Placement & Appeals
Placement
Oswego CUSD308 ensures that all students are given an opportunity to be screened for placement into gifted education services. Oswego CUSD308 identifies and places students into services using a blind screening process, inclusive of formal assessments and a teacher rating scale (HOPE Scale).
Grade K-2
In Kindergarten through 2nd grade, enrichment and differentiation are offered across core subject areas in their on-grade level classrooms.
Grade 3-5
Timeline for Third-Grade Gifted Education Identification
- ALL second-grade students will be administered the FastBridge assessments in both fall and winter.
- During the second trimester, ALL second-grade students will be administered the CogAT assessments.
- Following the administration of the aforementioned assessments, all second-grade students will be screened for gifted education services.
- After the screening process is complete, letters of identification will be sent home to newly identified students at the end of May.
- Gifted education services will begin the following school year. Third-grade teachers will provide enrichment opportunities and continue flexible grouping in the general education classrooms to address the needs of the newly identified students.
Timeline for 4th and 5th Grade GE Identification
- During the first and second trimesters, all 3rd and 4th-grade students will be administered the FastBridge assessment in both math and reading.
- Those students that scored at or above 90th percentile on the fall and/or winter Fastbridge math and/or reading assessments in the content for which they are not currently receiving gifted education services will be administered the CogAT assessment.
- Students that are administered the CogAT will be screened for gifted education services.
- After the screening process is complete, letters of identification will be sent home to newly identified students at the end of May.
- Gifted education services will begin the following school year.
If you have any questions, please contact your building administration.
Assessments
FastBridge
FastBridge is a nationally-normed, computer-adaptive test that measures the student's ability level in reading and mathematics. FastBridge is an achievement and aptitude test. The assessment is used:
- To drive classroom instruction
- To measure student growth
- For elementary and junior high screening and identification of gifted education services. (The reading portion is used for ELA identification and the math portion is used for math identification)
- Acceleration screening
CogAT
CogAT is a nationally-normed test that provides a description of the student's own cognitive resources for learning by measuring verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal abilities. This assessment is used:
- To drive classroom instruction
- To inform parent(s)/guardian(s) about their child's reasoning
- For elementary identification of gifted services. The verbal (V) is used for ELA identification. The quantitative (Q) or quantitative/nonverbal (QN) is used for math identification.
- Acceleration screening
This assessment is given to:
- All 2nd-grade students as SD308 universally screens all 2nd-grade students for gifted education services.
- 3rd and 4th-grade students who score at or above the 90th percentile on the Fastbridge assessment in the fall and/or winter in a content area for which they are not already receiving gifted education services.
Hope Scale
The HOPE Scale is a standardized, observational instrument that is completed by the student's current teacher.
Appeals
- The parent/s or guardian/s must complete the Gifted Education Identification Appeals Form.
- All appeals must be submitted between June 1-June 30.
- No appeals will be accepted after June 30.
- Appeals are considered for potential services to begin the subsequent school year.
- The Executive Director of Elementary Education or designee will contact the parent to acknowledge receipt of the appeal.
- The district’s Gifted Education Identification and Services Panel will review and gather any additional evidence to support the indicators of giftedness. This may require additional assessment(s).
- Once the review of evidence is complete, the Executive Director of Elementary Education or designee will notify parents or guardians of the results of the review.
- For additional clarification, please contact your student’s school administrator.
