Background on Article 9B
You know that students are required to receive thirty minutes of activity each day through PE. You know that there are laws that protect the learning rights and establish additional services for students with an IEP. Did you know that there is also legislature that advocates for gifted students in North Carolina?
As teachers we are required to be in compliance with many standards and laws that we are never directly made aware of. I hope that after reading this section you will have a better understanding of the laws and policies that the state holds education systems, including educators, accountable for in providing a challenging, yet supportive education environment for gifted students.
As teachers we are required to be in compliance with many standards and laws that we are never directly made aware of. I hope that after reading this section you will have a better understanding of the laws and policies that the state holds education systems, including educators, accountable for in providing a challenging, yet supportive education environment for gifted students.
State Legislation Accountability
Article 9B from the NC General Statutes is the legislation that holds all public education systems in North Carolina accountable for challenging all students identified as academically or intellectually gifted. Furthermore, the legislation makes note of the importance of recognizing giftedness among all types of students.
This article holds systems accountable by requiring the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for local education agencies (LEAs) to use in creating their own local plans. By the law, these plans are required to be submitted for approval every three years.
A parallel can be drawn between the requirements of article 9B and the recent roll out of the common core and essential standards curriculum. Everyone is required to follow the policies defined by article 9B just as everyone is required to follow the new curriculum; however, there are many ways in which an LEA can meet the requirements just as there is no set lesson or unit plans to follow with the common core, just the standards themselves. This is where the local plans come into consideration and LEAs are held accountable by those on the State Board of Education.
This article holds systems accountable by requiring the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for local education agencies (LEAs) to use in creating their own local plans. By the law, these plans are required to be submitted for approval every three years.
A parallel can be drawn between the requirements of article 9B and the recent roll out of the common core and essential standards curriculum. Everyone is required to follow the policies defined by article 9B just as everyone is required to follow the new curriculum; however, there are many ways in which an LEA can meet the requirements just as there is no set lesson or unit plans to follow with the common core, just the standards themselves. This is where the local plans come into consideration and LEAs are held accountable by those on the State Board of Education.
Local Policy
In compliance with article 9B your district, Person County Schools has a local plan for how AIG services are delivered. Our plan was just updated as part of the yearly cycle this June (2013) and will hold until 2016.
This plan states the mission of the AIG program as providing "...an AIG program that ensures our students will be prepared to communicate clearly, function effectively, and contribute significantly within a complex society in relation to their individual abilities."
It is interesting to note in the plan that Person County Schools does not receive any local funding for the AIG program that we provide. The drastic differences in local funding throughout the state explain some of the flexibility that districts have when it comes to creating their own plans; a system with significant local funding will have more opportunities to provide funding.
Changes and considerations for you to note as an upper grades teacher:
This plan states the mission of the AIG program as providing "...an AIG program that ensures our students will be prepared to communicate clearly, function effectively, and contribute significantly within a complex society in relation to their individual abilities."
It is interesting to note in the plan that Person County Schools does not receive any local funding for the AIG program that we provide. The drastic differences in local funding throughout the state explain some of the flexibility that districts have when it comes to creating their own plans; a system with significant local funding will have more opportunities to provide funding.
Changes and considerations for you to note as an upper grades teacher:
- Third grade teachers take note that the format of the sweep screen has changed from the CogAT 6 to the CogAT 7 in order to provide a shorter, thirty-minute screen. Furthermore, the CogAT 7 offers a practice session and fewer language-dependent items (helping to avoid bias with ESL students).
- Practice C is a focused for this three-year time period. Practice C addresses the identification of minority populations. The state definition from 9B states that "Outstanding abilities are present in students from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor." The change from the CogAT 6 to 7 should provide a more accurate measure for screening ESL students, but don't forget that other criteria and evidences can be used to advocate for students. Also recognize the potential of poor classroom performance as an indicator of giftedness.