K-8 Identification Criteria

Level I: Students will be considered for this level of service if they meet five of the seven following criteria within the subject areas of mathematics and reading (language arts). ISAT scores for elementary school students only relate to grades four and five.

Students will typically demonstrate the traits found below. The needs of these children are best managed by the regular classroom teacher through the application of differentiation strategies.

• Academic talent traits, aptitudes, and behaviors as documented on District 97 checklists or other evidence of high-level abilities or behaviors that substantially surpass those of others of their age. Experience or environment.
• Consistent student performance: Elementary report card grade of three or higher in a core subject; middle level report card grade of at least an A- in a core subject.
• Student test scores – within the 5% of ISAT scores; top 5% of underrepresented sub-group (district pool).
• Cognitive Ability Test results (i.e. Cognitive Abilities Test or Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test 2nd Edition) results (Verbal, Nonverbal, or Quantitative) at a standard score of 120 to 129.
• Nationally Normed, Standardized Achievement Test (i. e. Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Gates Reading Test, etc.) results (Reading and Math) at the 95th percentile or higher.
• The student will have achieved fours on his/ her report card.
• Exceed scores on District 97 criterion referenced tests such as PA series or Benchmark

And students must demonstrate the following for Level I qualification:

• Student interest – outstanding level of interest evidenced by students’ focus and curiosity over a period of time, which is well documented by interest inventories (parent/student), anecdotal records, case studies, progress reports, portfolios, and/or students performance / product evaluations; students’ intense interest in topics not introduced in the classroom.
• Student motivation to learn – high level of motivation to learn evidenced by individual case studies, interviews, autobiographies, and portfolios of student work.

Level II: Students will be considered for this level of service if they meet the following criteria within the subject areas of mathematics and reading (language arts).

The needs of these children are best met through a direct service model combining the ATD and the regular classroom teacher. The ATD provides differentiation support to the regular classroom teacher. In turn, the classroom teacher will then (through differentiation) match the unique needs of that child with the curriculum. Additionally, the ATD will provide direct services through a pull out or push in framework.

Level II students will typically demonstrate:

• Academic talent traits, aptitudes, and behaviors as documented on District 97 checklists or other evidence of high-level abilities or behaviors that substantially surpass those of others of their age, experience, or their environment.
• Consistent student performance: Elementary report card grade of four or higher in core subject; middle level report card grade of at least an A- in core subject.
• Student test scores –within the top 2-3% on the ISAT; top 2-3% of the underrepresented subgroup (district pool).
• A score at the 95th percentile or higher on a nationally normed, standardized achievement test (i.e. Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Gates Reading Test, etc.).
• The student will have achieved fours on his/ her report cards.
• The student will have achieved exceeds on the District 97 criterion referenced test such as PA series and Benchmark.

And the student must demonstrate the following:

• Student interest – outstanding level of interest evidenced by student’s focus and curiosity over time, which is well documented by interest inventories (parent/student), anecdotal records, case studies, progress reports, portfolios, and /or student performance /product evaluations; students’ intense interests in topics not introduced in the classroom.
• Student motivation to learn – outstanding level of motivation to learn evidenced by individual case studies, interviews, autobiographies, motivation inventories completed by student and/or teachers, and portfolios of student work.
• A standard score of 130 or higher on the verbal, nonverbal, or quantitative subtest of a nationally normed, standardized cognitive ability test (i.e. Cognitive Abilities Test or the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test 2nd Edition).