Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Advisory Committee

AAPAC norms were introduced and member looked over the norms
and shared if revisions were warranted.

During introductions, members shared who they represent and what
brought them to serve on the AAPAC committee.

Holly Glaser has agreed to continue on as a chair. It was asked of
the committee if anyone would like to be a co-chair. Time was given
to consider, anyone from the committee who is interested please
email Ms. Maloney.

• Staff response to the 2022-23 SY report recommendations were
  shared with the committee.
• A reminder that the FCPS Local Plan for the Gifted is how our
  district meets the Virginia regulations that govern how gifted
  education is conducted in FCPS.
• Language change with the service model. Focus has always been
  on the need of the student and matching that need with a service.
  Service descriptors have changed. We no longer use labels such as
  Levels I-IV. To support better understanding of AAP services,
  schools and central office now use full-time AAP, part-time AAP,
  subject specific AAP and Tier 1 access to rigor.
• The HOPE Gifted RATING Scale will replace the GBRS in SY
  2023-2024.
  • There were concerns with the GBRS noted in the external review
    (no psychometric tests, parental influence) and from schools (not
    enough variance in ratings they could give and workload for writing
    commentary was not sustainable).
  • HOPE Gifted Rating Scale was developed at Purdue, focused on
    improving identification for students in low-income and culturally
    diverse communities. There are two types of prompts in academic
    and social realms. This student went through multiple studies and
    was improved based on those studies.
  • Question from member about 2e students being represented in the
    scale. Some will showcase the strengths where the student may
    shine – the process is a strength-based look at matching students to
    services on the continuum. Reminder to look at this holistically, no
    one piece has more value. The rating scale is one piece of the
    information, just like other single pieces (test scores, progress
    reports, work samples, parent input).
• AAPAC Charge for this: AAPAC will learn about research in the field
  of twice-exceptional (23) and hear about central and school-based
  efforts to meet the need of 2e learners in FCPS.
  • Randi from ASCD shared how the committee looked at the area of
    dyslexia and assistive technology. Based on feedback from
    committee and other community groups that had anecdotal evidence
    that 2e students may not get as much access to higher level
    opportunities as neurotypical students. This anecdotal evidence was
    especially true for middle school and high school. To answer those
    needs they worked with the administration. They discovered there
    was the inability to pull data of those with 504 or IEP and identify
    them for services. In addition to data privacy around special
    education, there are currently two different databases used that do
    not currently merge information. Thus, they were unable to prove or
    disprove the anecdotal findings due to database needs. Randi will
    share the report if requested by members or they can read it on the
    ASCD page.

Dr. Oladimeji began by sharing how FCPS Strategic Planning Goals
connect to the goals and needs of 2e students.

This is an equity issue. Not only do students need to have access,
but the question is do they find success when engaged in
opportunities for advanced learning? This means, we are on a
journey to help change mindsets about 2e students.

Dr. Oladimeji shared recent research focused on 2e students with
members.

She shared about her background and experiences as well as her
current role as a 2e specialist focused on collaboration with schools,
multiple central offices, and members of the FCPS community.

This work is a shared responsibility and the importance of increasing
capacity through ongoing teacher and staff training. There is a need
for stakeholders to work with parents to assess and plan for
appropriate inclusive programs at different levels and to reflect on
the impact of the programs on 2e students.

She shared about the need for flexibility in providing organized
structures that support staff in meeting Individualized education plan
(IEP) goals and accommodation and implementing strategies such
as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), curriculum differentiation, and
the appropriate learning environment to meet eh diverse needs of 2e
learners and different school contexts.

Members unpacked and discussed part 1 of the Fairfax County
Public Schools 2e Handbook.

A shared understanding of what is a 504 versus an IEP was
discussed.

A member mentioned that identification and 2e students and needs
may not be prevalent in all places such as the AAP Website

Ms. Maloney will send out a link to gather questions about 2e.
The link to the 2e Webinar will be sent out.

Webinars can be found on the Family Resource Center page.

• Colleen Eddy announced that Kirsten Maloney was awarded as
  National Association of Gifted Children Coordinator of the Year –
  congrats to her!
• Tennessee visitors were here to witness the vertical articulated
  model of International Baccalaureate Schools in FCPS, from ES to
  MS to HS.
• Visitor from Chesterfield County to observe talent development
  models across FCPS.

• The Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities (EPSWD),
  formerly known as the Special Education Enhancement Plan
  (SEEP), was informed by an audit conducted by an Association of
  Independent Research (AIR) to examine special education
  practices in FCPS. The audit highlighted needed considerations
  specific to 2E learners.
• Awaiting school board actions in order to finalize Enhancement
  Plan for SWD.
• As a county, we are leaning into high leverage practices to meet
  the needs of diverse learning - intentionality around universal
  design learning, which will have an impact on curriculum,
  instructional practices, and professional development.
• ACSD requested data - wanted to establish a baseline - how many
  students with 504 or IEP were disproportionality not accessing
  advanced coursework at the secondary level. This data is not
  currently easy to capture with data systems and student data
  privacy; however, the EPSWD also has data system needs and 2e
  course enrollment patterns can be part of that system when it is
  approved.
• Lots of new types of data being gathered with alignment to new
  strategic plan.
• Clarification of questions around the section 504 plan and
  distinctions between 504 and IEP.

What connections can you find with AAPAC’s 2E charge and the new
strategic plan?

This year as we learn from different presentations and discussions, each
subgroup will capture connections to the FCPS strategic plan that will be
important to capture in our final report.

Goal 1: Strong Start - Self-regulation has implications for the identification
of Twice-Exceptional (2E) students for the Advanced Academic Programs
(AAP), especially in cases where students employ masking behaviors.

Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included and Empowered - Establishing
environments that cater to unique and individualized needs fosters a sense
of belonging. Allowing students to have their unique needs met contributes
to creating spaces where our 2e students feel a sense of belonging.

Goal 3: Academic Growth and Excellence -Concerns with this metric.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are not a means of measuring
growth. Algebra may not be a suitable fit for every student.

Goal 4: Equitable Access and Opportunity - In looking at our data, Students
with Disabilities (SWD) with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) tend
to enroll in fewer honors-level courses, which is not the situation with
students under 504 plans.

Goal 5: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation - Success can be obtained
through various paths. Employing a backwards design approach is
essential, determining how we can meet students where they are in order to
support their individual definitions of success.

Dr. Oladimeji

School specific:

• Need for collaboration and shared responsibilities between
  advanced academic and special education educators.
• Need for key team members to work with parents to assess and
  plan for appropriate inclusive programs at different levels and to
  reflect on the impact of the program on 2e students.

Family specific:

• Need for better understanding on ID process for 2e students for
  families.
• Need for ongoing engagement and learning opportunities to
  understand policies and procedures for collaborating with school
  staff, accessing available resources and understanding dual
  programming needs for their 2e student.

Next meeting on Dec 12

1. Read website overview of Special Education Enhancement Plan
   and submit questions for our December speaker by December 1.
2. View portions of the 2 meetings sent out in October AAPAC
   follow-up.

Check your email for updates between meetings.

• What is twice exceptionality:
  • Disability may dominate, hiding their exceptional
    abilities
  • Exceptional abilities may dominate, hiding their
    disability
• “Oughtism”
  • Oftentimes parents deal with this in saying - my child
    “ought” to be able to __ know what to do, how to
    navigate
  • Every twice exceptional family is on their own path
    and have their own specific needs
• Twice Exceptional to a professional may be: impaired social
  interactions; twice exceptional to a parent may be: not having
  your child go to birthday parties, or if she does, being the
  only parent who can’t leave because your child needs you.
  Twice exceptional to a teacher may be: physical altercationsor
  teaching them why punching is not a way to say “hello”.
• Understanding the strengths educators and parents bring to
  the partnership. Research (typically where educators focus)
  vs. Hope (typically where parent is focused). Research can
  be “data says” or “reflect the past”. Hope can be “I
  think-intuition” or “focused on the future” or “I don’t care what
  the research says”.
• Our goals is to mediate the disability and develop the
  gift/ability
• Collaboration between parents and schools is crucial to meet
  the needs of the child
• Strength-Based Communication: uplifts not compares,
  assumes competency/kindness/good intent, focuses on
  goals and processes, growth mindset, and different from
  need-based communication and stereotype-based
  communication.