October 5th Board Work Session on Advanced Learning

This Wednesday the board of directors will having a working session on Advanced Learning:

Calendar Item: http://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=20423&contextId.13771=101256&parentId.13771=101257&returnTo=101257&objectId.13771=11474270&currentDate=2016-10-04&view=event
Agenda Location: https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=15426

Updated Official Agenda:

• Work Session: Advanced Learning 5:30pm* 
•  Mission 
•  Excerpts from ‘Equity’ Policy 0030 & HCC/Advanced Learning Policy 2190 
• Research 
• MTSS 
• Enrollment/Testing/Notification 
• Data 
• Discussion

If you follow the agenda link above, there is some racial demographic data at the end of the slides.

This is both an opportunity and a risk given the current climate and the as always tepid support for the program. In advance of the meeting I thought I'd set out a framework of areas that I'd like to see the board consider:

• Goals - What is the purpose of our HCC program within the context of what the state law mandates?  Do we have multiple populations we want to reach with different needs? Does highly capable mean intrinsic ability or current achievement levels?
• Testing And Identification - How can we simplify and improve the current process? Can we do universal screening? Can we return to testing in school?
• Curriculum - How can we find funds and a structure to make this a reality? If its not possible what do we see the program offering? What do the current participants think at the various grade levels?
• Delivery Models  - What does the research say is most effective? 
• Governance structure - What can we change in the way the entire program is run to more effectively improve it?

I'd like to open this up to everyone else's ideas. What do you think should be discussed and what directions do you want the program to go?