2024 IAGC Conference

Streaming / Hybrid Session

As part of a 2020 Javits grant, a team of researchers worked to train staff from ten districts around the country on best practices in student identification. Lessons learned were used to develop an online system of training modules. Now, those modules are free and available for anyone to use! This session will provide an overview of what they cover, why the content can help, and how they can be accessed and used by anyone.

Discover the Gifted Framework Continuum, a tool designed by Chicago Public Schools in collaboration with the National Association for Gifted Children Standards to organize best practices in gifted education. Learn how it empowers educators with indicators for success, ensuring equitable implementation across a school or district. Explore its applications, from guiding goal-setting to informing professional development priorities. Gain insights into its creation process, impact, and utilization, and use time to consider its application to your role. 

Identification processes for acceleration and giftedness can be complex and stressful for all involved: educators, students and families. In order to create a positive environment, we are launching new resources (web content & communication) to share family-friendly information before, during, and after the process. We address the complexity of our offerings, multiple entrance points to accelerated pathways and increased students opportunities to excel. 

Many schools say they cluster group for gifted services, but few say they do it successfully. Dr. Brulles will address the inherent challenges and suggest ways schools can overcome common obstacles when cluster grouping.  Participants will learn how to create a fair and equitable system for serving gifted students by incorporating cluster grouping into school and district initiatives.  She will discuss methods for making student placements, supporting cluster teachers, monitoring success, and building community support.

Several U.S. states and many more school districts have adopted MTSS-based models for serving gifted and advanced students, which aim to expand access to enrichment, differentiated instruction, and appropriate supports and frame talent development as a schoolwide responsibility. Explore how talent development programs that leverage MTSS provide opportunities to enhance equity and promote collaboration and explore challenges, and “lessons learned” from experience implementing MTSS-based service models.

Gifted students are often identified as high-achieving and therefore accelerated or placed in enrichment programs. However, what about students who do not qualify as gifted but are still high level learners? How will you ensure these students continue to grow within the classroom? Learn how to focus on PLC question 4, update curriculum guides for progression of standards, and incorporate collaboration across grade levels to ensure high level learners continue to grow at high levels.

Effective program evaluations provide a golden opportunity to improve practice because they help schools identify priorities, select appropriate models and strategies, and create coalitions for change and continuous improvement. This session teaches participants about design principles for multi-faceted evaluations of local gifted services and strategies for engaging stakeholders in standards-based improvement. Hear about successes, cautionary tales, and explore common themes from the experiences of urban, suburban, and rural districts.