Gifted and High Ability

In accordance with Indiana Code, Elkhart Community Schools defines a high ability student as one who performs—or shows the potential to perform—at an outstanding level of academic accomplishment in Math, Language Arts, or both, when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment. These students are often characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests.

Multiple service models are available to meet the diverse needs of high ability students, ranging from subject-specific strengths to general intellectual giftedness:

• Differentiated Instruction: Students may receive differentiated instruction within the regular classroom for subject-specific strengths.
• Elementary High Ability Magnet Program: Students in Grades 3–6 who qualify at the highest level are invited to attend the High Ability magnet program at Roosevelt STEAM Academy.
• Honors Courses: In middle school, honors courses in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies are offered for students with general intellectual or content-specific strengths. At Elkhart High School, students have access to Honors, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, Early College, and Project Lead the Way courses to support their advanced learning needs.

Formal identification begins in kindergarten and continues throughout a student’s academic journey. Students may be identified as high ability in Mathematics, English/Language Arts, or General Intellectual (both areas), based on nationally normed assessments. The standard eligibility threshold is the 95th percentile.

• Performance: All students in Grades K–8 take the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. Winter scores are used to identify high-achieving students.
• Potential: The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is administered to students in Grades K, 2, and 5 to identify those with high academic potential.
• Standard Error of Measure: Students scoring within two points of the cut score—or at the 93rd or 94th percentile—are further evaluated using the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS).

Each spring, families of qualifying students are notified by the Exceptional Learners Department regarding placement options. Students identified as high ability in both Math and Language Arts will receive priority placement into self-contained settings when space is limited. Program placement occurs each fall, with instructional adjustments made throughout the year based on formative assessments.

Parents or guardians of students identified with general intellectual High Ability in Grades 3–6 are notified of the option to enroll their child in the self-contained High Ability Magnet Program at Roosevelt STEAM Academy. In this setting, all students are identified as High Ability, allowing for a uniquely enriched and accelerated curriculum that emphasizes higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills.

Students in Grades 1–2 or those identified in a specific content area are served in their neighborhood schools through differentiated instruction and/or cluster groupings. These cluster classrooms primarily provide enrichment services tailored to the students’ strengths.

High Ability students in Grades 7 and 8 can enroll in high school-level courses at the middle school, such as Honors Algebra and Honors Geometry. They also have access to honors sections of English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

Middle school students can also participate in a variety of extracurricular clubs that align with their interests and talents. Honors courses at this level are not limited to identified High Ability students; enrollment is based on a range of data points, including High Ability identification.

Elkhart High School provides a wide array of advanced academic opportunities for High Ability students, including Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment, Early College, and Project Lead the Way courses. These programs are designed to challenge students with rigorous content at an accelerated pace.

Through AP, Dual Enrollment, and Early College, students can earn college credits at little or no cost—saving ECS families over $10 million to date. Graduates from the High Ability program leave prepared for success in college and beyond.

The Broad-Based Planning Committee (BBPC) meets quarterly and is open to the public. All building administrators, parents, and teachers of High Ability students are invited, along with one or more students from each secondary school. The Director of High Ability facilitates the meeting, often joined by central office staff and school board members.

Meeting dates are set and announced annually. Typical attendance is 20 or more participants. While the committee may address additional topics, the quarterly agenda generally follows this schedule:

• Quarter 1: Review goals and establish action steps
• Quarter 2: Identify professional development and parent support needs
• Quarter 3: Examine student performance data and discuss programming implications
• Quarter 4: Set priorities for the following year and propose grant budget

• Each year, all K–8 students’ NWEA results are reviewed by a district team. Additionally, students in Grades K, 2, and 5 take the CogAT to assess cognitive potential. This thorough process reduces the need for additional testing and promotes equitable access.
• Parents of students in Grades 1, 3, and 4 who did not take the CogAT in the previous year may request testing during the off year by speaking with their building principal.
• Parents of previously identified High Ability students who feel their child may be better served in general education should contact the building principal to discuss options.