[00:00:01]
>> I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
THIS IS THE TALENTED AND GIFTED ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MAY 10, 2021.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST START WITH A QUICK UPDATE.
[Chair Update]
JOINING US TONIGHT IS MICHAEL DUKES AND HE ATTENDED ONE OF OUR MEETINGS EARLIER THIS SPRING AND BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE LEAVING THE COMMITTEE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PUT HIS APPLICATION THROUGH SO WE WANT TO WELCOME HIM.HE WILL BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
SO YOU WILL NOT HAVE VOTING RIGHTS UNTIL YOU'RE APPROVED BY THE BOARD BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE.
MOST LIKELY THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
ON THAT NOTE, I STILL NEED TO HEAR FROM ZION, MARK, AND ASHA WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME TODAY.
BUT IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO SO I CAN GET A FEEL FOR HOW MANY OPENINGS WE MAY HAVE ON THE COMMITTEE FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT, SO PLEASE MAKE A NOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO ME YET ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE GOT QUITE A LOT TO DO WITH REGARD TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS.
BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT ON THESE.
I THINK THEY'RE ALL IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE MAYBE A LITTLE TRICKY GETTING THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN THIS VIRTUAL FORMAT BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND WE'LL GET THOSE APPROVED BECAUSE THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORTH IN THE LAST I'D SAY 15 MONTHS DESPITE THE PANDEMIC.
SO I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE TIME AND DEDICATION AND ALL OF THE THOUGHTFULNESS YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS.
I'M EXCITED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER FOR A STAFF UPDATE.
[Staff Update]
AND I KNOW ONE THING I HAD ASKED ABOUT WAS MATH CURRICULUM CHANGES AT VDOE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.BUT DR. TEMPLE MILNER IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND BEING A PART OF OUR COMMITTEE.
I DON'T HAVE A BIG RABBIT TO PULL OUT OF MY HAT TODAY WITH REGARD TO ANYTHING NEW COMING UP DOWN THE PIKE IN TERMS OF THE STATE LEVEL.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE STATE HAS TAKEN A PAUSE ON THE VMPI AT THIS POINT.
THEY ARE STILL ELIS -- ELICITING FEEDBACK AT THIS POINT.
SO RIGHT NOW THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
OUR SUGGESTION IS TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND FOLLOW THE BOARDS ONLINE.
OBVIOUSLY WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU AS WE GET INFORMATION WHILE THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK THROUGH OTHER IDEAS.
>> JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, MY UNDERSTANDING HAD BEEN THAT I BELIEVE THAT ACPS HAD SUBMITTED QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY AROUND HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT SOME OF THE GIFTED PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY THE ACCELERATION THAT WE DO FOR MATH.
BEFORE THAT PUT A PAUSE ON THIS, DID WE GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT JUST WASN'T COMMUNICATED OR CONSIDERED INITIALLY?
>> SO I'LL REFER TO DR. MANN FOR THAT QUESTION IN TERMS OF IF WE'VE RECEIVED A RESPONSE BACK FROM THE STATE ON SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AS I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT? GENERAL.
BUT I'LL LET DR. MANN JUMP IN HERE.
>> SORRY, TRYING TO FIND THE MUTE BUTTON ON MY PHONE.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF THE MOMS, HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY YESTERDAY.
I HAVE BEEN ASKING OUR STAFF AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE BACK FROM THEIR COUNTERPARTS AT THE STATE WHO ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH IT IN THEIR COMMITTEES AS FAR AS WHAT THIS HAS TO DO FOR TALENTED AND GIFTED.
THE ONE THING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT IN THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT TALENTED AND GIFTED, BUT ABOUT MATH INSTRUCTION AND THAT'S WHERE AS WE CONTINUE TO
[00:05:01]
THINK ABOUT WE KNOW THERE'S AN ACCELERATION THING WITH ACPS, BUT FROM THE STATE STANDPOINT FROM THE MATH SIDE THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO GET ANSWERS SO WE DON'T HAVE A FIRM ANSWER AS FAR AS ACCELERATION YET FROM THE STATE AND THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVING OUT.ANY OTHER STAFF UPDATE INFORMATION YOU WANT TO SHARE OR WAS THAT?
SO ONE OTHER THING WE ARE DOING THIS SUMMER IS FOR OUR SUMMER CURRICULUM WRITING WE HAVE HAVING MATH FOCUS.
SO OUR WORK IS NOT JUST ON ACCELERATION BUT BASED UPON ENRICHMENT AS WELL.
SO WHAT GIFTED RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE THAT WE COULD USE TO HELP NOT ONLY ACCELERATE OUR CURRICULUM BUT EXTEND OUR CURRICULUM.
AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IN SOCIAL STUDIES, I USED TO BE IN FIFTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES, WE WOULD START OUR STUDIES WITH NATIVE AMERICAN AND ONE YEAR WE WOULD GET ALL THE WAY TO RECONSTRUCTION AND WE WOULD RACE THROUGH IT.
AND I REMEMBER ONLY SPENDING ONE DAY ON THE THREE BRANCHS OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE RACED THROUGH THE CRITERIA.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MATHEMATICAL INSTRUCTION AND GIFTED EDUCATION, WE NEED TO START REFRAMING OUR THOUGHTS OF NOT JUST ACCELERATION BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENRICH OUR STUDENTS THROUGH PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING, THROUGH GOING DEEPER INTO THE CURRICULUM AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WORKING THIS YEAR.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT, WE JUST HAVE TO ALIGN IT TO WHAT OUR CASING -- PACING IS ACROSS THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE ARE WORKING WITH SOME CURRICULUM WRITERS TO DO THAT.
AND THEN OUR THIRD BIG THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ALL YEAR IS OUR SCREENING AND SO KUDOS TO TIANA DOMINIC WHO'S TAKEN THE LEAD ON THIS.
I LIKE TO CALL IT THE TITANIC.
SHE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH SUPPORT FROM RACHEL HOPKINS AND THE REST OF OUR TAG DESIGNEES.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF FINALIZING OUR PORTFOLIO SUBMISSIONS WITH OUR WORK SAMPLES GOING THROUGH OUR EVALUATORS ARE GOING THROUGH IT AND SCORING THOSE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WORK PRODUCTS THAT OUR EVALUATORS HAD TO GO THROUGH AND WE'RE STILL FOLLOWING UP WITH SOME OF THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST WORK SAMPLES THAT ARE THERE FOR OUR KIDS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
WE ARE THEN GOING TO MOVE ON TO TESTING AS WELL.
AND THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
WE MIGHT GET TO A POINT WHERE NOT EVERYONE IS TESTED WITHIN THESE FOUR WEEKS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL FINALIZING THE PORTFOLIOS.
SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER TESTING SESSION AT THE END OF JUNE JUST TO MAKE SURE WE ACCESS ALL OF THE KIDS THAT WE NEED TO ACCESS DURING THIS PROCESS.
SO IT'S A LONG PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE JUST THANKFUL FOR THE PATIENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WE WORK THROUGH IT.
JUST LIKE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER BEFORE GETTING STARTED TRYING TO PIECE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AS A COMMITTEE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE DOING IT VIRTUALLY, WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH SCREENING.
SO JUST KNOW WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION FOR FAMILIES BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR EVERY FAMILY WILL BE NOTIFIED.
>> AT ONE POINT I THINK YOU ALL SAID YOU WERE LOOKING INTO TEST SCORES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR KIDS IN THEIR FILE AND IS THAT GOING TO BE USED OR IS EVERY CHILD COMING THROUGH THE PORTFOLIO GOING TO NEED TO RETEST?
>> SO WE WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR THAT AND JUST FOR TIMING WISE, WE DECIDED TO BASED UPON OUR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS GOING THROUGH OUR PORTFOLIO WORK SAMPLE WHICH THEN STARTED OFF WHETHER OR NOT WE GO FORWARD WITH TESTING WITH THAT.
SO WE DO HAVE KIDS THAT HAVE THEM ON FILE ALREADY WHO MIGHT HAVE TAKEN IT WHEN THEY WERE IN FIRST GRADE OR SECOND GRADE.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE OUR THIRD GRADERS TO HAVE THAT SCORE TO SEE THE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE VERBAL, THE NONVERBAL, AND THE QUANTITATIVE.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CHILDREN TO QUALIFY IN THE NEXT STEP TO TEST THEM.
IN MAY I HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR STEPS ARE FOR NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF SCREENING, WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL DO FIRST AND SECOND GRADE OR THIRD OR FOURTH GRADE.
I'LL NEED TO MEET WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM.
I DO KNOW THAT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FROM OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL
[00:10:01]
READING THROUGH OUR DRAFT DOCUMENTS.SO ONCE WE GET MORE INFORMATION WITH THAT, I WILL DEFINITELY SHARE IT WITH YOU.
>> WHEN, I THINK THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE CURIOUS AT SOME POINT AND I THINK SOME OF US, WE CAN, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL TABLE THAT.
WE'LL CIRCLE BACK WHEN WE GO TO DEE'S REPORT BECAUSE I KNOW SHE'S LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE IN JUNE.
>> SO THAT'S OUR REPORTS FOR NOW.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE NICE WELCOME TO COME INTO ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR TEAM'S WORK WITH THIS COMMITTEE.
[Committee Slate]
ALL RIGHT, I'M SO EXCITED! THANK YOU, NICK, THANK YOU KATHLEEN, AND THANK YOU JULIA.
WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEPPED UP.
WHOO! I SHOULD HAVE READ THE BYLAWS ON THIS AGAIN.
I GUESS THE OFFICIAL SLATE OF OUR NOMINATIONS NEXT YEAR ARE NICK AS CHAIR, KATHLEEN AS OUR VICE CHAIR, AND JULIA AS SECRETARY.
SO FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IN JUNE WE WILL OFFICIALLY VOTE AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR STEPPING UP.
SO EVERYBODY ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE GUYS, THANK YOU.
AS FAR AS THE TEACHER REP, I KNOW LEAH, YOU SAID, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S ON HERE.
>> IRENE IS IN THE PARTICIPANT SIDE.
YOU CAN BRING HER OVER, SUSAN, IF YOU'RE THERE.
AND SO IRENE I GUESS IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE TEACHER REP.
IS THAT OFFICIAL OR CHECKING IT OUT IN THIS MEETING?
>> YES, I WILL BE THE TEACHER REP.
I THINK I SENT MY APPLICATION.
I THINK THAT THE BOARD HAS TO APPROVE ME, NO?
AND I BELIEVE I FORWARDED IT TO YOU, LAURA.
>> I'LL REFORWARD JUST IN CASE.
CAN YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE IN.
>> I'M FINISHING MY FOURTH YEAR AS A TAG TEACHER.
I'VE BEEN A TEACHER FOR 18 YEARS.
I USED TO TEACH IN ARLINGTON BEFORE IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT WHEN I WAS HIRED IN ALEXANDRIA, I WAS HIRED TO BE A TAG TEACHER.
MY SCHOOL IS A BILINGUAL SCHOOL AND SO I TEACH THE MATH SIDE IN SPANISH TO THE TAG KIDS CONTINUING THE PROGRAM.
SO MY KIDS ARE THE ONE AND ONLY IN THE WHOLE DISTRICT THAT DO TAG IN SPANISH.
AND SO THAT'S THE EXTRA LITTLE CHALLENGE WE PUT, THE SPICE FOR MY KIDS.
AND I HAVE MY ENDORSEMENT FOR TAG ALREADY.
I HAVE STUDIED MY MASTERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA HERE.
BUT I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE U.S.
SO ALL MY ADULT LIFE, MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE.
THANK YOU, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S LOOKING GOOD.
>> A STUDENT WANTS TO BE IN THIS TAG ADVISORY, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S HERE ALREADY.
>> YEAH, I'LL CIRCLE BACK AND TALK WITH HER AND THEN TALK WITH A COUPLE OF STUDENT REPS.
I THINK THAT'S AN OPEN ISSUE WE'LL GET TO IN ONE OF THE REPORTS SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO REAL QUICKLY I WANTED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE APRIL 12TH FOR OUR
[Approve April 12th Minutes]
COMMITTEE, OUR MEETING MINUTES.DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? NO? CAN SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 12TH, PLEASE?
[00:15:04]
OKAY, SO AS YOU GUYS MAY REMEMBER I HAVE TO ROLL CALL SO I'LL JUST GO THROUGH MY SCREEN AND JUST SAY IF YOU APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME SUBCOMMITTEES THAT HAVE SOME MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE
[Approve Subcommittee Minutes]
APPROVED.OUR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING, SO FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ZION AND MARY BETH, I PROPOSE THE MINUTES.
ANY COMMENTS ON OUR MINUTES FROM OUR MEETING?
>> OKAY, I MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
>> HEY, LAURA, YOU DIDN'T CALL ME IN THE ROLL.
YOU DIDN'T CALL MY NAME ON THE ROLL.
DID I MISS ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER SUBCOMMITTEE MINUTES THAT NEEDED TO BE APPROVED? OKAY, PERFECT.
SO LET'S GET TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS.
[Review Subcommittee Reports]
SO I NEED TO THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT THIS AND SORT OF THE FORMAT THAT WE USE.MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET THESE IN SOME SORT OF SHAPE THAT WELL A FINAL DRAFT THAT WE COULD APPROVE THEM AT OUR JUNE MEETING.
AND THE TIMING MIGHT BE GETTING TIGHT ON THAT.
SO I WILL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU GUYS.
I MEAN WE MIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO APPROVE THEM, BUT WHEN THEY GET SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND HOW COULD BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
IT'S POSSIBLE IF WE HAVE SOME OF THE REPORTS DONE THAT MAYBE WE'LL JUST SUBMIT THEM DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEN WHEN I WRITE AND SUBMIT THE YEAR END REPORT WHICH THAT THOSE ARE THEN INCLUDED AS ADDENDUMS. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THIS BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THE COMMITTEE OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO I'M SURE YOU GUYS WANT TO GET THESE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
AND I THINK I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND SO MY THOUGHT WAS MAYBE I'D ASK THE QUESTIONS AND GET THE COMMITTEE TO KIND OF RESPOND AND THEN I ALSO AM CURIOUS FOR THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE IF YOU FEEL LIK THERE'S POINTS THAT SHOULD BE MADE IN THAT SUBCOMMITTEE'S REPORT OR YOU HAD QUESTIONS.
THIS IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THE WORK OF OUR WHOLE COMMITTEE.
SO I DO WANT TO HEAR FEEDBACK.
SO ONE THING, SO I THOUGHT I'D TAKE THE FIRST TWO I THOUGHT I WOULD TACKLE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF OVERLAP.
AND I THINK ACTUALLY HONESTLY ALL OF THESE REPORTS ARE ABOUT 90% THERE.
IF I FIRST LOOK AT THE GUEST SPEAKERS REPORT, AND IF I LOOK AT THAT AND I LOOK AT IDENTIFICATION AND TESTING SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT, I HAVE LIKE A BROAD QUESTION THAT I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE SUBMIT AND FINALIZE BOTH OF THESE REPORTS.
AND THAT IS BOTH OF THE REPORTS REFERENCE LOCAL NORMS WHICH WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT QUITE A BIT ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND AS I WAS READING THE REPORTS, THE GUEST SPEAKERS TALKED A LOT ABOUT LOCAL
[00:20:07]
NORMS IN REFERENCE TO ABILITY GROUPS AND ALSO USING LOCAL NORMS. AND YOU REFERENCED THE COGAT BUT NOT THE NAGLIARI AND THEN IN IDENTIFICATION AND TESTING SUBCOMMITTEE, YOU ALSO REFERENCED USING LOCAL NORMS BUT I THINK, WELL YOU REFERENCED BOTH.I GUESS MY QUESTION FROM LOCAL NORMS IS, WE WOULD GET DIFFERENT RESULTS IF WE ARE LOCAL NORMING NAGLIARI AND IF WE'RE USING LOCAL NORMS FOR THE COGAT.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO I GUESS THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT, THE WAY IT'S REFERENCE WITH THE COGAT IS IT'S THIS IS AN ABILITY TEST.
LET'S SAY A PARTICULAR SCHOOL DIDN'T GET THROUGH A LOT OF CONTENT OR IT WASN'T PRESENTED IN THAT WAY SO MAYBE THOSE STUDENTS WERE AT A DISADVANTAGE TO SHOW UP ON THE COGAT.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE NAGLIERI IS IT'S LOOKING AT HOW A STUDENT CAN SOLVE A PROBLEM IS IT'S NOT RELIANT ON HAVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR AND MAYBE WE LOOK AT SOME SORT OF LOCAL NORMING FOR BOTH.
BUT CUTTING OFF A PERCENTILE AND SAYING ACROSS ACPS IF THE TOP 10% IN EVERY SCHOOL ON THE COGAT, THAT'S GOING TO LOOK VERY DIFFERENT SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
I CAN SEE DR. TEMPEL-MILNER SHAKING HER HEAD.
THAT WAS THE OVERALL QUESTION I THOUGHT WE SHOULD SPEND SOME TIME DISCUSSING.
WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOTH TESTS IS THEY'RE BOTH ABILITY TESTS, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ACHIEVEMENT EXAM.
HOWEVER WITH THE COGAT EXAM THERE'S A LOT MORE INVOLVED THAT IMPACTS OUR STUDENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE THE COGAT IS VERY LANGUAGE HEAVY.
SO IF YOU'RE A CHILD WHO IS COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND STARTING TO ACQUIRE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THIS BECOMES MORE OF A READING TEST THAN A TEST OF PROBLEM SOLVING AND ABILITY.
SO IN A SCHOOL THAT HAS A HIGH POPULATION OF STUDENTS RECEIVING EL SERVICES, YOU MIGHT RELY ON A HIGHER NAGLIERI SCHOOL AND YOUR COGAT SCORES MIGHT BE LOWER KEEPING IN MIND THAT LINGUISTIC BIAS.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
I DID REMEMBER READING IN THE REPORTS THOUGH TOO THAT THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK INTO THE NAGLIERI NEW VERSION OF A QUANTITATIVE AND VERBAL TEST WITH THAT.
AND I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO DR. NAGLIERI THIS WEEK TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM SO I COULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT TEST.
AND A COUPLE OF OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO JOIN IN WITH THE COORDINATOR LEVEL DIRECTOR OF THINGS BEFORE WE BRING IT FORWARD TO OUR TESTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEES AS WELL.
SO YES THERE MIGHT BE SCHOOLS WITH DIFFERENT LOCAL NORMS. BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE TEST IS AND THE POPULATION OF THE SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE NECESSARILY AT A POINT WHERE WE SHOULD ADOPT LOCAL NORMS AS WE'RE STILL TRYING TO NAVIGATE WHAT EVEN OUR WHOLE SCREENING PROCESS IS AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR LOCAL PLAN.
SO THAT'S JUST SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
>> DAPHNE, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
>> I THINK IN ADDITION TO LANGUAGE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COGAT DOES IS IT ALSO TESTS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO I'VE MENTIONED A 30 MILLION WORD GAP OF THOSE KIDS WHO COME IN HAVEN'T BEEN EXPOSED TO MUCH AND THESE EXAMS BEING BIASED AGAINST THEM.
WHAT THE NAGLIERI DOES IS IT MEASURES THINKING AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU'RE COMING INTO THE EQUATION WITH.
ONE OF THE THINGS HE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GIFTED AND TALENTED.
AND SO I BELIEVE AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE, YOU GUYS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I BELIEVE HE TALKED ABOUT GIFTED ARE THOSE KIDS WHO
[00:25:02]
HAVE THOSE REASONING ABILITIES, THOSE THINKING ABILITIES THAT ARE ON POINT, RIGHT.VERSUS TALENTED THOSE ARE THE KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT.
YOU WERE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO LIKE GREAT PRESCHOOLS AND YOU GO TO THIS CLASS ALL OF THESE ENRICHMENT THINGS.
SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THAT.
THE COGAT TAPS INTO THOSE TALENTED KIDS VERSUS THE NAGLIERI IT REALLY REACHES MORE OF OUR STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD ALL OF THAT PRIOR ENRICHMENT PER SE.
SO I THINK IF YOU'RE DOING LOCAL NORMS FOR BOTH OF THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO GET TWO DIFFERENT RESULTS.
>> YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT ONE REPORT THAT SAYS LOCAL NORM THE NAGLIERI, AND WE'VE GOT ONE REPORT THAT SAYS LOCAL NORM THE COGAT.
>> MY POINT IS MAYBE THAT'S OKAY.
BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT LOCAL NORMS ARE FOR.
IF THE COGAT WORKS BETTER AT THIS SCHOOL, THEN USE THAT.
IF THE NAGLIERI WORKS BETTER AT THIS SCHOOL, THEN USE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE LOCAL NORMS SHOULD MATTER SO THAT IT TESTS THE STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL.
AND IF THAT SCHOOL THE COGAT IS BETTER, THEN WE SHOULD USE THAT.
>> I BELIEVE THE POINT WE WERE MAKING WAS WE BASICALLY IDENTIFIED THE TYPE OF TEST WHICH IS THE ABILITY TEST, WE FAVORED THAT OVER THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED TEST.
AND IN THE END WE'RE SAYING USE LOCAL NORMS PERIOD COUPLING WITH USING THE ABILITY TEST.
WE DIDN'T SAY USE LOCAL NORMS FOR THE ABILITY VERSUS THE COGAT.
WE'RE SAYING USE LOCAL NORMS PERIOD.
THAT'S THE POINT WE WERE MAKING.
>> DO YOU MEAN LOCAL NORMS LOOKING AT WHAT OUR WORK SAMPLES ARE?
>> USE LOCAL NORMS ON THE ABILITIES TEST AND ALSO THE WAY YOU CONDUCT YOUR SCORING ON YOUR MATRIX, THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO WE WEREN'T SAYING, THE POINT I'M SAYING HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TO CLARIFY IS WE'RE NOT SAYING TO FAVOR THE COGAT AT ALL.
WE ACTUALLY FAVOR THE ABILITY TEST.
THAT'S THE POINT WE MADE IN OUR PAPER.
AND THEN AT THE END WE'RE SAYING TO USE LOCAL NORMS AND THEN WATCH THE WAY YOU ADMINISTER THE TEST, WATCH THE TYPE OF MATRIX THAT YOU USE IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE RESULTS OF THE TEST.
>> SO I THINK IN GENERAL MOST OF US ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO HONE IN SO THAT WE'RE REALLY CLEAR WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD IS READING THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS, SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS IF BOTH OF THOSE TEAMS CAN KIND OF GO BACK I GUESS WITH THIS FEEDBACK AND TRY TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR, THE OTHER THING IS I DO THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT US IF WE SAY WE'RE ADVOCATING THAT YOU EXPLORE LOCAL NORMS. BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T PROBABLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET OR SCHOOL BOARD.
SO I WANT TO OPEN THE TOPIC AS OPPOSED TO SAYING WE THINK YOU NEED TO GO DO THIS.
SO MORE OF A CONSULTANT APPROACH IS SORT OF WHAT WE'RE TAKING.
AND THE OTHER THING ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND TESTING, I DO REALLY LIKE THE NAGLIERI.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT IT.
I LIKE DR. NAGLIERI'S PRESENTATION.
I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE HAS AN UPDATED TEST.
I KNOW THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT HEARD THAT PRESENTATION WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT TEST.
AND I DO FEEL LIKE AND I KNOW THAT ANGIE WASN'T REALLY ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS.
BUT I THINK THAT IDENTIFICATION AND TESTING, THE POINT THAT YOU WERE MAKING ASHA ABOUT THE NAGLIERI, IT NEEDS THE SAME TYPE OF, IF WE WERE GOING TO ADMINISTER THAT TO FIRST GRADERS, IT NEEDS THE SAME TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT THE THIRD GRADERS GET THEIR ENTIRE YEAR WITH THAT COGAT TEST.
BECAUSE I AM STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT THOSE FIRST GRADERS ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THE NAGLIERI, THAT THE TEACHERS ARE COMPLETELY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, THE COUNSELORS.
YOU HEARD WHAT ANGIE TALKED ABOUT WHEN THAT COGAT IS ADMINISTERED AND THEY LOOK AT IT THE WHOLE YEAR.
AND KIDS THAT ARE ON THE BUBBLE THAT COUNSELORS AT EACH SCHOOL ARE LOOKING AT
[00:30:02]
THOSE KIDS.SO I'D LIKE THE SAME SORT OF ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE NAGLIERI, OR MAYBE YOU CHANGE THE YEAR THAT THE NAGLIERI IS GIVEN.
BUT I THINK SOMEWHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE, I DON'T KNOW, DOES ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS
COMMITTEE AGREE WITH ME ABOUT HOW THE NAGLIERI IS -- >> I BELIEVE WE DID MENTION THAT.
WE DID GO INTO EXPANSION OF THE TESTS INTO ALL GRADES AND WE EMPHASIZED THAT YOU SHOULD CONTINUE THE UNIVERSAL SCREENING OF ALL STUDENTS.
SO WE TOUCHED ON THAT IN OUR PAPER.
>> I GUESS I'M JUST SAYING CAN WE EXPAND ON IT A LITTLE BIT? DAPHNE.
>> THAT'S THE STORY OF MY LIFE.
SO YOU WANT US TO EXPAND UPON THE ADMINISTRATION ITSELF OF THE NAGLIERI? OKAY.
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO LIKE, WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE ON OUR SIDE.
THERE'S ALWAYS PUSHBACK ABOUT TAKING THESE TESTS, ANY TESTS, RIGHT? THAT WE DO TOO MUCH TESTING.
>> SO I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DR. TEMPEL-MILNER WAS WORKING ON GETTING US ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE NAGLIERI AND HOW IT'S ADMINISTERED.
>> I'VE GIVEN THE NAGLIERI FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
SO I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO THE NAGLIERI ISN'T MEANT TO HAVE A PREP FOR IT AT ALL.
BUT THE NAGLIERI IS ONE OF THE ONES THE KIDS ENJOY THE MOST DOING.
THEY COME IN, IT TAKES 30 MINUTES, IT'S DONE ONLINE AND THE KIDS JUST NEED TO FIND THE MISSING PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
AND FOR THE MOST PART WHEN I ADMINISTERED IT, OUR KIDS GOT DONE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 25 MINUTES EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD 30 MINUTES TO DO IT.
WALKING AWAY FROM THE TEST, I DIDN'T FIND KIDS WERE STRESSED OUT FROM IT.
I DID NOT FIND THAT THEY WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT.
MOST OF THEM GOT DONE AND WERE LIKE THAT WAS FUN.
SO IT'S A REALLY EASY TEST TO ADMINISTER AND THE CHILDREN, IT'S NOT AS BIG OF AN ORDEAL TO ADMINISTER.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE COGAT AND I'M USING MY FAIRFAX EXPERIENCE HERE, THEY TOOK IT IN THIRD GRADE.
AND WHAT WAS DIFFERENT, EXCUSE ME THEY TOOK IT IN SECOND GRADE.
IN SECOND GRADE IT WAS A THREE DAY TEST AND IT EXTENDED 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR EACH DAY THAT THEY TOOK IT AND THE KIDS HAD T CIRCLE THE BUBBLE AND GET IT DONE.
THEY DID HAVE A PRACTICE TEST PRIOR TO IT BUT THERE WAS NEVER REALLY ANY PREP GOING INTO IT FOR AN ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT WAS JUST AN EXPOSURE OF HOW THESE ARE THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT IT WILL BE AND THIS IS HOW WHEN YOU GET TO THE ACTUAL TEST, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS FROM AN ALEXANDRIA CITY PARENT PERSPECTIVE AND AN ADVISORY PERSPECTIVE, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ARE THE KIDS PREPPING FOR THIS CLASS IN THE CLASSROOMS TO TAKE IT?
>> WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT PREP WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS ANGIE IS GOING IN, SHE MEETS WITH THE TEACHERS, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THIS TEST, THEY TALK ABOUT BATHROOM BREAKS, THEY TALK ABOUT IF A STUDENT IS SICK.
I DON'T HAVE THE SAME IMPRESSION THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT SAME THING FOR FIRST GRADE AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT THE TEACHERS ARE LIKE, I MEAN I GET THAT YOU CAN'T PREPARE LIKE TO DO THE PROBLEMS. BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT LIKE WHAT IF, I MEAN THEY'RE FIRST GRADERS, WHAT IF ALL OF A SUDDEN SOME KID JUST STARTS ACTING UP OR KICKING ANOTHER KID DOES THAT DISTURB THAT TEST FOR THAT WHOLE CLASSROOM AND IS THERE ACCOUNTABILITY THERE FOR WHEN THAT HAPPENS? I HAD THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION FROM ANGIE THAT THAT PROCESS FOR THIRD GRADE IS THEY ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT.
WE ASKED, IS THERE SOMEBODY LIKE YOU THAT DOES THIS FOR THE NAGLIERI? WELL I DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM TAKING A TEST WHEN THEY'RE EVEN YOUNGER AND SO THEN YOU'VE POTENTIALLY, I JUST KNOW AND I KNOW KIDS.
THEY WERE SICK, THE CHILD ENDED UP GETTING LIKE A 10% ON THE TEST AND THE TEACHER WAS LIKE WELL IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, BUT THE MOMS SAYING BUT MY CHILD COULD
[00:35:06]
HAVE DONE BETTER.AND IT WAS THIS WHOLE FIGHT TO GET THE TESTING.
TO GET A RETEST WHEN THE CHILD WAS SICK AND STUFF.
SO I JUST, SORRY, I'LL PAUSE THERE.
I SEE SOME PEOPLE HAVE THEIR HANDS UP.
>> I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR NOW AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO AS A COMMITTEE.
ANOTHER THING THAT I JUST WANTED TO, TWO THINGS WITH THE NAGLIERI.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS ALSO ATTRACTED TO IT IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION, IT'S A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION THAT DEMONSTRATES WHAT THE DIRECTIONS ARE.
AND SO AGAIN IT IS NOT LANGUAGE DEPENDENT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY AND ASK, MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME, WERE THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR THE COGAT, THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHO ARE TAKING THE COGAT, WHAT ARE THE ACCOMMODATIONS PROVIDED FOR THOSE STUDENTS? I REACHED OUT, I SENT OUT SOME EMAILS BUT I DIDN'T GET ANY RESPONSES.
SO I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS THE ANSWERS TO THAT.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE COGAT, TO THOSE STUDENTS TAKING THE COGAT? SPECIFICALLY READER LEVELS 1, 2, AND 3.
>> SO I DON'T HAVE THE ACCOMMODATIONS MEMORIZED OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD FOR THE COGAT.
BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN A PRIOR DISTRICT, WE DID NOT GIVE THE COGAT TO OUR EL1S AND EL2 WAS A DISCUSSION AMONGST A COMMITTEE INVOLVING THE ESL TEACHER, THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR AND WHOEVER THE SCHOOL TEST COORDINATOR BECAUSE AGAIN THAT BECOMES AN ENGLISH TEST RATHER THAN AN ABILITIES TEST.
AND SO ONE THING WE DID DO IF WE HAD A KIDDO THAT IT WAS LIKE WE THINK THE COGAT WOULD BE GOOD, WE JUST SAID THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE QUANTITATIVE VERSION OF IT WHICH IS LESS LANGUAGE HEAVY.
WE WERE GOING TO GET A COMPOSITE SCORE BECAUSE VERBAL AND NONVERBAL WEREN'T USED OR WHATEVER ONE WE OPTED OUT OF.
BUT WE STILL GAVE A SUB PORTION OF IT AND THE SCHOOL TEST COORDINATOR KEPT TRACK OF THE STUDENTS WHO KNEW THAT POSSIBLY LATER ON WE SHOULD GO BACK IS AND GIVE THE COGAT AS THE ENGLISH LEVEL INCREASED.
I WOULD NOT SAY IT'S AN EL FRIENDLY TEST.
>> SO HOW DO I FIND OUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES IN TERMS OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS?
>> I HAVE TO LOOK, IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY WHAT ACPS DOES, IT'S WHAT THE TEST ALLOWS US TO DO BY THE TEST CREATORS.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MANUAL FOR ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THAT.
I DO EVEN KNOW THERE ARE ACCOMMODATIONS IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AS WELL AND IF IT'S A TIMED TEST IN CERTAIN GRADE LEVELS IT IS A TIME TEST, WHAT'S THE EXTENDED TIME FOR THAT.
SO IT'S VERY PRESCRIBED IN ORDER TO KEEP TO WHATEVER NORMS THEY'RE USING.
I BELIEVE I THINK ACPS HAVE BOTH.
WHEN MY SON TOOK IT IN FIRST GRADE, THEY PULLED THEM OUT OF THE CLASS AND THE COUNSELOR ADMINISTRATED THAT COMPUTER TESTING, NOT IN THE CLASS I BELIEVE IN FIRST GRADE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, IT'S NOT EL FRIENDLY TESTING.
AND ACTUALLY WE'VE BEEN TOLD WHEN I DID REQUEST FOR MY KIDS TO BE TESTED AND I WAS TOLD OH BECAUSE YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE, YOU CANNOT BE IN TAG PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I JOINED TAG ADVISORY ACTUALLY WAS LIKE IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT.
I KNOW NOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT IMPROVED, BUT I'M STILL STRUGGLING.
I BELIEVE I JUST HEARD IT YESTERDAY FROM ONE OF THE PARENTS.
YES, IT'S NOT EL FRIENDLY STILL.
EVEN IF PARENTS REQUEST THEIR KIDS ARE TESTED, THEY REFUSE TO BE TESTED OR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER THEM ANY QUESTION OR LIKE IF THEY FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION, THEY WON'T GET IT.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE THAT? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
THE TESTING PREPARE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT.
I'VE BEEN PREPARING FOR THE NEXT NINE YEARS AND I'M INVOLVED WITH TAG AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM PREPARE A STUDENT OR ANYTHING.
[00:40:03]
AND THE TEST I BELIEVE I'VE SEEN IT.THERE'S NOTHING TO BE PREPARED.
FOR MY SON IT WAS LIKE OH I PLAYED A GAME.
BUT I THINK AND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING, LOOKING AT IT WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO IDENTIFICATION HERE, A LOT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT IS ABOUT TESTING AND WE KNOW THAT IDENTIFICATION IS MORE THAN THE TESTING.
SO THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON NEXT YEAR IS ABOVE AND BEYOND ARE WE PUTTING TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON TESTING THA WE ARE EXCLUDEING STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'RE USING.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE THING I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT AS A COMMITTEE ARE IF WE'RE SUBMITTING WORK SAMPLES AND WE'RE SUBMITTING TEACHER RATINGS SCALES AND WE'RE SUBMITTING OBSERVATION REPORTS, ARE THEY OF EQUAL WEIGHT OR DO THEY NEED TO BE WEIGHTED OR ARE WE PUTTING WAY TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON A SINGLE TEST SCORE THAT WE'RE EXCLUDEING CHILDREN? I THINK THAT'S A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE AND I'M SURE THIS COMMITTEE HAS GONE OVER THAT OVER THE YEARS ESPECIALLY WITH DR. PLUCKER COMING IN AND DR. NAGLIERI DOING A PRESENTATION.
BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE PORTFOLIO THAT THAT'S ADDRESSED IN OUR SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT.
>> I THINK A COMMITTEE, WE HAVE DISCUSSED ALL OF THAT.
I THINK THE REASON WE HAD THE GUEST SPEAKERS AND WE'VE LOOKED MORE INTO TESTING IS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WOULD JUST SAY WELL JUST THROW OUT TESTING AND DON'T DO IT AT ALL AND WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
SO THE GOAL WAS TO GET AT ARE WE USING THE RIGHT TESTS, WE KNOW BOTH OF THESE TESTS BASICALLY ARE THE GOLD STANDARD.
BUT ARE WE ADMINISTERING THEM AT THE RIGHT TIME TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT WAY? AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS ARE NO.
RIGHT? OR THAT WE COULD CHANGE THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT.
WE'RE USING GOLD STANDARD TESTS, BUT WE SHOULD SEE FRANKLY IN THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING MORE REPRESENTATION FROM THE GROUPS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY NOT IN TAG PROGRAMS. THEY SHOULD ACTUALLY BE COMING UP AND THEY'RE NOT.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, AND THAT WAS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK FOR THE REPORT IT WAS JUST TRYING TO GET SOME STUFF DOWN WITH THE GUEST SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
ALL RIGHT, I THOUGHT THOSE WERE REALLY GOOD.
WHAT I WILL DO IS I'LL JUST SORT OF REITERATE THE COUPLE OF POINTS WITHIN THE PAPERS.
I'LL SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS A LOT OF TIME AND HONESTLY IF THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS JUST WANT TO LOOK AT MY COMMENTS AND CLARIFY THE POINTS A LITTLE BIT, I JUST WANT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS ARE SAYING BASICALLY COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSIONS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE A TINY BIT CONTRADICTORY WITH THE WAY THEY'RE PRESENTED RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S INTENTIONAL.
IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT I'M READING IT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY, SO I'LL DO THAT.
DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS ON EITHER OF THESE REPORTS? SORRY.
>> ON THE TESTING ONE, I THOUGHT THAT THE IDEA GOING BACK TO THE EQUITY ISSUE AND THE REPORT TALKS ABOUT MORE TESTING.
THAT TESTING IS THE WAY TO BE EQUITABLE BECAUSE THE MORE REFERRALS ARE BIAS AND YOU DO THIS.
SO GOING BACK THE COMMITTEE REPORT SAYS WE SHOULD DO MORE TESTING BECAUSE THAT'S THE EQUITABLE WAY TO DO THIS AND IMPROVE THE SCREENING.
AND SO I LIKE THAT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD OBSERVATION.
BUT IT'S KIND OF CONTRARY TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE WERE SAYING WE WERE DOING TOO MUCH TESTING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD WORK THROUGH THAT.
>> I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH TESTING.
I THINK THE GENERAL VIEW WITHIN ACPS IS THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO HOW MUCH TESTING WE'RE DOING.
SO WHAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THE TAG PROGRAM IS SAY THESE ARE THE TYPES
[00:45:03]
OF TESTS, THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THESE TESTS AND IF WE NEED TO ADD ANOTHER TEST IN THERE, WE WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE EQUITY.AND THESE ARE THE WAYS THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE USE OF THESE TESTS.
BECAUSE I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> MY COMMENT IS I THINK THE SUBCOMMITTEE GOT IT RIGHT.
>> AND SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT.
>> I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT REFERRALS.
DO OTHERS THINK THAT REFERRALS ARE PARTIALLY BIASED BECAUSE NOT ALL PARENTS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT TAG AND THAT THERE ARE ONLY SPECIFIC PARENTS WHO UNDERSTAND ABOUT TAG SO THEY'RE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS? DO WE THINK THAT THAT'S RELATED? I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS ADDRESSED.
>> NO, WE HAVE ADDRESSED THAT.
AND I ACTUALLY DO THINK THAT THAT COMES UP IN SOME OF THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
SO I THINK WE CAN ANSWER THAT.
AND AGAIN THESE REPORTS ARE NOT MEANT TO HOLISTICALLY GO INTO EVERY ASPECT OF THE TAG PLAN.
WE'RE JUST DRAWING UPON AND TRYING TO REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR LIKE WHO CAME TO SPEAK TO US, WHAT WE LEARNED.
BUT YES, WE THINK THERE'S BIAS, YES, WE THINK THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TAG SERVICES OR DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THE REFERRALS AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT COMMUNICATION.
SO WE'LL COME AROUND TO THAT IN ONE OF THESE REPORTS.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME GO TO THE STUDENT VOICES SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT.
THE ONE CHANGE I WANTED TO MAKE IS IT SAYS TO THIS END WE RECOMMEND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE TAG TO MORE THAN ONE MEMBER TO REPRESENT MORE UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS.
WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THAT AS AN ENTIRE COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S A BYLAW CHANGE WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE WITHIN OUR COMMITTEE AND WE COULD THEN TAKE IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO, AND THEN I THINK THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD APPROVE IT.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT TAGAC IN THE 2021-2022 YEAR DISCUSS CHANGING STUDENT REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMITTEE AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
>> YOU'RE PROPOSING TO WAIT ANOTHER -- >> NO, YOU COULD CHANGE IT IN OCTOBER AND THEN GET A STUDENT.
BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE COMMITTEE HAS HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DIGEST THAT.
THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT AND I TALKED BRIEFLY WITH SUSAN, THE SCHOOL BOARD CLERK WHO I THINK IS STILL ON THE CALL, BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMMITTEES THAT HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH TWO REPS AND WHETHER THEY USED A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT AND A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND THERE WERE PROS AND CONS TO THAT.
I THINK THERE'S JUST A NUMBER OF THINGS TO THINK THROUGH.
I THINK ADDITIONALLY THE COMMITTEE MIGHT ALSO WANT TO RECONSIDER THE NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE COMMITTEE TO BEGIN WITH.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK AND WHO CAN VOTE.
THERE'S BEEN SOME IDEAS, I KNOW MELISSA, THE PTA HAS SAID WE WANT A TAG REP AND MELISSA IS SERVING IN THAT ROLE FOR PTA.
WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPOTS ON THE TAGAC IF EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL WANTED TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE.
MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK HOW THIS COMMITTEE IS STRUCTURED AND THE STUDENT VOICE BEING ONE OF THOSE.
I'M RECOMMENDING THAT TO DO THAT AS A ONE TIME THING BUT TO LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY.
BUT THAT'S ONLY MY RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T KNOW, I SEE TWO HANDS UP AND THEN I THINK I'D ALSO WANT TO REFER THIS TO NICK AND KATHLEEN SINCE THEY'RE SLATED TO BE YOUR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
>> MY OBSERVATION WHEN I READ THAT REPORT IS MAYBE NOT, TO SCRATCH THE ITCH I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS YOU WANT MORE THE STUDENT VOICES HEARD AS INPUTS TO THE COMMITTEE.
SO ONE THING I RECOMMEND IS COULD THE SCHOOL SURVEY FIFTH GRADERS, SIXTH GRADERS AS PART OF THE, ASK THOSE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN THERE AND SURVEY, I THINK
[00:50:03]
FIFTH GRADE IS PROBABLY THE LOWEST YOU CAN GO AND REALLY GET GOOD ANSWERS.SO ASK THOSE AND GET THAT DATA AND THEN FEEDBACK BACK TO THE COMMITTEE TO SAY ALL FIFTH GRADERS FEEL THIS WAY, SEVENTH GRADERS FEEL THIS WAY, NINTH AND TENTH GRADERS FEEL THIS WAY.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GET THE INPUT RATHER THAN ADDING MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
>> ZION HAD HER HAND UP BEFORE ME, SHE CAN GO.
I THINK I REALLY SUPPORT REESEY WHAT SHE SAID.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A STUDENT VOICE HERE.
I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE DIVERSE.
BUT WHAT IS THE REASON WE CANNOT HAVE TWO STUDENTS? ACTUALLY I'M JUST RECOMMENDING BY LANGUAGE WE DO HAVE LIKE FOUR POPULAR LANGUAGES.
WHY NOT HAVE THOSE FOUR POPULAR LANGUAGE STUDENTS TO OUR ADVISORY.
I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE REASON NOT TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE STUDENT REP IN HERE?
>> ESPECIALLY IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER MAYBE MAKING THE STUDENT REPS MAYBE NON-VOTING BUT INPUT, THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER.
I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF HAVING THEM REPRESENT EACH OF THE FOUR MAIN LANGUAGE GROUPS AND PROVIDE A COMMUNICATION BACK TO THOSE GROUPS AS WELL.
>> YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE DATA WILL BE HELPFUL.
BUT IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS HEARING THINGS FROM OTHER STUDENTS AND I THINK YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A DIVERSITY OF KNOWLEDGE JUST FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL.
I THINK THAT'S TRUE REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE.
SO I THINK THAT HAVING TWO STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES AND ENSURING THAT THOSE TWO STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO GET THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION FROM OTHER STUDENTS AND NOT JUST OF ONE PARTICULAR GROUP, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY VALUABLE AND IS VALUABLE IN SOME CASES EVEN MORE SO THAN STRICTLY QUANTITATIVE DATA.
AND I KNOW THAT THE SURVEY IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HOPE TO DO, BUT FRANKLY I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO BASED ON KIND OF THE OVERHEAD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
I THINK HAVING ANOTHER STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT VOICE IN LIEU OF A SURVEY, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO HELP GET A SURVEY AND GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ANSWER THAT SURVEY.
>> SO SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES LIMIT YOUR COMMITTEES TO 17 MEMBERS.
BUT IT DOESN'T SAY HOW MANY HAVE TO BE STUDENTS OTHER THAN THERE CAN BE STUDENTS AND THEY ARE VOTING MEMBERS.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE POLICY SAYS.
SO I THINK CURRENTLY YOU HAVE 15, IS THAT CORRECT, MEMBERS?
>> WE HAVE 15 AND THEN THE TEACHER REP AND THEN THE STUDENT REP.
>> OKAY, BECAUSE THE STUDENT REP IS ACTUALLY A COMMITTEE MEMBER.
>> SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO REEVALUATE YOUR COMMITTEE IF YOU WANT TO BRING IN MORE STUDENTS WHETHER OR NOT THAT MEANS YOU HAVE LESS OTHER MEMBERS.
SO ANYONE WHO'S A VOTING MEMBER IS A COMMITTEE MEMBER.
SO IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A POSITION NON-VOTING THEN THEY CAN BE CONSIDERED A NON-MEMBER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE A VOTING MEMBER.
BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES DICTATE THE NUMBER AND UNLESS THERE'S, I MEAN YOU CAN ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT, BUT I THINK THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A GOOD REASON FOR IT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME COMMITTEES LIKE CTE HAVE SPECIFIC ROLES THEY HAVE TO FILL AND CEAC IS A STATE MANDATED COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK WHILE YOURS HAD BEEN A STATE MANDATED COMMITTEE IN THE PAST IT NO LONGER IS.
I'D HAVE TO TALK TO JENNIFER WHO'S OUR POLICY PERSON TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT FOR ONE COMMITTEE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DO.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN DISCUSS AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT.
>> AND DOES THE 17, IS THAT STRICTLY FOR VOTING MEMBERS SO IF YOU HAD ANOTHER
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE WHO WAS NON-VOTING WOULD THAT BE -- >> THAT WOULD BE
[00:55:01]
POSSIBLE.ALTHOUGH IT SAYS STUDENT MEMBERS ARE VOTING MEMBERS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK ON THAT BECAUSE IT DOES SAY STUDENT MEMBERS ARE VOTING MEMBERS IN THE BOARD POLICIES.
>> YEAH, SO I GUESS THAT'S WHY I'M JUST, I GUESS I'M KIND OF ASKING FOR THIS PARTICULAR REPORT TO SAY THAT LIKE THE ACTION ITEM OF THIS FOR THE TAGAC FOR NEXT YEAR, IT'S SORT OF LIKE YOU'RE REPORTING WE'V IDENTIFIED THIS NEED WITHIN THE TAGAC THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE STUDENT VOICES, HERE'S A SAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
ADDITIONALLY WE WANT TO LOOK AT GETTING MORE STUDENT REPRESENTATION ON THE TAGAC AND THAT THAT WILL BE THE CONTINUING WORK FORWARD NEXT YEAR.
IS TO LOOK AT THE BYLAWS, THE STUDENT REPRESENTATION, WORKING WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AS OPPOSED TO SAYING RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO ADD A STUDENT MEMBER.
I THINK THE COMMITTEE NEEDS MORE TIME.
I'M NOT PUTTING IT DOWN, I JUST THINK THAT IT NEEDS MORE DISCUSSION WITHIN THE COMMITTEE AND THE GREATER CONTEXT OF THE BYLAWS SO THAT WAS SORT OF LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE MY LIST.
NICK SAID HEY WHAT ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT ARE CARRYING OVER OR THINGS YOU DIDN'T GET TO.
THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I SUGGEST AS A COMMITTEE WE LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD ABOUT OUR STRUCTURE NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS BUT SCHOOL REPRESENTATION AND HOW ALL OF THAT WOULD WORK.
ARE YOU GUYS OKAY WITH THAT REVISION? OKAY.
>> SO IF I MAY INTERJECT HERE, SORRY LAURA.
>> SO WE'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING THIS EQUITY POLICY AUDIT THROUGH THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS SORT OF LOOKING AT EVERY POLICY THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS.
I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE SO THIS MAY BE A POLICY THAT COMES UP.
SO WHEN YOU SPEAK WITH JENNIFER, SUSAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO JUST FLAG THIS FOR HER, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION AND THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD COMMITTEE THAT'S LOOKING AT THIS EQUITY POLICY AUDIT WILL LOOK INTO AS WE'RE TALKING THROUGH THE POLICIES.
>> I WILL MENTION IT TO HER, THANK YOU.
>> SUSAN, IS THERE AN AGE OF STUDENT MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE?
>> I DID NOT SEE AN AGE REQUIREMENT IN THERE BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY SAFER USING HIGH SCHOOLERS JUST BECAUSE OF A THE TIMEFRAME OF THE MEETINGS AND THE ENGAGEMENT PORTION OF IT.
WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ALL OF THEM ARE GREAT, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN HIGH SCHOOLERS.
SO I THINK YOU'RE SAFER WITH A HIGH SCHOOLER.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE, BUT IT MIGHT REQUIRE MORE WORK ON YOUR PART WITH SAY A MIDDLE SCHOOLER.
YOU'D HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AMONGST YOUR COMMITTEE.
BUT I THINK THAT IN GENERAL WE'RE REFERRING KIND OF TO HIGH SCHOOLERS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE LIMITED TO HIGH SCHOOLERS.
>> I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER NOT HAVING A STUDENT REP THAT WASN'T A JUNIOR OR A SENIOR.
I WASN'T SURE IF FRESHMEN OR SOPHOMORES WERE ALSO ALLOWED IN THERE, I WASN'T GOING QUITE AS FAR BACK AS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> I WANT TO SAY WHEN AMANDA JOINED.
>>> WASN'T SHE A TENTH GRADER AT THAT POINT? DID SHE SERVE TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LIMIT ON WHAT GRADE LEVEL.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY LIMIT EITHER ON WHETHER YOU CHOOSE A MIDDLE OR A HIGH SCHOOLER.
BUT I DO THINK THAT ONE THING YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS THAT A HIGH SCHOOLER WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO FIT THIS TIMEFRAME INTO THEIR SCHEDULE THAN SAY A MIDDLE SCHOOLER PERHAPS.
ALTHOUGH I'M NOT DISCOURAGING MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, JUST IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
>> NO, I'M ABSOLUTELY TRACKING.
I JUST SENT MY MIDDLE SCHOOLER THAT.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS FLOATING THROUGH MY BRAIN FOR IDEAS.
I WAS THINKING MORE TYPICALLY IF IT'S A TWO YEAR TERM AND WE'VE HAD JUNIORS AND SENIORS, I DON'T REMEMBER IF AMANDA CAME IN AS A SOPHOMORE, BUT I REMEMBER SHE GRADUATED OUT.
>> STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS ONE YEAR TERMS AND WE DO THAT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE WHEN A
[01:00:01]
STUDENT DOESN'T RETAIN INTEREST THEY MAY NOT WISH TO CONTINUE AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.SO WE MAKE THEM REPLY EVERY YEAR JUST TO INDICATE THEIR INTEREST IN REMAINING.
SO I WAS THINKING YOU CAN STAGGER TERMS BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WITH THE STUDENT BECAUSE THEY ONLY SERVE ONE YEAR.
SO YOU COULD HAVE TWO STUDENTS THAT SERVED AT THE SAME TIME, ONE ROLLS OFF AND A NEW ONE ROLLS IN AND ONE CONTINUES THE SECOND YEAR.
BUT THAT'S NOT HOW OUR POLICIES ARE SET UP.
BUT YOU COULD STILL DO THAT YOU'D JUST HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLY EVERY TIME.
>> ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO GET TO THE NEXT TWO REPORTS REAL QUICK.
OKAY, VIRTUAL LEARNING SUBCOMMITTEE.
D AND LINDSAY, THIS LOOKED REALLY GOOD.
I THINK WE'RE WAITING ON A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION I THINK FROM DR. TEMPEL-MILNER WITH REGARD TO THE PORTFOLIOS AND STUFF BEFORE WE CAN SUBMIT, I MEAN FINALIZE THIS.
I DID HAVE ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION OF SOMETHING.
UNDER NUMBER TWO CENTRAL COMMITTEE REVIEW, EXCUSE ME NOT UNDER THAT.
UNDER PARENT TEACHER COMMUNITY MEMBER REFERRAL I REMEMBER LONG CONVERSATIONS WE HAD ABOUT REFERRALS, D.
AND IT SAYS THAT, NOT THIS YEAR BUT PREVIOUS YEARS, I'M LIKE THE REFERRAL NEVER GOES AWAY.
THE DEADLINE FOR REFERRAL SUBMISSION WAS EXTENDED TO THE END OF THE 2ND QUARTER IN JANUARY 2021, MEANING THAT FIRST AND THIRD GRADE STUDENTS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE A SUPERIOR ON THEIR PORTFOLIO REVIEW COULD STILL BE REFERRED FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION BY A PARENT, TEACHER, OR COMMUNITY MEMBER.
BUT THE PORTFOLIOS WEREN'T DUE UNTIL JANUARY OF 2021.
SO I'M NOT CLEAR WHAT YOU GUYS, ARE YOU INTENDING TO TALK TO REFERRALS FOR THIS COMING YEAR OR ARE YOU JUST TALKING ABOUT THE WAY REFERRALS WERE DONE THIS YEAR WHICH DID NOT INVOLVE A PORTFOLIO?
AND MAYBE I JUST HAVE THE DATES WRONG.
BUT IT WAS INTENDED TO CAPTURE THE IDEA THAT FOR PARENTS WHO FELT THEIR CHILDREN WERE NOT REFERRED THROUGH THE PORTFOLIO PROCESS WHO STILL WANTED TO REFER, PARENTS, TEACHERS, OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT STILL WANTED TO REFER, THAT THERE WAS A WINDOW.
BUT I'M NOT SURE, PART OF THAT MAY RELATE BACK TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE DATES RIGHT ON SOME OF OUR OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS ABOVE ON THE PORTFOLIO.
>> THE PORTFOLIOS WERE INTENDED ORIGINALLY LIKE WAY BACK WHEN WE STARTED DOING THIS WAY BACK IN SEPTEMBER WE WERE SUPPOSED TO, THE PORTFOLIOS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DUE BEFORE WE WENT ON WINTER BREAK.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THAT JANUARY TIME.
THE PORTFOLIOS SLIPPED I THINK BECAUSE OF THE GATHERING AND SO FORTH.
AND THAT MAY BE WHERE SOME OF THE DATE.
>> DID THE DEADLINE FOR THE REFERRAL SUBMISSION GET PUSHED ACCORDINGLY, OR DOES THAT MEAN THAT THAT CUSHION NO LONGER EXISTED.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK THAT ORIGINALLY THE PORTFOLIOS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DUE BEFORE WINTER BREAK.
WE WERE GOING TO EVALUATE THEM IN JANUARY, STARTING IN JANUARY BECAUSE THE PORTFOLIOS WEREN'T FINISHED OR MAYBE SUBMITTED.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE DATE WAS UNTIL JANUARY MAYBE THAT CUSHION WENT AWAY.
SO I THINK THAT SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT WILL COME FROM THE DATE RANGE FROM THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE REVIEW SECTION WHERE WE HAD SOME OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS.
THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WILL BE DID THEY EXTEND THAT REFERRAL PROCESS OR NOT.
>> SO I DON'T HAVE THE FULL HISTORY OF THAT.
I DO KNOW THE REFERRAL WAS DUE BY JANUARY 28TH.
I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A CUSHION THERE THAT IF YOUR CHILD WAS NOT FOUND ELIGIBLE USING A PORTFOLIO SELECTION THAT THE PARENTS STILL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFER WITHIN THAT ONE MONTH.
[01:05:02]
I KNOW BRITTANY HOPKINS IS ON HERE.BRITTANY, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN SINCE YOU HAVE MORE HISTORY WITH THAT?
THE DEADLINE WAS DECEMBER 18TH.
AND WHAT OCCURRED WAS THAT SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS NEEDED MORE TIME TO COMPLETE THE PORTFOLIOS.
MORE THAN HALF OF THE SCHOOLS WERE UNABLE TO GET THE PORTFOLIOS COMPLETED IN THE ORIGINAL TIMEFRAME.
AND AS A RESULT THAT IS SORT OF WHAT CRUSHED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SAY.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS ONCE YOU GET THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PORTFOLIOS, YOU REFER YOUR CHILD IN THE FALL.
WE HAD TO GIVE THREE EXTENSIONS TO THE DEADLINE.
>> FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT YOU COULD PROBABLY JUST TAKE THAT PIECE OUT.
I THINK YOU CAN JUST, I THINK JUST REPORTING ON SORT OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PORTFOLIOS AS THIS ROLLS OUT THROUGH JUNE OR JULY WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND AGAIN I KNOW THIS ONE MAY TAKE US A WHILE TO WRAP THIS UP, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A COMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS YEAR AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE WANT TO PUT THIS DOWN BECAUSE WE CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER LIKE WHAT WE'VE DONE.
SO I THINK I WAS JUST QUESTIONING THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT I WAS LIKE I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENED.
I MEAN IF WE WANTED TO GET INTO IT BUT WE PROBABLY DON'T JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A RABBIT HOLE, WHAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ANY REFERRALS THAT PEOPLE PUT IN FOR CHILDREN THAT WERE NOT IN FIRST AND THIRD GRADE.
AND WHERE DO THOSE REFERRALS STAND OR DID THEY HAPPEN? BECAUSE THAT DEADLINE WAS STILL THE END OF JANUARY.
WERE THERE EVEN ANY REFERRALS.
LET'S SAY I'VE GOT A SECOND GRADER AND I REALLY THINK THAT OR HE DIDN'T TAKE THE NAGLIERI.
WE'RE NEW IN SECOND GRADE AND I'M REFERRING MY CHILD, THEY PUT SOMETHING IN IN JANUARY, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT PROCESS? I MEAN WE COULD COMMENT ON THAT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO OVERWHELM THE PROCESS.
BUT I THINK IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE PORTFOLIO SHOULD HAVE HIT ALL FIRST GRADERS AND THIRD GRADERS AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MOSTLY CAPTURING IN THIS REPORT.
>> AND THE PORTFOLIOS DID HIT ALL FIRST AND THIRD GRADERS AND ANYONE WHO REFERRED IS CONTINUING THROUGH THE PROCESS IF YOU'RE NOT IN FIRST AND THIRD GRADE AS WELL.
>> AND IT DOES SAY STUDENTS IN ALL GRADES COULD BE REFERRED.
>> PARENT, TEACHER, OR COMMUNITY MEMBER.
SO I THINK WE JUST UPDATE IT WITH THE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT MONTH IT SOUNDS LIKE, RIGHT? AS THE PORTFOLIOS ARE FINALLY SCORED AND PARENTS ARE NOTIFIED AND THE TESTING AND ALL OF THAT, CORRECT? SO THIS REPORT, MY SENSE IS WE PROBABLY WILL NOT BE FINALIZING THIS FOR JUNE.
BUT WE COULD STILL FINALIZE IT AND WE CAN SUBMIT IT IN SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN IT'S STILL PART OF THE RECORD WHICH IS GOOD.
>> OR NICK CAN DECIDE TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING IN JULY WHERE WE ALL SHOW UP FOR FIVE MINUTES AND JUST VOTE SO THINGS CAN BE SUBMITTED.
AND SOME OF YOU ON THE COMMITTEE KNOW WE DID THAT ONE JUNE BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED TO GET A REPORT INTO THE HANDS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN JUNE AND NOT WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
>> MY SENSE OF THIS WHEN I WAS PULLING THE PIECES TOGETHER IS UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, THIS WAS A RECORD OF WHAT WAS DONE RATHER THAN RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> I MEAN THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE COULD PULL OUT OF HERE BUT FOR THE MOST PART BECAUSE WE WERE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT VIRTUAL LEARNING AND WE EXPECT TO MOSTLY BE BACK TO IN PERSO NEXT YEAR, IT'S OKAY TO HAVE THIS AS A RECORD OF WHAT WAS DONE THIS LAST YEAR THAT WE CAN THEN GO
[01:10:07]
BACK TO AND PULL OUT SOME OF THIS STUFF FOR THE FUTURE.THAT'S WHY I NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT FORMATS SO I'VE GOT SOME HOMEWORK TO DO FOR YOU GUYS FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEES AND HOW WE'R GOING TO FINALIZE THESE AND PRESENT THEM.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE, NICK, YOU'RE UP.
I THINK THIS REPORT IS REALLY GOOD.
BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN THE WALK BACK ON THE MATH.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT YOU WERE ADDRESSING THAT IN THE REPORT.
DO YOU WANT TO BRING US UP TO SPEED ON HOW YOU WANT TO WRAP THIS UP AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE I GUESS.
>> I GUESS WE HAD PLANNED TO REALLY TACKLE THE K-12 ROAD MAP OVERALL.
AND THEN DR. MANN TALKED ABOUT HOW THE CURRICULUM WAS GOING TO EVOLVE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
THAT WITH THE MATH INITIATIVE THAT WAS GOING ON CAUSED US TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY HOW DO WE, IF THE ROAD MAP IS NOT GOING TO BE THE ROAD MAP FOR MUCH LONGER, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO AND HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS IN TERMS OF ROAD MAP AND OVERALL PLAN AND THEN PULL OUT A SEPARATE REPORT SPECIFICALLY FOR MATH CHANGES BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING TO BE SO SIGNIFICANT AT THE TIME.
VIRGINIA HAS BACKED OFF COMPLETELY.
THE WEBSITE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED.
IT WAS IMPRESSIVE HOW MUCH LESS AGGRESSIVE THINGS WERE ON THE WEBSITE BECAME AND HOW MUCH MORE THEY WERE GOING TO GO BACK TO COMMITTEE.
EMILY, YOU WERE THE PRIMARY AUTHOR ON THAT PIECE.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK THROUGH THE ROAD MAP? I'M HAPPY TO DO IT IF YOU DON'T.
>> THE ONE THING BEFORE I START TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION PIECE BECAUSE REESEY DID BRING IT UP IS I THINK WE DID TRY TO ADDRESS THE BIAS AND REFERRAL PROCESS.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE LEARNINGS FROM VIRTUAL PLUS AND HOW THERE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE USE OF SOME OF THESE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS OR WEBINARS TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE INFORMATION OUT SO ONE OF THE PIECES WE RECOMMENDED I BELIEVE CAME FROM DR. PLUCKER'S TALK ABOUT SHOWING ALL FAMILIES THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF THE TAG PROGRAM.
WE ALSO WANTED TO INCLUDE A VIDEO ABOUT HOW TO IDENTIFY GIFTED CHARACTERISTICS IN YOUR CHILD AND TO BE ABLE TO PULL IN SOME OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM OUR GUEST SPEAKER ON THAT TOPIC.
AND ALSO HAVE A GOOD VIDEO IN THERE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION IS IN ALL FOUR LANGUAGES ABOUT HOW TO REFER YOUR CHILD AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ADDRESSED THAT QUESTION THAT REESEY HAD BEFORE.
BUT THE COMMUNICATION PIECE IS REALLY BROKEN UP INTO TWO.
SO THE FIRST IS HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THE ENTRY POINTS INTO THE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW AS THEY STAND AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE WAS IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT COME IN THE CURRICULUM AROUND MATH HOW DO WE WANT TO EXECUTE THAT AS WELL.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO CAPTURE WAS LOOKING AT THE PROGRAM OVERALL.
SO NOT JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, OR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ALL THREE THINGS INCLUDING YOUNG SCHOLARS INTO THAT AS WELL INCLUDING SINGLE SUBJECT ACCELERATION OR WHOLE GRADE ACCELERATION AND I'M TRYING TO THINK IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE INCLUDED.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO REALLY MAP, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT AND THE CAREER CLUSTERS.
SO HOW DO WE APPROACH COMMUNICATION SO THAT ANY NEW FAMILY COMING IN, IT'S ALWAYS A FORWARD-LOOKING VIEW.
SO IF YOU ARE BRAND NEW TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LET'S SAY IN KINDERGARTEN, IF YOU DO COME THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ALL THE WAY, HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING TO THOSE FAMILIES SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT AT THE POINT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL YET, BUT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING AND SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET THAT INFORMATION AND THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT IN THE KNOW OR THEY NEED TO HAVE BEEN A FAMILY WITHIN ACPS FOR A LONG TIME TO KNOW HOW THINGS WORK.
LIKE WE WANT TO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WHEN THEIR STUDENTS GET TO THAT POINT, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH
[01:15:02]
THE PROCESS.>> I THINK THE REPORTS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE IF WE FINALIZE IT, SHOULD WE CALL IT THE K-12 TAG COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY? IS THAT A BETTER, HMM.
BUT I LIKE HOW YOU'RE MAPPING IT TO THE LIKE THIS IS WHERE IF YOU GO IN THE SYSTEM.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE TITLE THIS.
>> I AGREE, I DON'T THINK ROAD MAP IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT WAY.
IT'S REALLY MORE OF A POINTS OF ENTRY OR A DISCUSSION ON THE HOW TAG FITS INTO THE ACPS CURRICULUM IS WHERE WE ENDED UP TRYING TO GO.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S COMMUNICATION.
IT DOVETAILS WITH COMMUNICATION.
BUT WE WERE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED ON LIKE HERE'S THE ENTRY POINTS AND HERE'S A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS AS YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH WHAT IS THE ACPS CURRICULUM.
WE JUST BACKED OFF CURRICULUM CURRICULUM BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THE MIDST OF THIS.
AND KATHLEEN HAD DONE AN AMAZING WHITE PAPER ESSENTIALLY ON THE MATH PROGRAM AND A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS THAT WE HAD AND THEN THAT KIND OF EVAPORATED.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CONTINUUM OF SERVICES? THIS SEEMS TO BE OUTLINING HERE WHAT OUR SERVICES ARE FOR ADVANCED ACADEMICS AND TAG ACROSS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DIVISION.
>> OTHER THAN THE FACT THIS HAS A VERY SCHOOL BOARD NAME AND NOT AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE NAME, I LIKE IT.
THAT'S A PAPER I WOULD EXPECT TO FIND ON THE WEBSITE OF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A RESULT OF THIS FROM THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE I GUESS IS WHAT STICKS IN MY HEAD.
I'M NOT FEELING THE CREATIVE VIBE AT THE MOMENT.
I JUST SORT OF CAME UP WITH AND IT MIGHT BE BOTH CONTINUUM OF TAG SERVICES AND REACHING THE WHOLE ACPS COMMUNITY.
>> AND LAURA, AND I WAS LOOKING OVER THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS THAT YOU HAD SENT, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHICH ONE NOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT THAT DOES HAVE A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS ABOUT A COMMUNICATION PLAN AND SO JUST IN TERMS OF COMBINING EVERYTHING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES SENSE TO WHATEVER WE END UP TITLING THIS JUST IN THAT EARLIER SECTION REFERENCING THE COMMITTEE WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL IN THIS WHATEVER WE CALL IT SECTION.
I THINK WE SAID FAMILY AND COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT.
>> OH ACPS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT.
>> I THINK ONE THING A QUESTION THAT I HAVE TOO, IS WHEN WE'RE WRITING IN THERE ABOUT THE TAG CURRICULUM CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE TAG CURRICULUM, IT'S THE MATHEMATICAL IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS THE STATE AND THEN HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF MATH IN ACPS.
YEAH, AND WHEN EMILY WAS TALKING ABOUT THEY TALKED ABOUT THE VIDEOS AND REACHING OTHER PARENTS, REESEY, REMIND ME AGAIN WHAT YOUR INITIAL QUESTION WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING WHEN WE SAID WE WILL GET TO THAT, IT'S IN SOME OF THE REPORTS BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER PIECE THAT WAS IN ONE OF THE OTHER REPORTS.
>> IT WAS ABOUT POTENTIAL BIASES FROM PARENTS REFERRING THEIR CHILDREN.
AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT MORE OF THE INEQUITY PIECE OF THAT, NOT HAVING ALL PARENTS AWARE OF HOW, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT ENTRY POINTS TO REFERRAL SO I
[01:20:03]
THINK YOU COVERED THAT.>> I THINK THAT'S MOSTLY IN THERE.
AND IT ALSO WAS IN THE GUEST SPEAKERS.
I THINK IT COMES UP WHERE THEY MAKE THE POINT ABOUT WHEN KRISHNA CAME TO TALK TO US FROM THE FAITH CENTER AND SHE SAID MOBILE PHONE COMMUNICATION INCREASES COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES.
SO I THINK MAYBE I CAN KIND OF, I'LL TRY TO SEE IF I CAN REFERENCE THAT, KIND OF CONNECT THE REPORTS OR REFER THEM TO ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE.
I THINK THAT THIS K-12 COMMITTEE HAS DONE A REALLY NICE JOB TALKING ABOUT THE VIDEOS AND TALKING ABOUT THE TAG PROGRAM, ALL OF THE ENTRY POINTS AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY GETTING AT THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING ABOUT THE BIAS AND HOW MUCH DO PEOPLE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE REFERRALS.
I KNOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS DONE SOME WORK ON THAT.
BUT I THINK THIS OUTLINES WAYS TO TAKE THAT FURTHER BECAUSE IT'S NOT REACHING ALL COMMUNITIES.
SO I THINK WE CAN CONNECT THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE REPORTS? DR. TEMPEL-MILNER, DID YOU HAVE ANY, FIRST OF ALL I KNOW ONCE WE WRITE THESE, WE THEN HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO YOU, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION.
I MEAN THIS WHOLE PROCESS TAKES A WHILE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OVERARCHING COMMENTS BASED ON THE REPORTS? WERE THERE ANY CONCERNS ANYWHERE? AND YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND THOSE TO ME OFFLINE.
I DO WANT TO WRAP THE MEETING UP.
OVERALL WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION?
>> I CAN TELL THE COMMITTEE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH US.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS I BROUGHT UP CAME UP IN OUR DISCUSSION TODAY IN PARTICULAR THE IDENTIFICATION PIECE.
BUT I ALSO HAVEN'T BEEN A PART OF WHY YOU ENDED UP AT THIS POINT SO YOU'RE JUST FOCUSING ON THE TESTING ASPECT OF THINGS AND NOT NECESSARILY THE PORTFOLIO APPROACH.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE TAG PROGRAM OF THE STATE, HOW WILL THAT IMPACT OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING ADVANCED SERVICES IN ALEXANDRIA CITY.
SO THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE OFF TO A GOOD START.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
ALL RIGHT SO IF THE COMMITTEE HEADS WILL JUST TAKE KIND OF WHAT YOU'VE GLEANED FROM THE CONVERSATIONS, MAKE SOME EDITS, I WILL ALSO PULL TOGETHER SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND KIND OF MAKE A LIST OF HOW WE WANT TO PRESENT THIS.
AND I'LL JUST WORK WITH THE HEADS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES ON THAT.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD ENOUGH MEETINGS SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY ATTENDEES SO WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M HAPPY TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS ANY PARTING WORDS OF WISDOM?
>> HOW MANY STUDENTS APPLIED SO FAR? I JUST WANT TO KNOW.
>> I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY STUDENT APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN.
TYPICALLY HOW WE HAVE DONE IT IS WE'VE WORKED WITH WHOEVER THE STUDENT REP WAS AT TC TO KIND OF REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WITHIN TC AND APPLY.
>> BUT IF YOU HAD SOMEBODY IN MIND, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM AND GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION.
>> OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THEY WOULD WANT TO DO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP GUIDE THEM IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT THE APPLICATION.
[01:25:02]
IS THIS THE WOMAN WHO ATTENDED EARLIER TODAY?
>> SHE'S FASTING SO SHE LEFT TO BREAK HER FASTING RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT, ZION.
AND I'LL ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH SUSAN AND THEN I CAN ALSO CIRCLE BACK WITH REESEY SO THAT THEY CAN CONNECT.
THEY MAY ALREADY KNOW EACH OTHER.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I PUT ALL OF THAT CONNECTION.
>> BYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.