The overarching mission of Shakopee Public Schools serves as the foundation for all of the District's student programs:

 

 

This District mission serves to enlighten and focus the purpose and direction of our programming and services in order to meet the unique needs of students across the learning spectrum from those in the Developmental Cognitive Disabilities program to those in the High Potential Services program.

 

Shakopee Public Schools seeks to value and respect the uniqueness of each student and attempts to meet each individual’s educational needs on an ongoing basis. The High Potential program personalizes learning for students whose academic needs fit into one of these three categories:

A district priority is recognition and identification of these students, commitment to meeting their needs, and dedication to maximizing their academic performance and future opportunities.

 

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION

Shakopee Public Schools has established guidelines and processes for evaluating students for High Potential (HP) Services. This evaluation enables us to plan and monitor services and ensure appropriate academic growth for students.

Formal identification for High Potential (HP) Services occurs after careful examination of data by a team of District personnel, including (at least)...

A student’s need for HP Services is based on a variety of factors, and the resulting evidence of student need sometimes points toward strategic or intensive programming beyond the regular classroom.

Eligibility for HP Services

In building evidence of student need for HP Services, we gather information from multiple sources (as available):

• CORE DATA
• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) | measures achievement (norm-referenced) | Grades 2 - 9 
• Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) – measures achievement (criterion-referenced) | Grade 3 - 8, 10, 11
• Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) | measures reading level, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension | Grades K - 5
• Cognitive Abilities Test Form 7 (CogAT 7) – measures reasoning abilities | Grade 2

Process of Identification

As early as grade two, we begin creating a profile for each student who meets at least one of the performance standards. Team members review each profile and determine whether a need for HP Services exist. As new information becomes available, usually following spring or fall testing periods, the team adds to the profiles and reevaluates student needs. Eventually, students will end up in one of these categories:

• The student's data clearly supports a  need for HP Services. The student is placed for service in his/her area of exceptionality: math, reading, or both. 
• The student's data indicates that additional information is needed to demonstrate a student’s placement for service. 
• The student's data reveals that his/her needs are met most effectively by the regular classroom setting. 

Parents or guardians of students identified to receive HP Services will be notified by the District by mail.