1. Building a Gifted Program:
BLOCK by BLOCK
The Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Education Symposium
June 14-18, 2009
Austin, Minnesota
Kris Happe

2. Year One
•Hired as a Change Agent
•Assessment Report
•Providing Basic Service

3. Being a Change Agent
• Survey all levels to check expectations (teachers, building
administration, district level administration)
• “Who is my boss?”
• “Enrichment is a PRIVILEGE--NOT a right.”
• “We don’t really have any gifted students here…there are
a few, but everyone is afraid to work with them…”
• Start to set up the components of reporting out and key
communication
• Begin to put together an assessment report

4. What is an “Assessment Report?”
The purpose of this tool is to provide an
objective look at the program being
assessed by considering a variety of factors,
including research based Best Practices,
stakeholder needs and available resources.

5. Table of Contents
• Needs Assessment, K-12
• Audit of Program Services, K-12
• Vision and Recommendations
• Appendix

6. Needs Assessment, K-12
Summary of District Focus Group and Survey Data
Parent Focus Groups
Student Focus Groups
Teacher Survey Feedback
Current National and State Articles and Research
National and State Research Trends
Rationale for Funding Gifted Education
State Legislative Support History
Pre K-Grade 12 National Association for Gifted Children Program
Standards
Minnesota Department of Education Report Card
Best Practices in Gifted Education
National and State Program Models
District Key Performance Indicators

7. Audit of Program Services, K-12
Current School Board Policy
 Program Mission
 Definitions of Gifted and Talented Students
 Identification Principles
 Categories of Service
Elementary Programming
 Services and Identification Presentation Information
Current Job Description for Gifted Education
Coordinator

8. Vision and Recommendations
Program Vision and General Recommendations
Curriculum Advisory Phases
(Elementary, Middle School, and High School)
• Assessment, Development, Implementation, Measurement &
Adjustment

9. Appendix
Bright Child vs. Gifted Learner document
Elementary Program Documents
Research Journal Manifest
Best Practices Summary
Understanding Giftedness Summary
New York Times article (March 2004), “Schools, Facing Tight
Budgets, Leave Gifted Programs Behind”
“Cipher in the Classroom,” Jan B. Hansen, Ph.D.
“Comparison of Trained and Untrained Teachers of Gifted
Students,” Jan B. Hansen, PhD, John F. Feldhusen, Purdue
University

10. Vision
A respect for excellence is the very heart of a civilized society. It is the
determined effort of individuals committed to excellence and nurtured in a
supportive and challenging environment that will improve the quality of life
for all citizens. Commitment to the future demands that the abilities of gifted,
talented and creative youth be fostered and developed. To deny such students
the opportunity to become the best of what they are capable of becoming is to
deny excellence itself, and to place in jeopardy the future of the individual,
the nation and our global society.
If we are to have inquiring scientists, creative artists, dedicated teachers, wise
government leaders and inventive problem solvers, and if we are to find and
encourage the Einsteins, Curies, DaVincies, Bachs and Aristotles of the
future, we must identify and educate appropriately our gifted, talented and
creative young people. Our obligation to these youth and to the future
requires a strengthened commitment to excellence in education for all
learners.

11. Recommendations
These recommendations are made based on feedback from all
stakeholders in the district, review of current research and best
practices, interviews with area consultants and knowledge of
resources available to the district.

12. Develop grade acceleration policy and procedure based on the Iowa
Acceleration Scale.
Formalize a district enrichment policy K-12.
Develop plan in partnership with grade levels, to create cluster classrooms at
each grade level (elementary and middle school) to support academically
talented students in the areas of adequate academic challenge, and
social/emotional support from an intellectual peer group.
Provide training for cluster elementary and middle school teachers so they
may articulate and document the differentiated instructional plan for their
classroom to best meet the needs of academically talented students.

13. Provide staff development opportunities to achieve proficiency in a variety
of instructional and management strategies.
Topics may include:
Characteristics and needs of gifted and talented
students
Differentiation
Compacting
Flexible Grouping
Ability Grouping
Underachieving and at-risk gifted students

14. •Provide more student contact time with Gifted Education Specialists
and staff (via final recommendation).
Systematically expand Advanced Placement opportunities at the high
school level.
Develop middle school courses that prepare students for Advanced
Placement classes at the high school level.
Systematically expand Advanced Placement opportunities at the high
school level.
Develop middle school courses that prepare students for Advanced
Placement classes at the high school level.

15. The operational budget for Gifted Education and Enrichment Services
should be clearly defined through the same allocation formula for all
buildings. Based on the Minnesota Department of Education’s (formerly
the DCFL) recommendation of $5 per student (1999), due to all students
receiving some level of enrichment services, the following budget amounts
are recommended:
Liberty Elementary 890 students $4450
Independence Elem. 840 students $4200
BL Middle School 800 students $4000
BL High School 840 students $4200
(the student numbers are projections for fall of 2004)

16. According to national standards for exemplary programs, every school should
be staffed with a full time Gifted Education and Enrichment Services
Specialist. Realizing that staffing requests are difficult to meet when there is
no state mandate for gifted education and state funding is limited, the
following is a recommended staffing allocation to be reached in the next five
years to develop an exemplary program:
Liberty Elementary (890 students) one full-time specialist
Independence Elem. (840 students) one full-time specialist
BL Middle School (800 students) one half-time specialist
 BL High School (840 students) one half-time specialist
(student numbers are projections for fall of 2004--they do not reflect
number projections for five years from now)

17. Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
Phase I:
Assessment Plan
•Evaluate/Analyze Curriculum
•Describe results relating to high
standards
Gifted Education
-Completed assessment
report
-Established elementary
identification process
-Purchase curriculum
Phase II:
Development
•Write outcomes
•Write district assessments
•Develop curriculum
•Select resources/materials
Gifted Education
-Pilot curriculum
-Develop EA curriculum
-Differentiation training
-Choose and train cluster
teachers
Phase III:
Implementation
•Implement new curriculum
•Provide staff development
•Review student work
Gifted Education
-Establish cluster classrooms
-Continued staff development
-Review quality of student work
from set curriculum
Phase IV:
Measurement and Adjustment
•Review student work
•Make adjustments
Gifted Education
-Survey stakeholders
on program
satisfaction and
effectiveness
-Make
recommendations for
adjustments
Big Lake Schools Elementary Curriculum Phase Recommendations:
Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

18. Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
Phase I:
Assessment Plan
•Evaluate/Analyze Curriculum
•Describe results relating to high
standards
Gifted Education
-Completed assessment
report
Phase II:
Development
•Write outcomes
•Write district assessments
•Develop curriculum
•Select resources/materials
Gifted Education
-Work with high school
English and math to develop
course outline for “pre-AP”
courses at middle school
Phase III:
Implementation
•Implement new curriculum
•Provide staff development
•Review student work
Gifted Education
-Pilot pre-AP courses in English
and Math
-Work with high school science
and social studies departments to
develop course outline for “pre
AP” courses at middle school
Phase IV:
Measurement and Adjustment
•Review student work
•Make adjustments
-Gifted Education
-Pilot pre-AP courses
in science and soc.
studies
-Evaluate success of
pre- AP courses
-Make adjustments
Big Lake Schools Middle School Curriculum Phase Recommendations:
Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

19. Phase 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
Phase I:
Assessment Plan
•Evaluate/Analyze Curriculum
•Describe results relating to high
standards
Gifted Education
-Completed assessment
report
Phase II:
Development
•Write outcomes
•Write district assessments
•Develop curriculum
•Select resources/materials
Gifted Education
-Facilitate process of establishing
AP courses in the English and
Math
Departments (courses to begin 05-
06)
-Train AP teachers
-Plan for recruitment of students
for AP classes
-Recruit students
Phase III:
Implementation
•Implement new curriculum
•Provide staff development
•Review student work
Gifted Education
-Begin AP math and English
courses
-Facilitate process of
establishing AP courses in
the Science and Social
Studies Departments
(courses to begin 06-07)
-Train AP teachers
Phase IV:
Measurement and Adjustment
•Review student work
•Make adjustments
-Gifted Education
-Begin AP science and social
studies courses
-Plan for other Depts.. AP
offerings
-Eval. AP success
Big Lake Schools High School Curriculum Phase Recommendations:
Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Program

20. GIFTED EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT SERVICES
DISTRICT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Number of students who participate in advanced courses, special interest
classes, and enrichment seminars.
Quality of assessments completed by students in advanced courses,
special interest classes, and enrichment seminars.
 Number of students who participate in academic challenges and
competitions.
Number of staff offered professional development to meet the needs of
gifted and talented students.
Satisfaction surveys completed by parents, staff and students.

21. The number of staffing allocations for gifted and talented services in
the district who are responsible for direct instruction of identified
students, building academic challenges and opportunities, and a
support resource to classroom teachers in working with students and
differentiating instruction.
(As determined by staffing) Number of students able to take part in
individualized learning plans and individual research projects.
Number of opportunities for students to interact with peers of similar
ability in a specific program area.
number of academically rigorous courses offered and completed at
the middle school and high school level.
The number of students scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams (once
courses are offered).
Number of students taking the ACT or the SAT test.
The average score of students taking the ACT or SAT exam.

22. What’s Next?
Form a task force to determine the feasibility and timeline of investing
in the financial recommendations.
Suggested members:
•School Board member
•Director of Finance and/or Director of Human Resources
•Director of Teaching and Learning
•Gifted Education and Enrichment Services Coordinator
•Principal
•Classroom Teacher
•Parent

23. Year two
• Staff development
– Book Studies
– Article Studies
– Targeting cluster teachers
– Faculty meetings
– School Board Meetings
• Parent/community education
– Websites
– Newsletters
– Book Studies/clubs
– One page mini- “newsletters” to send home

24. Year Two Continued
• Implement Elementary Program
– Identification procedures
– Access/opportunity for all parents/students
– Purchase/develop curriculum for pull-out
– Look for a variety of opportunities to serve gifted students with
different strengths (I.e. Junior Great Books for linguistically strong
students, Continental Math League for strong problem solving/math
students…
• Partner with community education or volunteer groups
– Inform, inform, inform staff

25. Year Three
• Explore providing College in the Classroom classes
• Provide support and supplies to high school teachers who wish to teach a CIC class
• Determine which will fit into the scope and sequence of the high school offerings
• Track data on students to see if we experience a decrease in number of students
going to a PSEO program

26. Year Four
• Introduce Vertical Teaming
– College Board Training Core Content
– Two full days per secondary department
• Vertical Team Steering Committee
– Stakeholders represented
– Discuss Secondary Program
• What do we have to offer via secondary programming?
• What do other comparable districts offer?
• Where can we strength our program to meet the needs of all learners?
• High Performance Programming Discussed
• Decision to proceed with this programming for the following school year
• Train volunteer HP teachers in English, Math, Science and Social Studies
grades 6-10
• Determine timeline for an HP application process
• Parent and student meetings and presentations regarding the High Performance
classes

27. Year Five
• Implement High Performance classes in English, Math, Science and
Social Studies in grades 6-10
• Hold HP forums to provide support to HP teachers and discuss issues
as they arise
• Discuss implementing more AP classes at the high school

28. Year Six
• Continue to monitor HP programming
• Add AP US History to 09-10 schedule
• Train teacher to teach AP US History
• Train staff on using NWEA MAP data to change instruction to impact
student academic growth
• Facilitate discussions regarding the quartile of students are growing
the least according to MAP data results

29. Key Lessons Learned:
• GT program being placed on Curriculum Cycle adds
validity, importance and accountability
• Teachers haven’t been taught about GT--- you must fill in
the gap (often they really DON’T get it…)
• Use Best Practices and Research
• Survey neighboring districts
• Survey districts with similar demographics and size
• Use data, data, and more data
• One thing at a time
• Be strategic in planning
• Slow and steady wins the race!

30. Kris Happe
Enrichment Services and Gifted Education Coordinator
Big Lake Schools
k.happe@biglake.k12.mn.us