Rising Scholars – A Pilot Program

Presentation for Elementary School Staff

Who are our “Rising Scholars”?• Students from historically underrepresented

populations who lack:– Access– Affirmation– Advocates

• Students who have potential but may not have all the basic skills due to being a second language learner, having limited school readiness or home support, or who may have an exceptionality.

Who they are: Who they are not:Lack access and home

resources

Limited advocacy

Limited affirmation of potential

May lack self-motivation

Show out of the box problem- solving

May possess “Street Smarts”

May lack self-identity

Advanced readers

Have advocates and resources

School-ready

Provided extracurricular activities

Eager learners

Good communicators

Teacher pleasers

Spotsylvania County’s Pilot Program:“Rising Scholars Program” will:– Support and nurture the academic potential

of young minds– Empower minority students with a powerful

academic identity– Begin to close the achievement gap among

minority, ECD, and ELL learners– Help increase test data– Encourage and mentor students to take

rigorous courses of study

Identifying Rising Scholars• Observations / conversations• Performance Assessments / PALs & Progress

Reports• NNAT2 Scores• Cognitive Behaviors Continuum & Gifted

Behaviors Connection • Teacher Referral Form• Response Lessons• Input from Guidance Counselors and ESOL

teachers

Rising Scholars Service Model• Clustered in homerooms (for 1st grade

and now rising 2nd graders, too)

• Weekly pullout / inclusion lessons with gifted resource teacher

• Experiences to include:– Critical Thinking Activities & Problem Solving– Creativity Exercises– Strategies Lab ~ IDEA Grant

Suggested Timeline of Program Implementation

• 2012-2013– February: Screening / administration of

NNAT2 to K– Spring: Presentation to Invested Teachers of

Rising Scholars; Identification of Rising Scholar participants

– May: Implementation of Introductory Pullout Services

– Summer: cluster grouping for first grade – September: Begin services for First Grade

Rising Scholars

Referral Form and NNAT Results