Exceptions and/or Alternatives to Evaluation Procedures for Selected Students Identified as Gifted Talented
While district students are expected to be administered standardized tests, district final examinations departmental examinations and other teacher constructed tests, it is recognized that there are some students who may need to be exempted from a particular testing situation or who may need to be tested by alternative methods or for whom the regular testing schedule may need revision. Such exceptions will be made by the Building Principal upon the recommendation of the Pupil services Team and with the full knowledge of the student’s parents/guardians. While the Principal has ultimate responsibility for parent/guardian notification and for ensuring that the student’s record is properly annotated, this responsibility may be delegated to another appropriate staff member, e.g., advocate, learning enrichment teacher, classroom teacher instructing student in alternate curriculum.
In cases where a student is exempted from particular tests a score of A (or the numerical equivalent) shall be reported. The student’s record shall indicate the student was excused from the testing and shall indicate the reason for the exemption. Where supplementary data or testing has been developed to support the decision to exempt, such data shall become a part of the student’s permanent record. The score of A (or equivalent) shall be entered into the student’s record and shall be reported to parents/guardians.
Examples of Possible Exemptions:
a. A student who has been programmed into an alternate curriculum in the subject for a period of time.
b. A student who is pursuing a differentiated curriculum which requires assessment/evaluation that may be different from the routine testing program.
If an alternative means of evaluation is used, the results shall be included in district statistics, reported to parents/guardians and recorded in the student’s record, accompanied by appropriate explanation.
Examples of Alternatives:
a. The test which will be used as a final evaluation for unit, quarter, semester, school year was a pre-test for the gifted/talented student.
b. An evaluation tool particularly suited to a differentiated curriculum replaces the routine test.
Alternative Reporting Procedures
While it is recognized that one of the purposes of reporting procedures in North Colonie is to inform the parent/guardian and child as to the child’s standing within a group, there are students for whom this type of reporting may be inappropriate. Where a student’s needs have been reviewed by the Pupil Services Team and a completely individualized program or a significantly modified program has been approved and implemented, alternate reporting procedures may be developed subject to approval by the Building Principal and with the full knowledge and documented approval of the child’s parents/guardians.
Such procedures may include, but are not limited to, the awarding of an achievement grade based on specifically established criteria in one or more subjects or a narrative evaluation of a student product. Where alternate reporting procedures have been utilized, the student’s cumulative record must be annotated to reflect accurately the student’s achievement in relation to the specific criteria employed in evaluating the student’s progress.
In regard to the student’s standing, it is to be expected that the student by virtue of being at the national 99th percentile on standardized tests will be evaluated and receive grades within that expected range of achievement.
The responsibility for evaluating a student who is pursuing an alternate curriculum shall be that of the staff member responsible for teaching the alternate curriculum.
The responsibility of evaluating a student who is pursuing a differentiated curriculum shall be that of appropriate classroom teacher with input from any other staff members working with that particular student.
Note: Prior regulation, Exceptions and/or Alternatives to Evaluation Procedures for Selected Students Identified as Gifted/Talented and Alternate Reporting Procedures, 6151.1(a),(b)
February 14, 1986
August 25, 1997