High Ability Learners

Papillion La Vista Community Schools recognizes the uniqueness of each student and strives to meet the individual educational needs of all students. The High Ability Learning (HAL) Program provides and supports students with outstanding gifts and talents.

PURPOSE

PROGRAM GOALS

1. Identify students who demonstrate potential abilities of high performance in recognized areas of giftedness.

2. Provide a continuum of educational services that meet the needs of all HAL students.

3. Provide professional development opportunities for staff in order to promote a better understanding of the needs of HAL students and the services available to meet those needs.

4. Communicate the various aspects of the HAL program to staff, students and the community.

5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the HAL program.

PHILOSOPHY

The mission of the High Ability Learner Program is to recognize, support, and respect the exceptional intellectual, academic, and social-emotional needs of high ability learners. We are therefore committed to providing rigorous, differentiated opportunities that intellectually and personally empower students for a changing world.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF HIGH ABILITY LEARNER

PLCS recognizes and adopted the definition of High Ability Learner from Nebraska State Statute 79-1107.  Therefore, a high Ability Learner in PLCS is defined as: 

“A student that performs, or has the capacity to perform, at greater levels in one or more domains of instruction in comparison to individuals of the same age, educational experience, or environment and who requires accelerated or differentiated curriculum programs in order to develop those abilities fully.”

HAL PROGRAM BELIEF STATEMENTS:

• We believe that equity in education exists when all students are provided learning experiences matched to their abilities, needs, and interests.
• We believe that exceptional gifts and talents can be in the areas of academics, the arts, kinesthetic abilities, leadership, interpersonal skills, creativity, and problem solving.
• We believe that exceptional gifts and talents can be found in all cultures and in special needs students.
• We are a part of Papillion La Vista Community Schools and will work in harmony with the district's mission statement and beliefs.
• We believe that gifted education enhances educational opportunities provided in all classrooms to all student
• We believe that gifted education is a right, not a privilege, for every identified student in Papillion La Vista Community Schools

Phase I – Universal Screening

• All 4th – 8th grade students in the PLCS are screened for HAL services using the MAP-Growth assessment in the fall and winter; 3rd grade students are screened beginning in the winter.  
• Students who meet one of the following criteria move on to Phase II.
  • 94th percentile or higher on MAP-Growth Reading   
  • 94th percentile or higher on MAP-Growth Mathematics   

Phase II – Additional Testing

• Students who meet at least ONE of the universal screening criteria are eligible to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
  • Students may take the CogAT up to two times across all grade levels to be considered for HAL program identification.
• Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are informed of the eligibility for additional testing and are offered the opportunity to opt their child out.

Phase III – Determination of Eligibility

• A point system, utilizing the MAP percentile rank and CogAT Standard Age Score (SAS), is used to determine entry into the HAL Program. 
• Students with disabilities may qualify for HAL services utilizing the data from academic scores gleaned from the IEP/MDT process.
• Students must receive a minimum of 9 points to enter the HAL Program.  
• Students who earn 7 or 8 points move on to Phase  IV.

Phase IV – Gather Additional Data (if needed)

• Only students who earn 7-8 points in Phase III – Determination of Eligibility move to Phase IV
• The Scales for Identifying Gifted Students - 2nd Edition (SIGS-2) School Rating Scale is completed, tabulated, and applied to the HAL identification point system.

Phase V – Placement

• Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of students who moved to Phase II are notified of qualification status following the determination of eligibility.  
• Permission for placement must be given by the parent(s)/guardian(s).

According to NDE Rule 3, Portability means: 

“Identification as a learner with high ability by a Nebraska school district is a part of a student’s permanent record, and such identification makes the student eligible for high ability services in all Nebraska school districts regardless of transfers or relocations.”

Portability in PLCS

The definition of Portability is expanded in PLCS to include students transferring in from any of the 50 states.  In alignment with Nebraska Rule 3: 004.05, the District will follow the process below to ensure the portability of High Ability Learning (HAL) identification.  This includes portability of all HAL students into the PLCS program and a determination of their continuum of services most appropriate for the student within the District model.

For the process outlined below, the official “Enrollment” of a student is the  “Start Date” as indicated on the online enrollment paperwork completed by the parent/guardian.  All timelines for Portability outlined in Rule 3 will begin with this date.

The PLCS process for obtaining portability through Transfer of Records is outlined below (Rule 3: 004.05; A-D):

1. Transfer of Records: Outgoing Students - NDE Rule 3: 004.05(A)
   When a student identified as a learner with high ability leaves the district prior to graduation, the student’s records include documentation of the High Ability Learning identification and a summary of High Ability Learning services received. These records are transferred with the student’s official school file.
2. Review of Records: Incoming Students - NDE Rule 3: 004.05 (B)
   Within 30 school days of enrollment, the school/district reviews the records of incoming students to determine whether the student has been identified as a learner with High Ability and whether high ability services were previously provided.
3. Determination of Services: NDE Rule 3: 004.05 (B)
   If a prior High Ability Learning identification in Nebraska is confirmed, the Learner’s identification will be accepted into the PLCS program.  PLCS staff will utilize student information and the PLCS Continuum of Services to determine which services most closely align with the needs of the student.  PLCS reserves the right to make all service decisions regardless of previously provided services from the outside district. 
4. Incomplete Records: NDE Rule 3: 004.05 (D)
   If High Ability Learning identification records are incomplete, district staff will contact the previous school district and/or the parent or guardian to obtain the necessary documentation related to previous identification.
5. Parent/Guardian Communication: NDE Rule 3: 004.05 (C)
   Within 60 calendar days of enrollment or verification of records, parents or guardians are informed of the High Ability Learning services that will be provided to the student.

Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children: Department of Defense Educational Activity (DODEA)

• Military dependent students who move into the district from a previous HAL/Gifted program automatically qualify for HAL identification in PLCS.
• The Department of Defense, in collaboration with the National Center for Interstate Compacts and the Council of State Governments, has developed an interstate compact that addresses the educational transition issues of children of military families.
• Any military student that this Compact applies to, who has previously been identified through a HAL or Gifted program, will automatically be admitted into the PLCS HAL program.