About Project 2EXCEL

1
About Project 2EXCEL

• Professor Karen B. Rogers
• Project 2EXCEL Director
• University of St. Thomas
• Minneapolis, Minnesota

2
It All Started With a Project

• Javits government grant for .875 million dollars
  for 5 year study of twice exceptional primary
  school children PROJECT 2EXCEL
• Includes 4 school districts (all serving gifted
  students in homogeneous, self-contained
  classrooms) with varying demographics so we can
  try to generalize across schools
• District A inner city gifted magnet school
• District B small, blue collar 2nd ring
  suburban district
• District C moderate 2nd ring middle class
  suburban district
• District D moderate 1st ring blue collar/upper
  middle class suburban district

3
Goals of Project 2EXCEL

• Develop a systematic identification system for
  gifted learners with
• Attention Deficit Disorder with/without
  hyperactivity (ADHD)
• Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
• Provide training for experimental teachers on
  twice exceptionality
• On-line certificate program (tuition free) 18
  postgraduate credits in 2X Education
• In-service training on curricular specifics with
  built in, paid writing days (8 per year)
• Yearly stipends for materials and resources
• Biweekly classroom visits for observation,
  reflection

4
Goals of Project 2EXCEL

• Develop a toolkit of adaptations and
  accommodations applicable to gifted math and
  reading/language arts curriculum
• Provide training and support to parents of twice
  exceptional experimental and control students
• Disseminate what is learned about identification,
  programming, and parenting with general community
  via
• Curriculum toolkit for teachers
• Website (www.stthomas.edu/project2excel )
• Parent training and resource manual

5
Project Implementation

• Matched pairs of gifted children identified with
  the same forms (and degree) of exceptionality
  were randomly assigned to experimental and
  control classrooms
• Matched pairs are pre- and post-tested on math
  and reading achievement levels, motivation to
  learn, and self-efficacy
• Experimental students receive services for 5
  years, starting with 4th grade and controls
  continue with their current levels of services
  (for giftedness and special education)
• Parents of experimental and control students
  receive four training sessions yearly on
  home-based strategies and resources on twice
  exceptionality

6
Goals of the Project Were They Achieved?

• Develop an identification protocol that
  systematically finds twice exceptional learners,
  grades K-8
• Established actual prevalence rates for four
  areas of twice exceptionality GT/ASD, GT/ADHD,
  GT/SLD, GT/EBD

7
Goal One Identification

• Developed a tiered system for finding these
  learners
• Used the system to first find the 2X learners
  in the starting grades of the program
• Used the system to then find the remaining 2X
  learners grades 3-8 in the same district (or
  school as in one district) not completed at
  this point

8
Tiers for Identification
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Discrepancies among subtest or index scores on ability test used by a district, followed by WISC if not initially done District Checklists of specific disability category characteristics or behaviors provided to teachers of students suspected of presenting with a disability ADHD Connors Rating Scales EBD Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) Behavior Emotional Rating Scales ASD BASC-2 Autism diagnostic Interview R (ADIR) SLD Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement ADHD Connors Continuous Performance Test Aschenbach Rating Scales EBD Student Risk Screening Scale Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire ASD ADOS SLD CTP wrAP (Writing Assessment)
9
Prevalence Results Summary

• Approximately 14 of the 504 GT children in
  self-contained classes were 2X. At 30 GTs per
  classroom, that means we could expect 4 of those
  GTs to present with a second exceptionality in
  each classroom.
• GT/AD/HD learners represented 7 of the 504 GT
  children. At 30 GTs per classroom, we could
  expect 2 of those GTs to present with a AD/HD
  disorder in each classroom.

10
Prevalence Results Summary

• EBD and SLD represented 3, respectively, of the
  504 GT children. At 30 GTs per classroom, we
  could expect 1 EBD and 1 SLD child in each 4th
  grade classroom
• GT/ASD learners represented 1 of the 504 GT
  children. At 30 GTs per classroom, we could
  expect 1 GT child with ASD in every third
  classroom.

11
Developmental Prevalence Results Summary

• Except for the anomaly at 5th grade, there
  appears to be a slight increase overall in 2X
  presentation as gifted learners grow older
• GT/AD/HD seems to be the most prevalent twice
  exceptionality to crop up over time.
• Sixth grade appears to be a time when SLD may
  rear its ugly head.
• EBD tends to remain constant and at a relatively
  high second as most prevalent twice
  exceptionality.
• When looking across the grade levels,
  approximately 1 GT child in 5 in this study
  presented with some twice exceptionality.

12
Goal 2 Develop Effective Teachers

• Professional development through in-services and
  writing/planning time
• Professional development through on-line
  certification program
• Provision of topical articles and resources
  directly to teachers in experimental classrooms

13
Has Goal 2 been achieved?

• Teacher assessments of in-service and planning
  times (May, 2009 through May, 2010). Overall
  rating of time efficacy and effectiveness 6.1
  (out of 10) but huge discrepancy by district,
  with 3 districts reaching averages from 7 to 8.7
  and 1 district considerably lower did not use
  their allotted writing and planning days)
• Have identified a model of planning time during
  school year that worked successfully this year in
  two of the districts collaborative group
  planning and child study

14
Has Goal 2 been achieved?

• Teacher ratings of on-line course work rated
  overall as mean of 5.9, with individual district
  ratings ranging from 1.0 8.0 (out of 10)
• Districts which collaborated in study groups as
  follow up to course sessions had most positive
  reactions to this aspect of professional
  development
• Biggest issue is that foundations needed to be
  laid in both GT and SPED before hitting 2X
  education. That started this past summer. It was
  probably quite frustrating for our teachers in
  the trenches!

15
Has Goal 2 been achieved?

• Teacher ratings of materials provided was mean of
  5.5 (out of 10)
• Issue seems to have been finding the time to read
  what was provided, but resources provided, such
  as yoga balls, fidgets, lighting covers in
  classrooms very successful.

16
Goal 3 2X Toolkit Development

• Developed toolkit of strategies and resources
  that adapt physical environment, social skills
  instruction, behavior modification,
  self-awareness to ensure that upscaled GT
  curriculum in math and language arts used in each
  district is sustained and that 2X learners can
  thrive with it.

17
Was Goal 3 Achieved?

• We have compiled the writing that was done in
  each district. The initial vision of this was
  that strategies would just be integrated within
  the curriculum itself, but as the year
  progressed, individual physical, behavioral,
  social accommodations were applied almost child
  by child. The population was discovered to be
  very idiosyncratic. Thus the toolkit has become a
  huge collective box from which teachers will
  take strategies, try them, put them back when
  they dont work and try another.

18
Was Goal 3 Achieved? Lets Look at How the Kids
Have Fared Teachers Perspectives
Great Strides Some Progress No Change
Social interaction improvements (28/47) Solid academic progress (38/47) Good behavioral improvement (24/47) Social interaction (10/47) Academic progress (6/47) Behavioral improvement (12/47) Social interaction (9/47) Academic progress (3/47) Behavioral improvement (11/47)
19
Was Goal 3 Achieved? Student Results of Pre- and
Post Assessments ITBS
Subject Area Pre-Assessment Mean Post-Assessment Mean
Reading A 74.00 B 82.88 C 81.81 D 81.89 Whole 80.43 A 76.12 B 84.00 C 86.64 D 83.33 Whole 83.77
Mathematics A 76.58 B 75.29 C 82.59 D 85.89 Whole 81.15 A 78.11 B 79.23 C 85.27 D 87.33 Whole 83.67
20
Was Goal 3 Achieved? Pre/Post (CAIMI)
Area of Motivation Dis Pre-Assessment Mean Post-Assessment Mean
Reading A B C D W 35.77 61.77 51.71 48.22 49.43 45.62 51.78 50.38 49.22 49.46
Mathematics A B C D W 25.62 41.44 39.82 51.22 38.78 40.38 48.00 35.00 48.89 45.66
General A B C D W 27.61 51.44 44.34 40.00 41.42 40.07 48.44 48.80 46.22 46.68
21
Was Goal 3 Achieved? Pre/Post Harter
Area Dis PreAssessment Mean Post-Assessment Mean
Academic A B C D W 3.06 3.24 3.13 2.84 3.09 3.13 2.81 3.31 3.28 3.22
Social A B C D W 2.71 2.96 2.84 2.58 2.80 2.58 3.06 2.96 2.94 2.91
Conduct A B C D W 3.01 3.11 3.15 3.11 3.11 2.75 2.75 3.16 3.24 3.05
22
Goal 4 Provide Parent Training and Support

• Develop first 8 parent facilitated group sessions
  to be presented directly to experimental and
  control parents of learners with 2X in each
  district
• Compiled list of resources and strategies in
  handbook each district can distribute to their
  parents of children with 2X

23
Was Goal 4 achieved?

• Three facilitated group sets of materials were
  provided and implemented in the districts
  Organization/Self-Management, Perfectionism,
  and Motivation
• Three of the districts implemented all three sets
  of materials to reasonably good parent response
• One district has employed a parent session
  coordinator who will provide these sessions in
  the next year

24
Project Collaborators

• University of St. Thomas (Special Education
  Gifted Education Department
• Karen Rogers Ann Ryan S. Nielsen-Gatti
• Nancy Cohen Todd Busch T. Vandercook
• Carol Malueg Barbara Stahl L. St.-
  Bresnahan
• St. Paul Public Schools (Capitol Hill)
• Renee Jensen Carol Aasen John Mayock
• Grace Raymond Nancy Randall
• Nicolle Hren Teynae Richardson
• Lisa Larson Sharon Saunders

25
Project Collaborators

• Inver Grove Heights
• Erin Boltik Kim Westra
• Jane Sansgaard Betty Humphries
• Jessica Swanson
• Bloomington Schools
• Richard Cash Julie Donaldson
• Barbara Dullaghan Jodi Eschrich
• Tim Kaari
• Martha Palm

26
Project Collaborators

• South Washington County
• Nancy Vague Colleen Heck
• Kristine McDonald Anne Bleyl
• Kristine Matulka Theresa Campbell
• Plus our 17 control teachers across the four
  districts!

27
District Reports

• South Washington County
• Bloomington
• Inver Grove Heights
• Capitol Hill

28
South Washington County Schools
Gateway A School-Within-a-School For Highly /
Profoundly Gifted Students Grades 3-5
29
South Washington County Schools

• Suburban district located southeast of St. Paul
• 16, 650 Students
• 24 Racial and ethnic diversity
• 16 Students receive free/reduced lunch
• 15 Elementary Schools
• 4 Middle Schools
• 3 High Schools

30
Gateway

• School-within-a-school
• Grades 3-5
• 4 Classrooms
• 93 Students
• 31 Racial and ethnic diversity
• 4 Students receive free/reduced lunch

31
Why we got involved

• Number of students with 2e issues
• Some 2e students not finding success,
• Looking for curriculum to benefit 2e students
• Opportunity to take classes

32
What we are doing

• Identification
• Teacher and Psychologist Awareness
• Parent Education

33
Comments from staff..

• As a district we are developing team
  relationships and curriculum for the students to
  best meet their needs.
• -Jane Moechnig, special education teacher
• The partnership between special education and
  the Gateway teachers has been the most beneficial
  aspect of the project.
• -Colleen Heck, Grade 4 Teacher in the Gateway
  program

34
Comments from staff..

• My background is in special education. Looking
  back, I now realize we had twice exceptional
  students in our program. We just didnt realize
  it or call it that. As a principal, this
  awareness has allowed me to support staff with
  resources/staff development that assists them in
  the classroom to effectively meet the unique
  varied needs of the these wonderful children.
• -Molly Roeske, Principal-Bailey Elementary

35
To Sum It All Up

• We have made tremendous progress in a single
  school year, with trying (1) to find these
  children who are dually blessed, (2) to meet
  the academic, social, and behavioral needs of
  these children, (3) to support the teachers who
  are working with these children, and (4) to
  support the parents of these children.

36
Dimensions Academy

• Students in grades 4-8
• Highly / profoundly gifted
• Increased number of students who struggle with
  executive functioning issues

37
Students

• Seven experimental students
• 4th grade
• 4 boys
• 5th grade
• 1 boy
• 2 girls
• Most identified with reduced
• Processing speed
• Working memory

38
Teachers

• Two teachers in two mutli-aged (4/5) classroom
• Extensive reading and study on executive
  functioning issues
• Utilizing strategies to assist in developing
  executive functioning skills

39
Students Gains on District Standardized
Assessment (NWEA)

• 4th grade
• SF
• 30 pt gain in reading (expected 2-10)
• 18 pt gain in math (expected 5-13)
• ZL
• 16 pt gain in reading (expected 0-8)
• 9 pt gain in math (expected 4-12)
• GW
• 19 pt gain in reading (expected 0-8)
• 5 pt gain in math (expected 3-11)
• WT
• 11 pt gain in reading (expected 1-9)
• 9 pt gain in math (expected 4-12)

40
Students Gains on District Standardized
Assessment (NWEA)

• 5th grade
• LA
• 7 pt gain in reading (expected -2-6)
• Math not available
• WD
• 4 pt gain in reading (expected 1-7)
• 7 pt gain in math (expected 3-11)
• IT
• Growth data not available

41
Focus for 2010-2011

• Continue to develop a greater understanding of
  executive functioning
• Continue to work with Special Education to bridge
  the gap
• Enhanced parent workshops facilitated by a parent
  of 2e children

42
Inver Grove Heights Community SchoolsJavits
Grant UpdateNovember, 2010

• Kim Westra, Atheneum 4th Grade
• Experimental Teacher

43
Inver Grove Heights Community Schools

• Second-ring suburb
• 3712 students
• 29.9 Racial and ethnic diversity
• 33.6 Students receive free/reduced lunch
• 3 Elementary Schools
• 1 Middle School
• 1 High School

44
Atheneum Gifted Magnet

• School-within-a-school model
• Grades 2-5
• 4 elementary classrooms
• 119 students ( open enrolled)
• 16 Racial and ethnic diversity
• 3 Receive free/reduced lunch
• 17 fourth graders qualified and 9 are
  participating in the study
• 19 fifth graders qualified and 12 fifth grade
  participants in the study

45
Identification Process

• All assessments weighted for scores ranging 90
  and above.
• WISC IV (Weschler Intelligence Scale for
  Children)
• CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test)
• MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)
• Parent Inventory/Teacher Recommendations
• Special Considerations/Additional Outside
  Testing/Portfolio, etc.

46
Why we got involved in the study

• Increased number of students displaying executive
  functioning, intensity issues, and other 2e
  characteristics
• Student success greater in the gifted classroom
  but still not always commensurate to their
  abilities

47

• Students obvious needs for specific
  accommodations/strategies yet not qualifying for
  special education services
• Staffs desire to learn more about 2E students
  and how to better meet their needs
• Uniqueness of the study

48
What we are doing

• Teacher training
• Curriculum and resource development
• Parent education
• Identification

49
Capitol Hill Gifted Talented Magnet School
Full-time Gifted ProgramGrades 1-8

• St. Paul Public School District 625

50
Capitol Hill Gifted Talented Magnet School

• Urban GT Magnet
• 1050 students
• 42 ethnicity
• 30 SES

51
Identification Process

• NNAT2 testing is required for admittance in
  grades 1-6 at Capitol Hill . Testing takes place
  in ALL SPPS elementary schools for students in
  grades K and 2 in early December. Grades 1, 3, 4,
  5 can request testing if desired.
• What is the NNAT2? Naglieri Nonverbal Ability
  Test (second edition)This test is designed to
  allow for a culturally neutral evaluation of
  students nonverbal reasoning and general
  problem-solving ability, regardless of the
  individual students primary language, education,
  culture or socioeconomic status.
• A portfolio process is available for those
  students scoring between 88-92 on the NNAT2

52
How did Capitol Hill identify students for the
study?

• We decided to start with our 4th graders.
• Checked for Special Education identified students
  with IEPs.
• Asked teachers, social worker and school nurse
  to identify students who exhibited other
  exceptionalities i.e. ADD, ASD, anxiety,
  etccasting a wide net, not requiring a Sp. Ed.
  identification.

53
Why we got involved in the study

• Increased number of 2E students
• Staffs desire to learn more about 2E students
• Uniqueness of the study

54
Where we are in the process

• Teacher training
• Curriculum development and implementation
• Observations and assessments
• Parent education

55
Where We Are Now

• 2X children are in their second year of classroom
  support across the four districts. Began the year
  much more settled than in the beginning of the
  first year.
• Teachers appear much more confident to handle
  issues that may arise. Classrooms are much less
  cluttered and systems for handing in homework,
  etc appear to be much more direct and simple for
  these kids to succeed
• 2X children have multiple ways to access the
  gifted curriculum they are offered, the projects
  they are to work on from posted visuals around
  the rooms to personal reminders inside their
  notebooks, and they seem to be offered multiple
  ways in which to show what they have learned!

56
To Sum It All Up

• We have learned by doing and will be much more
  effective next year with issues such as
• Communication with teachers in the project make
  it more direct
• Communication with project leadership in each
  district frequent, short emails with bimonthly
  steering committee meetings
• Data collection procedures and timelines
  streamline teacher/student observations and
  reflections
• Training and planning workshop provisions
  monthly centralized planning and training support
  with sub pay provided to the schools for teachers
  who opt to come
• Focus on the idiosyncratic needs of these
  children who we now know pretty well child by
  child

57
Plans for the Next Year

• Training with Dr. Susan Baum of Bridges Academy,
  a school for twice exceptional children in
  California
• Monthly planning/writing days held at St. Thomas
  for all experimental teachers who wish to
  continue their curriculum development efforts
  each month will have a training theme (such as
  social skills instruction, understanding the
  brain and how it functions, etc.)
• Completion of three more courses in the on-line
  certificate program by the experimental teachers
  and district leadership Fourth course will finish
  in December
• Streamlined observation and data gathering
• Compilation of teacher strategies for use by all
  four districts teachers
• Compilation of parent handbook of resources and
  readings for distribution in all four districts
  for all 5 years

58
For Further Information About Project 2EXCEL

• Please contact our website
• www.stthomas.edu/project2excel
• Please contact me at any time
• kbrogers_at_stthomas.edu
• Read our Individual District report on the
  project coming to you before the beginning of the
  next school year!