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The issue of special populations is an especially critical one for the new State High School Assessments. Specifically, the Prince George's County Public Schools will ensure that all students receive a rigorous and challenging education, one designed to support them in passing all required State examinations.

Following is a summary of the kinds of instructional supports and interventions recommended for students representing the following special population groups: Talented and Gifted (TAG), Special Education, and ESOL (English as a Second Language).

Talented and Gifted

 These students are formally identified as gifted using local and/or state guidelines. Although the profile of the gifted student varies widely, these students are typically judged to have high academic potential, demonstrate a capacity for higher-order thinking, and require differentiated instruction to motivate them. Federal Law (Public Law 91-230) defines gifted and talented students according to five categories:

• General intellectual ability

• Specific academic aptitude

• Creative and/or productive thinking

• Leadership ability

• Visual/performing arts

To ensure that TAG students are fully prepared for success on the Maryland State High School Assessments, the following instructional practices and processes are recommended:

1. TAG students should be encouraged by their counselors, teachers, and parents to take full advantage of the wide range of program opportunities available at the high school level, including TAG curriculum offerings in English, Social Studies, and Science; Advanced Placement classes; the International Baccalaureate Program (now available at four county high schools); Magnet Programs; and a large variety of enrichment programs such as Odyssey of the Mind and Mock Trial.

2. To ensure that TAG students who already know skills or concepts being taught have opportunities for independent inquiry and acceleration, schools can offering a variety of instructional alternatives:

• Curriculum Compacting (pretesting to determine existing skill and knowledge levels of students, allowing for independent applications if students already have mastered the core material);

• Learning Contracts

• Technology Enhancements (e.g., on-line search, multi-media research projects, computer simulations)

3. When students learn at an accelerated rate, consider such options as independent study and peer mentoring.

4. If students appear unmotivated because of an apparent conflict between learning styles and teaching styles, consider allowing individual student lessons based upon an analysis of students' learning styles and multiple intelligences.

5. If there is evidence that students appear unmotivated or not intellectually challenged, a variety of options is available, including:

• Design and delivery of lessons modeled on higher-order thinking skills and processes

• Integration of higher-order questioning (e.g., interpretive, analytical, evaluative questions) into all facets of instructional delivery

• Emphasis upon experiential learning with a focus upon independent inquiry and investigation

• Use of culminating projects designed as Dimensions of Learning meaningful-use tasks (e.g., student centered, allowing for student choice as to approach and end product, inclusion of an oral presentation or defense, and emphasis upon such higher-order thinking processes as problem solving, decision making, investigation, systems analysis, experimental inquiry, and invention)

6. Frequently, TAG students may display advanced cognitive/intellectual potential, yet appear unproductive, disengaged, or disconnected. Many factors can contribute to these phenomena. Therefore, mentoring and counseling opportunities should be available for all students, particularly those who appear to display a gap between potential and achievement.

 

Special Education

There is perhaps no more critical issue related to the State High School Assessments than the preparation of students identified as Special Education. Currently, a state oversight committee is exploring issues extending from the need to provide appropriate and timely interventions to ensure that no Special Education student is deprived of a diploma because of his or her performance on these assessments. Following are suggestions for how staffs can begin to address this issue:

1. Integrate the outcomes associated with the Core Learning Goals and Skills for Success into the development of students' Individualized Educational Plans.

2. Provide purposeful and timely updates to all parents of Special Education students to ensure that they understand the design of the assessments and their implications for graduation.

3. Create study groups, action research projects, and collaborative inquiry opportunities for comprehensive and Special Education staff to work together to identify and implement appropriate instructional modifications to accommodate the unique needs and strengths of identified Special Education students.

4. Provide time and resources for staff members to share success stories about how particular instructional strategies and processes have worked to promote student achievement in a particular content area, particularly how those strategies and interventions contribute to the academic development of Special Education students.

5. Keep apprised of developments within this field and area by accessing the Maryland State Department web site, www.msde.state.md.us.

 

English as a Second Language

 Students who speak a primary language other than English are another important cohort requiring special intervention and support where the State High School Assessments are concerned. Like Special Education, a state oversight committee is currently exploring issues extending from the need to provide appropriate and timely interventions to ensure that no ESOL student is deprived of a diploma because of his or her performance on these assessments. Following are suggestions for how staffs can begin to address this issue:

1. Integrate the outcomes associated with the Core Learning Goals and Skills for Success into the development of ESOL students.

2. Provide purposeful and timely updates to all parents of ESOL students to ensure that they understand the design of the assessments and their implications for graduation.

3. Create study groups, action research projects, and collaborative inquiry opportunities for comprehensive and ESOL to work together to identify and implement appropriate instructional modifications to accommodate the unique needs and strengths of identified ESOL students.

4. Provide time and resources for staff members to share success stories about how particular instructional strategies and processes have worked to promote student achievement in a particular content area, particularly how those strategies and interventions contribute to the academic development of ESOL students.

5. Keep apprised of developments within this field and area by accessing the Maryland State Department web site, www.msde.state.md.us.

 

CLICK HERE for staff development ideas to assist staff in understanding and addressing the unique needs of such special populations as Special Education, Talented and Gifted, and English as a Second Language (ESOL) relative to success on the State high school assessments.

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