AG Services in GCS

  

GCS does not formally identify students for AG eligibility until 2nd grade. However, this does not negate the need for differentiated instruction in the primary grades. For students in grades K-2, the AG Department provides consultative or talent development services. 

K-2 Consultative Services

The AG department supports the K-2 classroom teacher in recognizing gifted characteristics and modifying instructional practices in order to personalize learning and cultivate academic and intellectual growth. This occurs through a collaborative process between the classroom teacher and the school-based AG team. 

• Upon availability of new data, the classroom teacher and the AG teacher consult to establish appropriate modifications to meet the academic and intellectual needs of students who are performing well above their grade level peers.

• The AG teacher may identify resources, structures, strategies, and environmental adjustments to aid in appropriate differentiation.

• The AG teacher monitors the implemented measures and provides continuous support which may include additional modifications.

• Consultation may lead to more structured adjustments to the learning environment:
  • Clustering: Assignment to a classroom with other students that demonstrate the need for differentiated instruction
  • Curriculum Compacting: Curriculum will be adapted to meet student’s needs
  • Subject Acceleration: Pending Principal’s approval
  • Grade Acceleration: Pending Principal’s approval

Talent Development

The AG department acknowledges the need to deliberately cultivate the ability of students to promote their academic success.  To that end, elementary AG teachers provide Talent Development services that aim to increase AG identification of students from underrepresented populations.  These services are provided to students in grades K – 5. 

Participation in our Talent Development services is determined on an annual basis and is dependent upon student performance and scheduling capacity. Since talent development services is based on the student’s performance in their local environment (school), these services are not guaranteed should a child transfer to another school/school district during the school year. The programs for students in grades K-2 are:

K – 1 Nurture Program:

Using the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) Curriculum students at select schools receive weekly whole group enrichment opportunities that help them develop critical thinking strategies.  Upon observation from both the classroom teacher and AG teacher, select students are pulled for more individualized or small group enrichment. 

Grade 2 Nurture:

Using the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) Curriculum elementary AG teachers visit second grade classrooms to conduct whole-group lessons focusing on creative and critical thinking skills.  The program aims to create scholarly classroom environments that fully engage students in the critical thinking process.  Upon completion of the whole-group lessons, the AG teacher provides small group enrichment to students identified using classroom observations and available data.  It is the expectation of the AG Department that the Grade 2 Nurture program is implemented at all schools.

Formal identification for AG services begins in the third grade. For students in grades 3 – 5, the AG Department provides pull-out enrichment or talent development services:

Pull-Out Enrichment

Eligibility for AG services is dependent upon multiple points of data. For the remainder of the GCS AIG Plan 2022-2025, when using EOC data for eligibility for grades 3-12 the scale score equivalent to level V for each grade level will be utilized instead of percentile scores. Students may attain eligibility through one of several pathways.     

Eligibility for Pull-Out Enrichment Service (3-5)  

Students are identified as AM, AR, AG, AIG or IG in all elementary schools according to the following criteria:

Elementary Pathway (Use of NC End-of-Grade [EOG] Data):		Elementary Pathway (Use of Nationally Normed Data):
Intellectually Gifted (IG) EOG data not used for IG determination Academically Gifted (AG, AR, or AM) Level 5 on the math and/or reading EOG   Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) [For 2024 – 2025, only applicable to Grades 3 and 4] 90th%ile or higher aptitude AND Level 5 on the math and reading EOG		Intellectually Gifted (IG) 98th%ile or higher composite aptitude Academically Gifted (AG, AR, or AM) 85th%ile or higher achievement score in math and/or reading   Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) [For 2024 – 2025, only applicable to Grades 3 and 4] 90th%ile or higher aptitude AND 90th%ile or higher achievement score in math and reading OR 90th%ile or higher aptitude AND 90th%ile or higher achievement score in one area (math OR reading) PLUS 85-89th%ile achievement score in the other area (math OR reading) + achievement performance task.

 

• For the remainder of the GCS AIG Plan 2022-2025, when using EOG/EOC data for AG eligibility in grades 3-12, the scale score equivalent for the lowest level 5 for each grade level will be utilized instead of percentile scores.  Additionally, when considering EOG/EOC data, Performance Tasks will not be used for Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) identification.

Once students become eligible for AG services in reading and/or math, students begin service as soon as the parent or guardian signs the Student Eligibility Record (SER). The SER gives the AG teacher permission to serve the student in a pull-out enrichment program for a minimum of 90-minutes weekly in each subject of eligibility. AG students are served in a small group setting, usually less than 20 students, by the AG teacher assigned to the elementary school. The AG teacher must hold North Carolina state add-on licensure to teach AG students.

In the pull-out enrichment program AG teachers use a curriculum that is based on the North Carolina standards. The units enrich and extend the curriculum taught in the regular classroom in grades 3 – 5. The lessons are based on over-arching concepts such as mathematics mindset, freedom, the arts, heroes, and diversity.

Talent Development

The AG department acknowledges the need to deliberately cultivate the ability of students to promote their academic success. To that end, elementary AG teachers provide talent development services that aim to increase AG identification of students from underrepresented populations. These services are provided to students in grades K – 5.

Participation in our Talent Development services is determined on an annual basis and is dependent upon student performance and scheduling capacity. Since talent development services is based on the student’s performance in their local environment (school), these services are not guaranteed should a child transfer to another school/school district during the school year.

Advanced Learners

Advanced Learner services are available at schools with a low number of AG identified students. The Advanced Learners program allows students, in grades 3 – 5, who did not meet the criteria for AG identification to receive pull-out enrichment services in the subject area for which they demonstrated a high level of achievement, at the 80th percentile or higher on a nationally normed assessment or a Level 4 on the EOG. Students participating in our Advanced Learner program will receive 90-minutes of weekly pull-out enrichment services from the AG teacher. Participation is based on space availability in the pull-out enrichment class, is reviewed annually by the school's TAG team, and is limited to the school for which student was deemed eligible. 

Maximizing Academic Potential (MAP):

The MAP program aims to improve the academic and critical thinking skills of students in grades 3 – 5. Students who were screened for AG services and did not meet the eligibility criteria, but demonstrate high achievement in their local learning environment may be considered for MAP services. These students must have an aptitude score at the 70th percentile or higher.  Additionally, students must have scored at the 70th percentile or higher on a nationally-normed assessment OR made a Level 3 or 4 on the reading and/or math EOG.  In our MAP program, the AG teacher provides 45-minute weekly sessions. Students receiving MAP services are entered in the AG Database and included in all district reports regarding talent development services provided by the AG Department. 

To provide consistency with the K – 2 Talent Development program, the grade 3 MAP program uses the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) curriculum. The PETS curriculum addresses the following thinking skills, which also improve overall academic performance: convergent thinking; divergent thinking, visual thinking, and evaluative thinking.

At grade 4, the MAP program continues to help students build their cognitive thinking skills. Students participate in hands-on activities that further development the verbal, non-verbal, figural, and qualitative reasoning skills as well as problem-solving abilities.

At grade 5, the focus on the MAP program is to provide creative exploration into core subjects using integrated lessons. The grade 5 MAP program provides the critical thinking and academic skills needed to increase AG identification as these students transition to middle school.

VS Program (R_2024)by Dee Jordan

Applying to the VS Program:

Students must meet the eligibility criteria as explained within the above presentation slides.  Applications for the VS Program will be accepted from October 9 - November 15, 2024.  To apply, the student must have an application code.  When applying, the parent/guardian will enter their child's application into the SchoolMint system.  Applications submitted after November 15, 2024 will be held and processed during the late application window (pending available seats in the program). For students currently enrolled in a school operated by the Guilford County Schools System, application codes will be distributed the week of September 30, 2024.  If your child did not receive an application code or your child is not currently enrolled in the Guilford County Schools System, please use one of the links below to submit a request to determine your child's eligibility to apply to the VS Program.  

• Click here to request an application during the Choice Application Window (October 9 - November 15, 2024)
• Click here to submit a late request for VS determination (After November 15, 2024).  We anticipate this link being active beginning May 13, 2025.

 

VS Interest Meeting:

On September 19, 2024, the AG Department in conjunction with Guilford Parent Academy hosted a virtual presentation to discuss the enrollment process for the VS Program.  Use the links below to access the presentation documents:

• Recording of presentation
• Presentation PowerPoint 

Middle Grades Service by Dee Jordan

AG Students in High School are served through the district's many options for advanced coursework and choice schools particularly appropriate for gifted learners. 

Click each link below to learn more:

• Advanced Placement 
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
• The Early College at Guilford
• STEM Early College at NC A&T

As students prepare to pursue post-secondary opportunities, they may wish to take one or more College Readiness Assessments, such as the SAT and the ACT. While many colleges remain "test optional", more and more universities, particularly the most competitive ones, are requesting test scores once again.

Every GCS 10th and 11th grader takes the PSAT/NMSQT free of charge during the school day during the month of October. This assessment provides useful information regarding potential AP courses the student may wish to consider, as well as offers excellent practice for the SAT admissions exam.

The SAT is offered on multiple weekend dates throughout the year at multiple GCS sites. These dates are determined and announced by the College Board. 

GCS 10th graders will also take the Pre-ACT during the school day, which helps to prepare them for the ACT test, also administered free of charge to every 11th grader in the state of North Carolina. Students may also opt to take the ACT independently on a national weekend test date. GCS high schools offer ACT Prep opportunities, which include an ACT Prep Canvas Course and may be accompanied by in-person tutorial sessions during or after school.