Leon County Schools STEM Initiative for Elementary Gifted and Talented

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Leon County SchoolsSTEM Initiativefor
Elementary Gifted and Talented
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• U.S. Department of Education
• Fund for Improvement of Education (FIE)
• 350,000
• STEM in the Gifted and Talented Elementary
  Classroom

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Purpose of the Grant

• Develop a quality elementary STEM program that
  is exclusive and specific to our gifted and
  talented students.

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Introductions
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Todays Agenda

• Overview of our task and considerations related
  to the Gifted and Talented Elementary STEM
  initiative. (10 minutes)
• Meet in working groups to discuss key questions
  we need to consider in the development of a
  proposal. (30 minutes)
• Share the results of each working group. (20
  minutes)
• Discuss next steps, meeting dates, and timeline.
  (15 minutes)

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Definitions

• Gifted
• Gifted and Talented
• STEM

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What is gifted?

• Florida defines gifted as someone who has
  superior intellectual development and is capable
  of high performance.
• Leon County Schools has a different set of
  criteria for gifted placement for students of
  under-represented groups, specifically students
  with limited English proficiency (ELL) and
  students from low SES families. (Plan B)

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What is meant by the term gifted and talented?

• "Children and youth with outstanding talent who
  perform or show the potential for performing at
  remarkably high levels of accomplishment when
  compared with others of their age, experience, or
  environment."
• U. S. Department of Education 1993.

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What is meant by the term gifted and talented?

• The term gifted and talented student means
  children who give evidence of higher performance
  capability in such areas as intellectual,
  creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in
  specific academic fields, and who require
  services or activities not ordinarily provided by
  the schools in order to develop such capabilities
  fully.
• The Javits Act (1988)

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What is STEM?

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
  Mathematics) is a national movement to
• improve K-12 teaching and learning in science,
  technology, engineering, and mathematics
• prepare students for higher education as well as
  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
  careers in the 21st Century
• ensure that students are taught by well-prepared,
  highly effective STEM teachers

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Why do we need STEM programs for gifted and
talented students?
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What do we need STEM programs for Gifted and
Talented students?

• U. S. students scoring above the 90th percentile
  in mathematics and science are among those making
  the least progress in school.
• The percentage of U. S. students majoring in STEM
  disciplines in college and choosing STEM careers
  is decreasing while the percentage of foreign
  students in these fields is increasing.
• Top U. S. students continue to perform below the
  level of top students in other countries in the
  areas of mathematics, science and problem
  solving.
• National Association for Gifted Children
  Math/Science Task Force
• March 2009

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Why do we need STEM programs for Gifted and
Talented students?

• The overall proportion of STEM degrees awarded in
  the United States has historically remained at
  about 17 of all postsecondary degrees awarded.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007)
  reports, Occupations in science, technology,
  engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are expected
  to grow by 22 between the years 2002 and 2012.
  In comparison, the job growth for all other
  occupations is 10.

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Why do we need STEM programs for Gifted and
Talented students?

• A dramatic demographic shift is occurring in the
  US. women and minorities collectively are
  becoming a significant majority of the workforce.
  
• Historically, the scientific and engineering
  workforce has had only modest success in
  attracting women, African Americans, Latinos, and
  Native Americans to its ranks. Yet, the job
  market for graduates in these fields is greater
  than ever before and will only continue to
  increase.

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What does LCS FCAT Data tell us?
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Fifth Grade FCAT Science Data for Students
Identified as Gifted (Spring 2009)

• 94 Students Tested
• 30 scored a level 5.
• 49 scored a level 4.
• 20 scored a level 3.
• 1 scored a level 2.
• No students scored a level 1.

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Fifth Grade FCAT Science Data by EthnicityAll
LCS Students - 2,314 students tested

• Subgroup Percent scoring a 4 or higher
• Asian 43
• White 25
• Multiracial/ethnic 17
• Hispanic 10
• Black 4

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Fifth Grade FCAT Science Data by GenderAll LCS
Students 2,314 tested

• Subgroup Percent scoring a 4 or higher
• Male 19
• Female 14

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LCS Fifth Grade FCAT Mathematics Data for
Students Identified as Gifted

• 94 Total Gifted Students Tested
• 68 scored a level 5.
• 30 scored a level 4.
• 2 scored a level 3.
• No students scored a level 2.
• No students scoring level 1.

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Fifth Grade FCAT Mathematics Data by
EthnicityAll LCS Students 2, 309

• Subgroup Percent scoring a 4 or higher
• Asian 75
• White 54
• Multiracial 42
• Hispanic 34
• Black 18

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Fifth Grade FCAT Mathematics Data by Gender All
LCS Students 2, 309

• Subgroup Percent scoring a 4 or higher
• Females 53
• Males 53

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LCS Gifted and Talented Programs Fall 2009

• 414 identified gifted elementary students
• 90 talented students are participating in a
  gifted and talented program, based on teacher
  recommendation and/or achievement scores in
  reading and math.

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LCS ElementaryGifted and Talented Programs

• Gifted/Talented programs at 18 school sites
• Five of the sites are satellite centers serving
  their own students and gifted students from other
  schools and home schools students.
• Fifteen programs are exclusive to students who
  have tested into the gifted program.
• The other three programs provide services to
  students who are classified as gifted and
  talented.

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LCS ElementaryGifted and Talented Programs

• Thirteen of the sites offer enrichment
  programs.
• Four of the sites offer enrichment AND core
  classes.
• One site offers consultation services to three
  gifted students.

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What does an enrichment program offer?

• exploratory experiences that expose students to a
  variety of disciplines, topics, ideas, and fields
  of knowledge not ordinarily covered in the
  regular curriculum
• instructional methods and materials that promote
  creative thinking, problem-solving, learn how to
  learn skills, advanced level research skills, and
  critical thinking
• opportunities for students to pursue advanced
  level study in topics of individual interest

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What does a core program offer?

• Gifted and talented students are grouped for
  instruction in a specific subject, i.e. math,
  science, language arts, social studies, etc.
• Teachers are required to address the specific
  content area standards for their grade level.
• Core instruction is developed and delivered to
  meet the specific needs of gifted and talented
  students. The program is advanced, challenging,
  often accelerated.

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LCS ElementaryGifted and Talented Programs

• Many LCS enrichment programs include STEM topics
  and themes.
• Three school sites offer core gifted math
  classes.
• Two school sites offer core gifted science
  classes.

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Todays Task

• Consider key questions relevant to the
  development of a Gifted and Talented STEM
  initiative in LCS elementary classrooms.

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Questions

• RED What should the elementary Gifted and
  Talented STEM classroom look like, i.e.
  activities, equipment, etc.?
• BLUE What qualities should the teacher of the
  gifted and talented STEM classroom possess? What
  should she/he know and be able to do?
• GREEN How can we open up opportunities for
  underrepresented populations of gifted and
  talented students in this area?
• ORANGE Should this program be enrichment or
  core? Evaluate the pros and cons of each.
• PURPLE What data, research, information, etc.,
  do we need in order to develop a quality gifted
  and talented STEM program for elementary
  students?

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Next Steps

• What information do we need to proceed?
• What other questions do we need to ask?
• What do we all need to do before our next
  meeting?
• How many times do we need to meet?
• When is our next meeting?