GIVE ALL STUDENTS ACCESS TO ADVANCED COURSES IN JUNIOR HIGH
Rather than tracking junior high students based on "gifted" eligibility, the district should replace GATE-only classes at the junior high level with honors courses open to all. Students who are prepared for advanced work should be able to choose among and enroll in challenging courses of interest, using a "cafeteria-style" approach, just as in high school.
PROVIDE DISTRICT SUPPORT OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION AND FLEXIBLE ABILITY GROUPING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM)
The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) (Renzulli, 1977; Renzulli & Reis, 1985, 1997) is widely implemented as an enrichment program used with academically gifted and talented students and a magnet theme/enrichment approach for all schools interested in high-end learning and developing the strengths and talents of all students. The major goal of the SEM is the application of gifted education pedagogy to total school improvement. In a recent presentation for the Davis community, Dana Cope, GATE administrator for Napa Unified School District spoke on how her district has applied SEM/Renzulli in creating an integrated GATE program that challenges all students. You may watch a recording of the April 24, 2013 presentation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzle8OTzZj8. For further explanation of the Renzulli method, please see University of Connecticut Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development website at http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction benefits all students, including "gifted" students. Dr. Fred Brill ("Stories of GATE and De-Tracking" November, 2012) explains how differentiated instruction was successfully implemented at all grade levels in the Lafayette School District, where he currently serves as Superintendent. Watch a video recording of Dr. Brill's presentation at http://dctv.davismedia.org/node/39018
Educators may differentiate in several ways in order to target a diverse group of learners. For example in an inquiry based lesson, teachers may prompt learners with a complex question, inviting all students to challenge themselves to think about a problem in a variety of ways. By accessing multiple points of entry, learners can begin working on the problem in ways that they find accessible and interesting. Well-designed lessons also have multiple goals and opportunities for students to extend their thinking beyond the scope of the original question.
In addition to providing GATE programming through specially crafted lessons, educators also provide complex, accelerated learning through a range of organizational strategies.
Differentiated Instruction Involves Choosing From a Range of Options
Differentiated Instruction: The Four Components
(Fremont School District)
Acceleration/Pacing - Moving students faster through the curriculum and not expecting them to
do what they already know how to do.
Depth - Having students become true experts in a given area; giving them an opportunity to find
out about certain subjects in great detail.
Complexity - Exploring the connections and relationships between things, comparing and
contrasting.
Novelty - Allowing students to exhibit their creativity in the creation of original projects that
challenge their thinking in new and unusual ways.
Differentiating the Curriculum
The California Association for the Gifted (CAG) believes that curriculum should be differentiated for all students and that all classrooms should offer multiple paths for success. Differentiation means providing instruction appropriate to each child's stage of development, irrespective of what is considered standard curriculum for the child’s chronological age (Karnes & Johnson, in press-b). Differentiating the curriculum does not mean providing students with more of the same or merely increasing the pace of learning (Karnes, Scwedel, and Williams, 1983).
DEVELOP DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGIES THAT MOVE AWAY FROM HIGH ENROLLMENT IN SELF- CONTAINED CLASSES
We encourage the DJUSD to introduce and develop district-wide strategies such as flexible ability grouping and differentiated instruction in elementary school, with the goal serving gifted and high-achieving students while moving away from rigidly tracking students into self-contained gifted classes. Such strategies, developed and refined by educators specializing in gifted education, have been shown to benefit all learners. Developing these strategies and supporting and encouraging teachers to use them, and starting to decrease the number of students in self-contained gifted classes, would better serve the district’s stated mission of partnering with parents to provide an excellent educational program that develops the knowledge, skills, abilities, and values needed for all students to reach their full potential.
Tracking is Not "Best Practices" in Education
Tracking students into rigid groups by perceived ability level and expectation of academic achievement is contrary to “best practices” in education because it compromises educational equity and perpetuates an “achievement gap” where students from highly educated families succeed most in school, students from less privileged families succeed least, and students in the middle of the pack stay in the middle. Inclusive classes with high academic expectations for all and flexible ability grouping where needed to keep each student moving forward are known to be the best way to serve students from the most educated families, the least educated families, and all of those in between.
The DJUSD Rigidly Tracks "Gifted" Students in Fourth Through Eighth Grade
At the high school level, the DJUSD follows best practices and avoids tracking by setting high expectations for all students, allowing all students to enroll in AP and Honors courses if the prerequisites are met and/or students can show they are otherwise qualified for the course, and providing extra support to prepare for college to those students who need it.
In junior high, in contrast, the district follows a rigid tracking system with respect to advanced courses. At two of the three junior high sites, advanced courses are available only to “intellectually gifted” students. Eligible students can enroll in the “gifted core” block that includes English, Science, and Social Studies, but they must enroll in all three courses. Over 20% of DJUSD junior high students enroll in the gifted core on these two campuses, and most of them also take Algebra in the seventh grade, a year earlier than their "not gifted" peers. Most of the students qualify for “gifted” courses in junior high based on testing carried out in the fall of their third grade year.
In fourth through sixth grade, the DJUSD tracking system is even more rigid. Approximately 30% of the student population is identified as “gifted” through the third-grade universal testing, private testing, or re-testing at the invitation of the district, and two thirds of them (20% of the entire student population) enroll in “gifted strands” made up of self-contained classes in fourth through sixth grades. The self-contained classes have wait lists, and students found to be “gifted” after the third grade testing cycle go to the end of the list if they later seek a placement in the self-contained strands.
Gifted Classes in Davis Elementary Schools Create a Two-Tiered System
Students in the elementary gifted classes often garner enhanced educational opportunities. Accelerated math instruction in grades four through six is the norm. Students have more access to enrichment such as field trips and math and problem-solving clubs and activities. Classes are less likely to include students with disabilities and students not yet proficient in English, and the rigid placement process ensures more stability of student population and teacher-grade assignments. With a more academically and economically privileged parent base, the self-contained classes can tap into more resources to promote academic excellence and enrichment.
Regular classes, where teachers face more challenges with fewer resources, become designated as the "B Team" in Davis. Although the district states that all students, including "gifted" and high-achieving students, who remain in the regular program will be challenged to reach their highest possible academic achievement, the district provides no structured framework to support teachers in delivering on that promise. For example, there is no policy of encouraging and supporting teachers to use flexible ability grouping and other types of differentiated instruction to challenge all students toward excellence.
Preconceptions About the Significance of Being a "Gifted" Student Abound in Davis
How does the testing, labeling and sorting of students through the gifted program impact teachers’, students’, and parents’ expectations for each student's academic excellence and success in school?
In the parent and student community, there is a widespread belief that the "gifted" classes are where the top 20% of students by academic potential belong, and that those classes are the most likely place where academically advanced instruction will be provided. There is a common, though mistaken, belief that AP and Honors courses in high school are available to only students coming from "gifted" junior high and elementary classes. Due to these perceptions, parents often feel pressured to secure a place for their children in the "gifted" classes and worry about lost educational opportunities if their children are not in the program. Preconceptions about "gifted" students and their needs and their academic potential affect the teacher community as well. According to experts in educational psychology such as Carole Dweck and others, the labeling of some students as being highly intelligent has a significant, negative impact – and widespread student, parent, and teacher observations and perceptions voiced in Davis verify that outcome.
The Gifted Program is Not Just Another Parent "Choice" Option
Although “choice” among programs is a hallmark of Davis schools, the gifted program cannot be characterized as a program of “choice.” A test score determines who will and will not be invited to participate. True “choice” programs in Davis, such as Spanish Immersion, Montessori, and Da Vinci Academy, are open to all and placement is made by open lottery.
DJUSD Tracking Policies Interfere With its Stated Mission and Objectives
The district sorts its fourth grade students into two rigid tracks and students know from a young age what place has been assigned to them in this two-tiered system. Social groupings are established accordingly, and they often persist all the way through high school graduation.
Predictably, once in high school, "gifted" students -- especially those coming up through the self-contained classes -- are disproportionately likely to take on rigorous course work by enrolling in challenging AP and honors courses. Informal social groupings at the high school reinforce the separation of "gifted" students from their peers. Students labeled as "not gifted,” and tracked accordingly in elementary and junior high, often under-achieve in secondary school and fail to meet their "highest possible academic achievement." (Sadly, many Davis students do not realize until many years later how smart, talented, and valuable they really are.) Thus, though the district disclaims tracking in high school, the social and academic fabric of the student community, having been designed and woven in the fourth grade, remains.
The bottom line for us as Davis parents and teachers is simple: there really is no valid reason to permanently label and rigidly separate children through "tracking" in elementary and junior high school, any more than there is in high school. Teachers do assessments regularly and they know where their students are and how to move them forward. Labeling leads to false generalizations about each group. These false generalizations divide students and divide our community, causing inequities in classrooms and inviting teachers, students, and parents to view students' abilities with fixed predictive expectations.
Rather than tracking junior high students based on "gifted" eligibility, the district should replace GATE-only classes at the junior high level with honors courses open to all. Students who are prepared for advanced work should be able to choose among and enroll in challenging courses of interest, using a "cafeteria-style" approach, just as in high school.
PROVIDE DISTRICT SUPPORT OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION AND FLEXIBLE ABILITY GROUPING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM)
The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) (Renzulli, 1977; Renzulli & Reis, 1985, 1997) is widely implemented as an enrichment program used with academically gifted and talented students and a magnet theme/enrichment approach for all schools interested in high-end learning and developing the strengths and talents of all students. The major goal of the SEM is the application of gifted education pedagogy to total school improvement. In a recent presentation for the Davis community, Dana Cope, GATE administrator for Napa Unified School District spoke on how her district has applied SEM/Renzulli in creating an integrated GATE program that challenges all students. You may watch a recording of the April 24, 2013 presentation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzle8OTzZj8. For further explanation of the Renzulli method, please see University of Connecticut Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development website at http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated Instruction benefits all students, including "gifted" students. Dr. Fred Brill ("Stories of GATE and De-Tracking" November, 2012) explains how differentiated instruction was successfully implemented at all grade levels in the Lafayette School District, where he currently serves as Superintendent. Watch a video recording of Dr. Brill's presentation at http://dctv.davismedia.org/node/39018
Educators may differentiate in several ways in order to target a diverse group of learners. For example in an inquiry based lesson, teachers may prompt learners with a complex question, inviting all students to challenge themselves to think about a problem in a variety of ways. By accessing multiple points of entry, learners can begin working on the problem in ways that they find accessible and interesting. Well-designed lessons also have multiple goals and opportunities for students to extend their thinking beyond the scope of the original question.
In addition to providing GATE programming through specially crafted lessons, educators also provide complex, accelerated learning through a range of organizational strategies.
Differentiated Instruction Involves Choosing From a Range of Options
- Cluster Grouping
- Flexible Grouping
- Inquiry &/or Project Learning
- Acceleration
- Pull-out
- Curriculum Compacting
- Enrichment
- Independent Study
- Mentoring
- Cross-campus Enrollment
- Early College Enrollment
Differentiated Instruction: The Four Components
(Fremont School District)
Acceleration/Pacing - Moving students faster through the curriculum and not expecting them to
do what they already know how to do.
Depth - Having students become true experts in a given area; giving them an opportunity to find
out about certain subjects in great detail.
Complexity - Exploring the connections and relationships between things, comparing and
contrasting.
Novelty - Allowing students to exhibit their creativity in the creation of original projects that
challenge their thinking in new and unusual ways.
Differentiating the Curriculum
The California Association for the Gifted (CAG) believes that curriculum should be differentiated for all students and that all classrooms should offer multiple paths for success. Differentiation means providing instruction appropriate to each child's stage of development, irrespective of what is considered standard curriculum for the child’s chronological age (Karnes & Johnson, in press-b). Differentiating the curriculum does not mean providing students with more of the same or merely increasing the pace of learning (Karnes, Scwedel, and Williams, 1983).
DEVELOP DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGIES THAT MOVE AWAY FROM HIGH ENROLLMENT IN SELF- CONTAINED CLASSES
We encourage the DJUSD to introduce and develop district-wide strategies such as flexible ability grouping and differentiated instruction in elementary school, with the goal serving gifted and high-achieving students while moving away from rigidly tracking students into self-contained gifted classes. Such strategies, developed and refined by educators specializing in gifted education, have been shown to benefit all learners. Developing these strategies and supporting and encouraging teachers to use them, and starting to decrease the number of students in self-contained gifted classes, would better serve the district’s stated mission of partnering with parents to provide an excellent educational program that develops the knowledge, skills, abilities, and values needed for all students to reach their full potential.
Tracking is Not "Best Practices" in Education
Tracking students into rigid groups by perceived ability level and expectation of academic achievement is contrary to “best practices” in education because it compromises educational equity and perpetuates an “achievement gap” where students from highly educated families succeed most in school, students from less privileged families succeed least, and students in the middle of the pack stay in the middle. Inclusive classes with high academic expectations for all and flexible ability grouping where needed to keep each student moving forward are known to be the best way to serve students from the most educated families, the least educated families, and all of those in between.
The DJUSD Rigidly Tracks "Gifted" Students in Fourth Through Eighth Grade
At the high school level, the DJUSD follows best practices and avoids tracking by setting high expectations for all students, allowing all students to enroll in AP and Honors courses if the prerequisites are met and/or students can show they are otherwise qualified for the course, and providing extra support to prepare for college to those students who need it.
In junior high, in contrast, the district follows a rigid tracking system with respect to advanced courses. At two of the three junior high sites, advanced courses are available only to “intellectually gifted” students. Eligible students can enroll in the “gifted core” block that includes English, Science, and Social Studies, but they must enroll in all three courses. Over 20% of DJUSD junior high students enroll in the gifted core on these two campuses, and most of them also take Algebra in the seventh grade, a year earlier than their "not gifted" peers. Most of the students qualify for “gifted” courses in junior high based on testing carried out in the fall of their third grade year.
In fourth through sixth grade, the DJUSD tracking system is even more rigid. Approximately 30% of the student population is identified as “gifted” through the third-grade universal testing, private testing, or re-testing at the invitation of the district, and two thirds of them (20% of the entire student population) enroll in “gifted strands” made up of self-contained classes in fourth through sixth grades. The self-contained classes have wait lists, and students found to be “gifted” after the third grade testing cycle go to the end of the list if they later seek a placement in the self-contained strands.
Gifted Classes in Davis Elementary Schools Create a Two-Tiered System
Students in the elementary gifted classes often garner enhanced educational opportunities. Accelerated math instruction in grades four through six is the norm. Students have more access to enrichment such as field trips and math and problem-solving clubs and activities. Classes are less likely to include students with disabilities and students not yet proficient in English, and the rigid placement process ensures more stability of student population and teacher-grade assignments. With a more academically and economically privileged parent base, the self-contained classes can tap into more resources to promote academic excellence and enrichment.
Regular classes, where teachers face more challenges with fewer resources, become designated as the "B Team" in Davis. Although the district states that all students, including "gifted" and high-achieving students, who remain in the regular program will be challenged to reach their highest possible academic achievement, the district provides no structured framework to support teachers in delivering on that promise. For example, there is no policy of encouraging and supporting teachers to use flexible ability grouping and other types of differentiated instruction to challenge all students toward excellence.
Preconceptions About the Significance of Being a "Gifted" Student Abound in Davis
How does the testing, labeling and sorting of students through the gifted program impact teachers’, students’, and parents’ expectations for each student's academic excellence and success in school?
In the parent and student community, there is a widespread belief that the "gifted" classes are where the top 20% of students by academic potential belong, and that those classes are the most likely place where academically advanced instruction will be provided. There is a common, though mistaken, belief that AP and Honors courses in high school are available to only students coming from "gifted" junior high and elementary classes. Due to these perceptions, parents often feel pressured to secure a place for their children in the "gifted" classes and worry about lost educational opportunities if their children are not in the program. Preconceptions about "gifted" students and their needs and their academic potential affect the teacher community as well. According to experts in educational psychology such as Carole Dweck and others, the labeling of some students as being highly intelligent has a significant, negative impact – and widespread student, parent, and teacher observations and perceptions voiced in Davis verify that outcome.
The Gifted Program is Not Just Another Parent "Choice" Option
Although “choice” among programs is a hallmark of Davis schools, the gifted program cannot be characterized as a program of “choice.” A test score determines who will and will not be invited to participate. True “choice” programs in Davis, such as Spanish Immersion, Montessori, and Da Vinci Academy, are open to all and placement is made by open lottery.
DJUSD Tracking Policies Interfere With its Stated Mission and Objectives
The district sorts its fourth grade students into two rigid tracks and students know from a young age what place has been assigned to them in this two-tiered system. Social groupings are established accordingly, and they often persist all the way through high school graduation.
Predictably, once in high school, "gifted" students -- especially those coming up through the self-contained classes -- are disproportionately likely to take on rigorous course work by enrolling in challenging AP and honors courses. Informal social groupings at the high school reinforce the separation of "gifted" students from their peers. Students labeled as "not gifted,” and tracked accordingly in elementary and junior high, often under-achieve in secondary school and fail to meet their "highest possible academic achievement." (Sadly, many Davis students do not realize until many years later how smart, talented, and valuable they really are.) Thus, though the district disclaims tracking in high school, the social and academic fabric of the student community, having been designed and woven in the fourth grade, remains.
The bottom line for us as Davis parents and teachers is simple: there really is no valid reason to permanently label and rigidly separate children through "tracking" in elementary and junior high school, any more than there is in high school. Teachers do assessments regularly and they know where their students are and how to move them forward. Labeling leads to false generalizations about each group. These false generalizations divide students and divide our community, causing inequities in classrooms and inviting teachers, students, and parents to view students' abilities with fixed predictive expectations.
