services or who show the potential
for needing AIG services. As a deeper awareness of the characteristics of gifted
children beyond standardized test scores is developed within all school personnel,
there should be an increase in referrals from the traditionally under- represented
populations.

15. Assessment Process for Identification
for Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools
Students are assessed by the LEA or a licensed psychologist using a
combination of the following quantitative assessments:
 Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
 Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)
 Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT)
 Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)
 North Carolina End of Grade Tests
 North Carolina End of Course Tests
 Woodcock-Johnson III, Tests of Achievements
 Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)
 Other nationally norm-standardized tests as approved by the
Testing and Accountability Office

16. Assessment Process for Identification
for Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools
Nontraditional assessments may include, but not limited to
the following:
 Checklists
 Portfolios
 Anecdotal/Case Studies
 Observations
 Gifted Behavior Scale Checklists
 Literacy Assessments
 Awards/Achievements
 Performance-based assessments
 Individual work products with evaluation rubrics

17. Identification Criteria for Elementary,
Middle, and High Schools
a. 90th percentile or higher on norm referenced aptitude or ability test(s),
including verbal and/or nonverbal assessment(s).
b. 90th percentile or higher on norm referenced achievement tests in
reading/language arts and/or mathematics.
c. teacher rating scales identifying gifted characteristics in learning,
creativity, leadership, and adaptability
d. portfolios containing multiple grade level work products, rubrics, and
reflections within one or more specific academic areas at the student’s
highest level of performance.
e. documented evidence of identification for gifted services from another
school district (transfer students).
• Scores at or above 90th percentile (nationally) are preferred in both
aptitude and achievement.
• If only one is at or above 90th percentile (nationally), strong evidence
must be provided for need of AIG services.

18. Services Offered
Elementary: Within the elementary schools throughout the NRMPS district,
accommodations for gifted learners in math and language arts are met through
cluster groups, tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, flexible grouping,
AIG resource rooms, and individual conferencing. All elementary schools are
partnered with an AIG Facilitator to assist classroom teachers in enriching,
extending, and accelerating the curriculum.
Middle: Curriculum differentiation and acceleration at the middle schools include
subject grouping based on ability, flexible classroom grouping, tiered
assignments, curriculum compacting, independent studies, and mentorships.
For 7th and 8th grade students, accelerated math curriculum is offered leading
to Algebra 1 in 8th grade that is equivalent to high school Algebra. Extra
curricular activities are provided for gifted students to excel in, such as: art
competitions, band (district, regional, state) competitions, Odyssey of the
Mind, Community in Service programs, and varied athletics.
High school: Programs devised to meet students’ intellectual as well as social
needs are provided and documented in DEPs, structures such as Advanced
Placement (AP), honors courses, early entrance to college, dual enrollment with
local community college, internet-based college courses, parallel enrollment at
college and high school may qualify as formal gifted program options. Extra
curricular activities continue to opportune gifted students with choices that
enrich, strengthen, and further develop their individual gifts. The high school
Needs Determination Team, composed of counselors, administrators and
gifted/special/general education teachers, should meet annually (and on-going
when appropriate) to continue to screen/identify and recommend/place gifted
students in appropriately rigorous and challenging classes.

19. Gifted Students’ Rights
 Equitable screening
 Traditional and Non-traditional standardized measures
 Accommodations and Modifications are provided per IEPs
and 504 plans
 Uses multiple criteria to determine eligibility
 DEP
 Annual review to make sure student is receiving proper
services
 Adapts the NCSCOS to the needs of student
 Receive a challenging, rigorous curriculum
 Teacher will use pre and on-going assessments to
differentiate instruction
 Support social and emotional needs of students
 Teachers will have appropriate professional development
 School partners with parents/guardians to ensure
appropriate services are provided that meet the diverse
needs of gifted students
NRMPS Procedures to Resolve Disagreement

20. Rights of Parents/Guardians of
Gifted Students
 Parents have the right to disagree with student
nomination, placement, or service options. They
must follow the procedures as outlined:
 Informed about AIG referral, screening,
identification, and services via letters, brochures,
or handbook (Parent guide to AIG program)
 Informed about the procedures for disagreement
 Give consent at each stage of the process
 Option to review documentation as it is available
 Option to be part of the team that creates DEP
Step 1 –
Request a
conference with
the school AIG
Site Team
Step 2 – Appeal
the AIG Site
Team’s decision
to the NRMPS’s
AIG Coordinator
Step 3 – Appeal
to the
Superintendent
or designee
Step 4 – State
level grievance
procedure is
implemented

21. Resources for those who
want to know more
Colorado Department of Education. Twice
Exceptional Handbook.
www.cde.state.co.us/gt/download/pdf/TwiceExce
ptionalResourceHandbook.pdf.
Franklin County District Schools. 2010-2013 Local
Academically and Intellectually Gifted Plan.
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/academicse
rvices/gifted/aigplans/2010-
13/general/franklin2011.pdf
National Association for Gifted Children.
www.nagc.org.
Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of
Education Department of Public Instruction.
www.dpi.state.nc.us/academicservices/gifted/.