AAP Expansion Plan

Draft Proposal for Expansion of Advanced Academic Level IV Centers

School Board Work SessionDecember 10, 2012

•Enrollment increase in FCPS Advanced Academic Programs has led to overcrowding at some Level IV centers

•Students are assigned to centers out of pyramid and cluster

•Equity of access issues for students who may not want to leave their school community

•Need vertical articulation in K – 12 pyramids

Issues and Challenges

Virginia's Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students require each school division to submit to the Department of Education a plan for the education of gifted students. This plan includes the school division's philosophy, goals, procedures for identification, and services provided to students.

Funds provided from state are based on total FCPS student population.

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http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/gifted_ed/index.shtml

State Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students

"Gifted students" means those students in public elementary, middle, and secondary schools

beginning with kindergarten through twelfth grade who demonstrate high levels of

accomplishment or who show the potential for higher levels of accomplishment when compared

to others of the same age, experience, or environment.”

State Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students

• Developed with input from central office staff, school administrators, teachers who work with advanced learners, parents, and community representatives

• Approved by the Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee (formerly GTAC) and the FCPS School Board according to state regulations.

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/pdfs/localplan/FinalLocalPlan.pdf

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State Regulations FCPS Local Plan for the Gifted

Advanced Academic Programs

Cascade of Services Model: Multiple forms of grouping at each stage of development

This summary looked at the AAP mobility over 5 years (04‐05 thru 08‐09).

Dr. Joyce Van Tassel‐Baska

Level 2 ‐ Level 3 ‐ Level 4 Level 2 – Level 4 Level 3 – Level 4

298 2,633 831

Best Practice in Gifted Education

• Level IV centers located in 24 elementary and 11 middle schools

• Highly challenging curriculum and instruction offered in the four core subject areas – acceleration in mathematics

• Approximately 22% of the total FCPS population in grades 3‐8 served

Level IV Services

Approximately 19% of total second grade

Two paths to Level IV Screening

3.1% of total population grades 2 - 7

• Ability test scores

• Achievement test scores (if available)

• Gifted Behaviors Rating Scale with Commentary

• Progress Reports and Comments

• Additional information (optional)• Parent/Guardian Questionnaire• Work samples (5 pgs) plus one – at least one from school

• Certificates/Awards/Letters (5 pgs)• Additional testing

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Information Considered by FCPS in Level IV Placement Decisions (3‐8)

Central Selection Committee Reads ALL information.

Consider each case on its own merit.

Look for evidence that supports Level IV placement.

Year 1999‐2000 2001‐2002 2003‐2004 2005‐2006 2007‐2008 20009‐2010 2011‐2012 2012‐2013

Total FCPS Population Grades 3 ‐ 8

71,799 74,570 74,700 73,568 74,800 76,842 78,947 80,233

Number of Level IV Students 4,290 4,641 5,826 7,158 8,686 10,514 12,044 13,339

Percentage of 3‐8 students in centers

6% 6.2% 7.8% 9.7% 11.6% 13.7% 15.3% 16.6%

Number of Centers

16 ES centers10 MS centers



23 ES centers10 MScenters





New centers opened New center Sangster

New centers1. Clearview2. Colvin Run3. Lorton

Station4. Mosby

Woods5. Oak Hill 6. Riverside

New Center Jackson MS

New center McNair

OvercrowdedLouise ArcherHunters WoodsHaycockNew MS center for FY13South County

Enrollment in Level IV CentersGrades 3 – 8 2000‐2013

The capacity of schools with Level IV centers to physically accommodate high numbers of eligible

students is being stretched both at the elementary and middle school level.

June2007‐08

June2008‐09

June2009‐10

June2010‐11

June2011‐12

October2012‐13

LOUISE ARCHER ELEMENTARY 319 338 345 376 374 427

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

LOUISE ARCHER ELEMENTARY

AAP, 427, 52%

Gen Ed, 397, 48%

Membership = 824

722824

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

LOUISE ARCHER ELEMENTARY

Capacity = 102 Over Cap

Capacity

CurrentEnrollment

June2007‐08

June2008‐09

June2009‐10

June2010‐11

June2011‐12

October2012‐13

HAYCOCK ELEMENTARY 367 380 365 332 377 437

050100150200250300350400450500

HAYCOCK ELEMENTARY

AAP, 437, 46%

Gen Ed, 519, 54%

Membership = 956

776

956

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

HAYCOCK ELEMENTARY


Capacity

CurrentEnrollment

June2007‐08

June2008‐09

June2009‐10

June2010‐11

June2011‐12

October2012‐13

HUNTERS WOODSELEMENTARY 405 429 445 452 479 520

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

HUNTERS WOODS ELEMENTARY

AAP, 520, 46%Gen Ed,

602, 54%

Membership = 1,122

926

1,122

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

HUNTERS WOODS ELEMENTARY


Capacity

CurrentEnrollment

AAP Task ForceBackground & Context

• AAP Task Force was convened in Spring 2012

• Essential Question:– How do we provide Level IV curriculum and instruction to every eligible child who has the potential to succeed?

• Context for Task Force’s Work– Growing student enrollment in FCPS– Growing AAP student enrollment

• Centers are overcrowded– Three centers are capped and unable to accept more students– Additional Centers projected to reach capacity in future years

• Provide access to Level IV in all pyramids– Students currently are unable to access AAP Center programming in 6 Pyramids

– Some students do not accept placement because they do not want to leave their pyramid/cluster

AAP Task ForceBackground & Context

AAP Task Force

• Facilitated by Dr. Joyce Van Tassel‐Baska, a national leader in gifted education, former Director of the National Research Center for Gifted Education

• Teachers, Principals, Facilities, Transportation, Human Resources, PLA, Special Services, and Instructional Services personnel

• Reviewed enrollment trends and projections, history of gifted education in FCPS, research‐based best practices in gifted education, and current delivery models

• Met over a 6 month period to formulate recommendations• Identified next steps: collecting feedback from key

stakeholders including parents, community members, and school staff

AAP Task Force Members

Facilitator: Dr. Joyce Van Tassel‐BaskaCraig HerringKarin WilliamsCarol HornAndy CamardaCheryl McCulloughSusan SavageDiane KerrKatie BaxterCarole ZendleMarie LemmonMarty MarinoffKirsten MaloneyDenise JamesTom Italiano

Deirdre MilesJesse KraftJames KacurBarbara BurkeMatthew NortonKathy OliverRachel CharltonKevin SneedDonnell FisherMichelle MakrigiorgosAmy Goodloe Steve HockettDeirdre Lavery

AAP Task Force Members

AAP Task Force Recommendations

Create and align a K‐12 continuum of advanced academic services in all pyramids in order to expand access in every

cluster (six pyramids currently without AAP centers).

Middle School

Begin with 7th Grade, and expand Center services to allmiddle schools to create

continuity of services in pyramids

Group center eligible students with teachers that have the AAP endorsement.

Elementary SchoolBegin with 3rd Grade, assign center eligible students to Level IV centers that are aligned

by pyramid.

Open new centers in order to have a center in every pyramid and to alleviate

overcrowding in certain existing centers (e.g., Louise Archer, Haycock, and Hunters

Woods).

• K‐12 continuum of advanced academic services in all pyramids provides equity of access to all students.

• The capacity of current Level IV centers to physically accommodate high numbers of eligible students is being stretched both at the elementary and middle school level.

• Some Centers (e.g., Haycock, Hunters Woods, and Louise Archer) are currently capped and are not able to accommodate additional students.

AAP Task ForceRecommendation Rationale

• FCPS staff began exploring Task Force recommendations, including:– Identifying site locations for new centers

• Consideration of facilities needs and issues• Consideration of transportation issues

– Preliminary sites have been identified• Collecting parent and community feedback

AAP Task ForceFall 2012 Actions

FCPS staff began exploring Task Force recommendations, including:

– Developed Readiness Checklist to ensure high quality program

• Highly qualified teachers with level IV training

• Critical mass of students identified for Level IV services

• School plan for Level IV services & extracurricular activities (e.g., Math Counts, Science Olympiad etc.)

• Facility readiness

• Transportation

– Implementation timeline• Principal Input• Parent and community input

AAP Task ForceFall 2012 Actions

• Begin implementation at 3rd grade in elementary schools– Grades 4‐6 grandfathered

• Begin implementation at 7th grade in middle schools– Center eligible students will be in separate center classes– Honors will continue as part of the continuum of advanced academic services– Grade 8 grandfathered

• Transportation will be provided to AAP Center students

• Pupil transfers follow current guidelines as outlined http://www.fcps.edu/dss/osp/StudentRegistration/student‐transfer/index.shtml

• Provided school readiness is assured, begin implementation of new AAP Centers in Fall 2013

AAP Task ForceProposed Recommendations

• November 26th at Westfield HS – Approximately 300 attendees

• November 27th at Lee HS– Approximately 150 attendees

• November 28th at Kilmer MS– Approximately 500 attendees

Community Meetings

•Timeline too fast

•Need a critical mass of students

•Separating cohorts of students

•Teacher qualifications

•Maintain center quality of existing centers

•Readiness of new centers to provide high quality program

•Concern about long term projections

•Concern about accuracy of data

Community Feedback: Themes

Option One:

•Implement new Middle School Centers in Fall 2013

• The Readiness Checklist will be completed by each school and submitted to FCPS Leadership Team by January 18, 2013.

• The FCPS Leadership Team (LT) will determine, based on the Readiness Checklist, which schools will open a new Level IV Center in 2013 with attendance by grade 7 students and grade 8 “grandfathered” to current schools.

• Beginning in fall 2014, new Centers will serve students in grades 7‐8.

Middle School Revised Recommendations

• Middle schools not identified to open as a Level IV Center in Fall 2013 will receive additional support for program implementation to build capacity to become a Level IV Center in Fall 2014 or beyond.

• Middle schools not identified to open as a Level IV Center in Fall 2013 will receive additional support for program implementation to build capacity to become a Level IV Center in Fall 2014 or beyond. Until the new center is established, students are eligible to attend their currently assigned AAP Center.


Option Two:

• Delay implementation of additional Middle School Centers until 2014 in order to further refine the plan.

• Schools continue to provide Level IV services to students wishing to remain at their base school.


Option One:

•Open new Centers in order to have a Center in every pyramid and promote continuity of services in pyramids

• The Readiness Checklist will be completed by each school and submitted toFCPS Leadership Team by January 18, 2013.

• Assign students to Level IV Centers that are aligned by pyramid.

• Year one of implementation to include only grade 3 students with grades 4‐6 students “grandfathered” to current schools.

Elementary School Revised Recommendations

New centers:Cluster 2: Camelot, Lemon Road, WestbriarCluster 3: BraddockCluster 5: Bush Hill, SilverbrookCluster 6: Oak View, FairviewCluster 8: Crossfield, Virginia Run

• Schools continue to have the option of opening Local Level IV programs to serve their base school students


Option Two:

•Open new Centers Fall 2013 to alleviate overcrowding; open new centers in remaining pyramids Fall 2014

•In Fall 2013, open new Centers to immediately alleviate overcrowding. Year one of implementation to include only grade 3 students with grades 4‐6 students “grandfathered” to current schools.

•Louise Archer and Haycock solution: New centers at Lemon Road and Westbriar

•Hunters Woods solution: New center at Crossfield


In Fall 2014, open additional Centers and assign students to Centers based on pyramids. The FCPS Leadership Team (LT) will determine, based on school readiness, which schools will open a new Level IV Center in 2014 with attendance by grade 3 students with grade 4‐6 students “grandfathered” to current schools.

Cluster 2: CamelotCluster 3: Braddock Cluster 5: Bush Hill, SilverbrookCluster 6: Oak View, FairviewCluster 8: Virginia Run

Schools continue to have the option of opening Local Level IV programs to serve their base school students


Option Three

•Delay implementation of any new Elementary Centers until 2014 in order to further refine the plan.

•Schools continue to have the option of opening Local Level IV programs to serve their base school students


Documents

AAP Expansion Plan