The webinar covers Colorado's early access process for highly advanced gifted children under age 6. It defines early access as entrance to kindergarten or first grade early, outlines the referral and assessment process, and lists the criteria for determining if a child qualifies. This includes aptitude in the 97th percentile or higher on standardized tests, advanced achievement, performance above peers, and evidence of readiness. If approved, an Advanced Learning Plan must be made within 30 days and annually reviewed to ensure funding. The deadline for applications is April 1.

1. Early Access
Webinar
Gifted and Talented
March 17, 2015
Ryan Marks
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2. Webinar Content/Agenda
• Early Access Definition and Purpose
• Early Access Notification Process
• Parent communication, Fees and Deadlines
• Early Access Screening
• Early Access Referral and Collection of Evidence
• Early Access Criteria
• Early Access Decision Making
• ALP Development and Monitoring
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3. What is Early Access?
• Early Access means early entrance to kindergarten or
first grade for highly advanced gifted children under the
age of six.
• Four years of age and for whom early access to kindergarten is
deemed appropriate by the AU [12.08(1)(a)(i)]; and
• Five years of age and for whom early access to first grade is
deemed appropriate by the AU [12.08(1)(a)(ii)].
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4. Purpose of Early Access
• Early access is not be an acceleration pattern
recommended for the majority of age 4 or age 5 gifted
children.
• The purpose of early access is to identify and serve the
few highly advanced gifted children who require
comprehensive academic acceleration.
• This is defined as students scoring above the 97th percentile.
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5. Early Access Communication
• School need to communicate with parents and community
members information about the Early Access Process.
• Schools should communicate:
• Information about the criteria and process for identifying a highly
advanced gifted child
• Time frames and deadlines
• Portfolio referral
• Specific tests and threshold scores used
• The deadline for Early Access applications is April 1
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6. Early Access Fees
• The school may charge parents a reasonable fee for the
assessment and identification process related to Early Access.
• No fee will be charged if the child who is the subject of such
assessments is eligible for a reduced-cost meal or free meal.
• When evaluating the need for fees, the school will:
• Integrate the costs of assessment and decision making into the
ongoing general instructional and assessment practices
• Take into account the economic circumstances of the community
and applicant’s family; and
• Consider test results within three months of application from
outside licensed professionals paid by the parent.
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7. Early Access Screening
• Parents are responsible for collecting the information required
for an early access portfolio application, and for submitting
the portfolio to the school.
• The portfolio must include:
• Applicant contact information
• A developmentally appropriate screening tools (e.g Gifted Rating
Scales for Preschool and Kindergarten or the Kingore Observation
Scale) completed by the parent and the child’s current teacher
• Information about the performance of the child that provides
evidence of a need for early access evaluation
• e.g., work samples, data from the child’s current teacher or an adult
from early childhood experiences, or indicators of early access
readiness factors, anecdotal information regarding specific abilities
• Any available assessment data which may include private testing
• Any other items the parents may deem appropriate
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8. Early Access Referral and
Collection of Evidence
• Referral
• Each school must designate the gifted education coordinator,
principal, or other qualified person, to accept the referral
portfolio provided by the parent, and make an initial decision as
to whether early access assessment should continue.
• If a fee is collected the fee is paid following this initial determination.
• Collection of Evidence
• If the early access assessment is continued the school will
conduct the necessary tests and collect student information,
including test regarding the criteria and factors for early access
• The body of evidence is complete if data regarding all criteria,
and other considerations deemed necessary by the school are
compiled for data analysis and decision making. 8

9. Early Access Criteria
• The evaluation will lead to a student profile of strengths,
performance, readiness, needs and interests, and a
determination of appropriate placement.
• All criteria must be considered in making the determination –
test scores alone do not meet the standards of a
determination
• Criteria include:
• 1. Aptitude
• 2. Achievement
• 3. Performance
• 4. Readiness, Social Behavior and Motivation
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10. Early Access Criteria
• Aptitude
• Highly advanced level of performance or 97th percentile
• Every child with a score above 97th percentile may not benefit from
early access to kindergarten or first grade.
• Measured using a developmentally appropriate tool
• e.g., individualized ability test, such as the Differential Ability Scales
(DAS), Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence or
Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Ability Scale, or Kaufman Brief
Intelligence Test.
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11. Early Access Criteria
• Achievement
• Highly advanced level of performance or 97th percentile
• Typically, early access children function two or more years above
their age peers.
• Measured using an assessment that determines knowledge and
skills in reading, writing and mathematics
• e.g., curriculum-based assessment, above-level testing, and
individualized achievement tests, such as the test of early math
ability/reading ability, Woodcock Johnson III Tests of achievement, or
Iowa Tests of basic skills).
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12. Early Access Criteria
• Performance
• Performance supporting early access is indicated by work
samples and informal teacher and/or parent data indicating
demonstrated ability above age peers.
• Measured using actual demonstration of the student’s work
e.g., work samples, independent reading, advanced
vocabulary, observational data).
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13. Early Access Criteria
• Readiness, Social Behavior and Motivation
• Readiness, social behavior and motivation for early access are
determined by the child’s ability to demonstrate the indicators
deemed necessary for kindergarten or first grade by the district’s
standards or national standards.
• Measure the child’s readiness for kindergarten or first grade,
social maturity, and eagerness to learn.
• e.g., district readiness checklist, normed checklists and rating scales,
such as the California Preschool Competency Scale or the
Preschool/Kindergarten Behavioral and Social Scale or Bracken
School Readiness).
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14. Early Access Decision Making
• Early access decisions must be made through a consensus process
by a determination team consisting of a gifted education resource
person, a teacher in early childhood, and others as identified by the
school (e.g., principal, psychologist, counselor)
• The team will analyze the body of evidence resulting in a student
profile of strengths, needs and interests of the child against the
criteria.
• Test scores alone will not determine early access.
• Determination decisions will be communicated with parents and
teachers.
• Parents may accept or decline the offer of early access.
• If the determination team does not find that the child meets the
criteria for early access, the team can refer the student for gifted
identification.
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15. ALP Development and
Monitoring
• When a child is deemed appropriate for early access, an
advanced learning plan (ALP) must be developed according to
the schools procedures.
• This must be done no later than the end of the first month after
the start of school.
• The ALP shall include academic and transition goals.
• If the student transfers during the first year of an early access
placement the new school should maintain the placement.
• The student’s teacher shall monitor student performance at
least every five weeks during the student’s first year of early
access.
• The monitoring process shall be based on the ALP and
performance reports shared with the parents and child.
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16. State Education Funding
• Four-year-old students entering Kindergarten may receive part
time funding
• Five-year-old students entering first grade may receive full
time funding.
• Eligibility/Audit Evidence
• An Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) for the early access child
created no later than 30 days after the start date of school
• ALP must note “early access” or “grade acceleration” on the front
cover of a paper file or at beginning of electronic file
• Gifted code for the child on the enrollment report to CDE
• ALP must document annual reviews with a date notated on the
front of the paper file or electronic file
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17. Questions and Contact Info
• Questions?
• Contact information
• Ryan Marks
• 303-866-2572
• ryanmarks@csi.state.co.us
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