Message from the Director: How Kids Feel About School Matters

by Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, Belin-Blank Center Director

In 2018, Saba Ali, Susan Assouline, Duhita Mahatmya, and I were awarded a US Department of Education JAVITS grant titled, Culturally responsive talent identification and career exploration (TICE). The overall goal of the project has been to broaden participation of underrepresented students in talented and gifted programming and to increase opportunities for academic and career achievement. Our team, which includes several graduate students and Emily Ladendorf from the Belin-Blank Center, has accomplished a lot in the past four and a half years. Now it’s time to share our findings!

Last week, our work was published in High Ability Studies, an academic journal that examines developing potential across disciplines. The tile of the paper is Patterns of high ability and underrepresented students’ subject-specific psychosocial strengths: A latent profile analysis. While this title may seem a little intimidating to those outside of academia, the underlying idea is both simple and important: bright underrepresented students are not all the same, particularly when it comes to their approach to and feelings about academics. 

Led by Duhita Mahatmya, we took a theoretical approach to understanding patterns of psychosocial and academic strengths among 240 middle school students who participated in the TICE program. We measured students’ skill in reading, mathematics, and science and their beliefs about these skills. We also looked at students’ career interests, goals, and outcome expectations. Finally, we inventoried their academic goals. From these assessments, we identified student profiles – that is, we grouped students with similar traits. We labeled these groups as follows:

• Uninspired
• Confident but Directionless
• Humanities Focused
• STEM Focused
• Confident and Highly Capable

Students in these categories did not differ based on whether they were in their school’s gifted program, their abilities, or whether they had a disability. That means that a student identified for the gifted program was just as likely to be in the Uninspired group as the Confident and Highly Capable group.  Likewise, students of equally high academic potential appeared across all groups.  Students’ strengths vary widely, making it important for educators to tailor interventions based on the psychosocial profiles that students bring to the classroom. For example, a teacher would talk about future career options differently with an Uninspired student than a student who is Confident and sure of their future path.  This kind of differentiation in approach becomes particularly important for students from underrepresented backgrounds, who may not have the support they need to thrive.

There is diversity among talented students, both in their domains of talent and in their psychosocial presentation. Knowing a student’s academic abilities is not enough – knowing their psychosocial strengths is important, too!

Is your child a high achiever?

We’d love to have them join our neuroscience research team.

Our colleagues at the Michaelson Lab are seeking research volunteers who can partner with us to better understand the strengths and concerns of exceptionally talented individuals.

If your student meets any of the below criteria:

• participated in accelerated coursework in school
• skipped a grade
• qualified for a gifted program in school
• competed for admission into a talent development program for art, music, dance, or writing
• competed for admission into a talent development program for math, science, or engineering

We are also eager to have your family members participate in this research if they are available. Participation will involve answering surveys about your mental health and creative strengths and talents, and potentially: 1) donating saliva for genetic research 2) participating in an MRI session (brain scan). The Michaelson Lab provides compensation for participation.

Please visit https://redcap.link/devGenes today to learn more and to enroll! If you have questions, please reach out at michaelson-lab@uiowa.edu or by phone at 319-335-8882.

APSI at Iowa Offers Much More Than Learning

The Belin-Blank Center hosts the only College Board-approved teacher training site for Advanced Placement (AP) classes in the state of Iowa. This summer, the Center will host two session of APSI on campus (June 26-29 and July 10-13) and one session online (July 17-20) for a total of 18 single-subject classes. All Iowa teachers can apply for a significant scholarship ($500) through the Belin-Blank Center to apply toward the registration fee. Additionally, anyone who completes registration by May 26^th will pay a reduced cost and have the chance to win an Amazon gift card. 

More information, including the specific courses offered, can be found at the APSI website. 

The on-campus APSI at Iowa experience sets itself apart from other AP training opportunities in five ways:

Learning: We pride ourselves on hiring excellent instructors – veteran AP teachers themselves – who provide a wealth of ideas and strategies that participants can use with their students in the fall. The learning spaces are conducive to interactions among participants and feature fast and reliable wireless internet. Top-notch customer service coupled with breaks, snacks, and included daily lunch helps to set a perfect learning environment.

Enrichment: Iowa City is designated as a UNESCO City of Literature. We pride ourselves on creativity and innovation, and the University of Iowa campus is home to multiple museums. The Museum of Natural History and Old Capitol Museum have special exhibits throughout the year, and the Stanley Museum of Art, which opened its doors just last year, is home to one of the best collections of African art in the world.

Shopping: Whether you are looking for Hawkeye gear or something more eclectic to bring home, Iowa City has options. The Pedestrian Mall is adjacent to campus with a variety of stores to window shop or to find a keepsake to remember your summer in Iowa City! Prairie Lights Books & Café has been a local and visitor favorite since 1978. The Coral Ridge Mall and Williamsburg Outlet Mall are both a short drive away.

Relaxation: Because learning is meant to be fun, professional learning should not be stressful. The University of Iowa campus and the surrounding area provide the perfect backdrop to foster relaxation. There is ample outdoor space to unwind and clear your thoughts. The campus is a designated arboretum with over 8,000 trees, including a horse chestnut sapling from the tree outside Anne Frank’s annex. Our participants enjoy the many walking paths and quiet neighborhoods, as well as simply sitting near the Iowa River, which runs through campus.

Welcoming: The University of Iowa is an inviting setting to learn new ideas, with a diverse and welcoming community. Participants feel safe here and appreciate the nesting of the AP training within a homey location versus a sterile hotel conference room. Iowa City has maintained a small-town feel but offers big-city amenities.

Come learn with us!

Lessons Learned from STOMP

The theatrical performance STOMP debuted in New York City in 1994. On January 21, 2023 the show came to Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa. Students from the Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy and the Academy for Twice-Exceptionality were among attendees who enjoyed an invigorating performance featuring matchboxes, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, and more. As I watched the show, I couldn’t help but think of the parallels to gifted and talented education.

STOMP celebrates an uncommon approach to creating a stage show. In the same way that STOMP uses a variety of objects to create a continuum of sounds, schools and other educational organizations must establish a continuum of services to meet the needs of students in their talent areas. One size does not fit all, so a program that offers multiple options (e.g., acceleration, independent projects, extracurricular activities) is more likely to match its students’ needs.

STOMP is well choreographed, with the components of the show creating a meaningful experience. The performers know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Programs and services for gifted and talented students must contain the same level of organization. We must be driven by a clear mission and vision, well-defined program goals, and research-based best practice. These key foundational pieces guide day-to-day decision-making.

STOMP is interactive, with performers not only interacting constantly with one another on stage, but also reaching out to the audience. On multiple occasions, they extend an invitation to clap along to become more immersed in the performance. Similarly, gifted education shouldn’t be siloed from the rest of the field of education. Through engaging with a variety of stakeholders, we not only gain support for what we do, but we also develop pathways to better serve students. School boards, special education teams, classroom teachers, parents/guardians, and administrators can be excellent sources of new ideas.

STOMP incorporates a varied collection of objects into the performance as well as fielding a diverse cast. They all work together seamlessly for a common goal. Gifted education and schools have come a long way in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but there is still work to be done. We need to continue to make advances in providing opportunities to learn, assessing student strengths and areas for growth, discovering talent, and broadening curriculum. All students should have access to an engaging, appropriately challenging classroom experience that meets their academic needs.

STOMP is loud, and the performers are proud of what they have to offer. As a field, we need to be loud and proud of what we do to meet the needs of gifted and/or talented students. The National Association for Gifted Children, its state affiliates, and gifted education centers are staunch advocates for the field. The same commitment and level of effort needs to be apparent within every local context, and it’s important to show the impact that gifted programs and other talent development have. In places where gifted programs don’t exist, a grassroots movement needs to be initiated because bright students exist in all populations, and they need to be challenged in school.

STOMP has had an incredible run on Broadway and across the country. Gifted education and talent development offer incredible opportunities for students, and a vibrant gifted program should be an important aspect of all school systems. In both cases, a diverse, well-choreographed, interactive approach is the most successful one.

An Opportunity for Educators New to Gifted Education

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank Fellowship Program in Gifted Education is a preeminent professional development program in the field of gifted education. Launched by Dr. Nicholas Colangelo, the program was intended to help educators better understand the nature and needs of gifted learners. This summer’s Fellowship will be its 43rd year of introducing educators to the field.

Applications open in early March. Please share information about the program with colleagues who are interested in meeting the needs of advanced learners but have little preparation to do so!  We are especially interested in recruiting teacher leaders for the Fellowship. These educators are in a unique position to share evidence-based information about gifted/talented learners with multiple teachers in their buildings and districts. We continue to welcome applications from teachers who have realized they need greater understanding to help those students who finish their work early and already know much of the grade-level content.

The Fellowship will be held from July 17 – 21, 2023. The Fellowship provides room and board to participants, and we ask districts to pay $250 to cover the costs of materials and presenters. Participants can choose to enroll for two semester hours of academic credit, which fulfill hours in the Psychology strand of the State of Iowa Gifted and Talented Endorsement. Participants receive an automatic 50% tuition scholarship (as determined by cost of graduate tuition; those who register as undergraduates receive a smaller scholarship).

We will send information to superintendents and school principals when the application period opens, so be sure to ask those gatekeepers for the information when it arrives. The Belin-Blank Fellowship is professional learning at its best! Visit belinblank.org/fellowship to read more.

Hone Your Writing Skills This Summer

We have writing opportunities for grades 3 through 11 this summer! Whether you’re just starting your authorship journey or you’re looking for fellow writers to dissect the finer points of storytelling, we have a program for that.

• Grades 3-4: Greek Mythology: Through the Use of Modern Graphic Novels, June 19-23
• Grades 5-6: Creative Writing, June 19-23 and the Workshop for Young Writers, July 31-August 4
• Grades 7-8: A Writer’s Retreat, June 25-30 and the Workshop for Young Writers, July 31-August 4
• Grades 9-12: Summer Writing Online, July 10-28

A Growing Program Supporting Twice-Exceptional College Students

The Belin-Blank Center piloted its Academy for Twice-Exceptionality in Fall 2021. After decades of success with our first university-based program, the Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy, discussions began on how to create a program that supports twice-exceptional college students at the University of Iowa. The inaugural cohort consisted of two students. The main emphasis was on weekly meetings and a few social events. Although the cohort was small, they provided us with excellent input and experience as we planned for Fall 2022. 

Fast forward to today, and there are now seven students in the Academy! The program has expanded beyond weekly meetings to monthly group workshops, more regular social events, communication with families (every three weeks), a Spring Family Weekend, and plans for additional staffing. In the past year, we more clearly detailed the student support framework to address academic, practical living, executive functioning, and social/emotional skills. A scope and sequence have been drafted to focus on the varied needs of students in their first year through their graduation year. Topics include understanding a syllabus, finding classes on campus, email communication, planning for job fairs, and applying for jobs and/or graduate school. The University of Iowa campus is rich with student-centered resources. We have established many partnerships, such as with Student Disability Services, University of Iowa Libraries, Housing & Dining, the Career Center, and Admissions.  

In January, we surveyed the current cohort and received our first glimpse into the program’s effectiveness. All seven students responded “somewhat agree” or “strongly agree” to the following questions: 

• The program has helped me advocate for myself. 
• The program has helped me challenge myself to take more safe/healthy risks. 
• The program has helped me with interacting with others at the University of Iowa. 
• Setting goals in the program has helped me accomplish what I had hoped. 
• During the weekly one-on-one meetings, I receive useful ideas and suggestions to try on my own. 
• During the weekly one-on-one meetings, I receive useful support to help me reach my goals. 

None of the students responded “somewhat disagree” or strongly disagree” to any of the fourteen survey questions about the intended support framework provided.  

College is a journey. The Belin-Blank Center is committed to joining students whose profile requires some additional support to get to a desired destination. When asked what they enjoyed best about participation in the program, one student responded, “I have enjoyed meeting more and more people who are in the same boat as me.” The University of Iowa is an incredible “boat” that is full of opportunity, and the Belin-Blank Center is committed to assisting these students as they steer their own boat. 

Learn more about the Academy of Twice-Exceptionality on our website.

Welcome, Patience and Jill!

This year, a new year brought new colleagues! We are excited to welcome two new members of our staff.

Patience Duepa-Kannah joined us after earning her B.A in Education Studies & Human Relations this past December. In her tenure since as Administrative Services Coordinator, she has already proven invaluable during the rush of summer program applications. Chances are that if you have called the Center or emailed a question about your summer program application, Patience was there to help!

Jill Schenck began working at the Center part-time as an undergraduate, learning the ropes from our IT staff and helping to make sure that the technological aspects of our summer programs ran smoothly. Following her graduation with a B.A. in Philosophy and Ethics and Public Policy in December, Jill joined our staff as an IT Assistant. From SQL queries to copy editing, Jill has tackled a wide array of behind-the-scenes projects to help keep the Center moving forward.

Professional Learning: Spring Semester 2023

Do you remember Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery? The author once said that “nothing ever seems impossible in spring, you know,” and that goes for taking advantage of just-in-time professional learning opportunities! Consider adding one or more of these to your busy schedule to learn to support your gifted/talented students even better.

This semester, the Belin-Blank Center, in collaboration with the University of Iowa College of Education, is offering opportunities for teachers to further develop their understanding of gifted learners and how to meet their needs, as well as providing classes that apply to the State of Iowa Talented and Gifted Endorsement in Gifted Education.

• EDTL:4066:0EXW Curriculum Concepts in Gifted Education begins March 20 (ending on May 12). This three-semester course focuses on arguably the most crucial focus for advanced learners: what is best practice in the classroom? This class fulfills the requirement for the Programming for the Gifted strand of the endorsement and develops expertise in the 2019 NAGC Pre-K – Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards, especially Standard 1 Learning and Development, Standard 3 Curriculum Planning and Instruction, and Standard 5 Programming.

• EDTL:4075:0WKA Topics in TAG Programming: Acceleration as an Option for Gifted Students begins on March 28 and continues through April 17. This workshop is designed for those who take advantage of one (or both) of the acceleration webinars offered by the Center this spring.

On Thursday, February 23, Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik and Dr. Randy Lange provide an Introduction to the Integrated Acceleration System; on Thursday, March 23, Advanced Users of Acceleration Tools will focus on preparing the team, planning for the meeting, and follow up. Dr. Susan Assouline, Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, and Dr. Randy Lange will provide those with familiarity with the Integrated Acceleration System greater understanding about the practical aspects of grade skipping.

Participants can join webinars live or can watch a recording. Multiple participants can watch the webinar or recording with one registration, so suggest that your school, district, or AEA register!

Participants in this class will build on the knowledge provided during the webinar(s) and extend their understanding about acceleration. Participants will also receive an automatic 50% tuition scholarship based on the cost of graduate tuition (those registered with the University of Iowa as undergraduates receive a smaller scholarship). This class fulfills the requirement for the Programming for the Gifted strand.

• PSQF:5194:0WKC allows those who register for the ITAG Spring Workshop to extend their learning by focusing specifically on the presenter’s book, Start Seeing and Serving Underserved Gifted Students. The workshop begins on April 24 (through May 12). Participants receive an automatic 50% tuition scholarship based on the cost of graduate tuition (those registered with the University of Iowa as undergraduates receive a smaller scholarship). This class fulfills the requirement for the Administrative strand.

Workshops with automatic scholarships require participation in the event (e.g., the webinar or the Spring Workshop). Registration is restricted; contact educators@belinblank.org to override the restriction.

Enrollment in practicum is still available. EDTL:4188:0EXW is for those who want to complete more than one semester hour of practicum credit and begins on March 20. EDTL:4189:0WKA begins April 17 and provides one semester hour of practicum with the focus on the age level opposite that of certification, as required by the State of Iowa. Both courses end on May 5, and both require contacting educators@belinblank.org to override a course restriction and enroll.

Get Registered for Credit

To participate in endorsement classes, you must register once each year with Distance and Online Education as a non-degree seeking student. For the purposes of the State of Iowa Endorsement in Talented and Gifted Education, you may register as either a graduate or undergraduate student regardless of your professional status. In other words, if you won’t benefit in other ways from the graduate credit (e.g., promotion in your school), you can save tuition dollars. Once you have your HawkID and password, you can follow the directions to register for courses at belinblank.org/educators/reg.

Middle School Scholarship Opportunity from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

The Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship open to high-performing 7th grade students with some financial need. It provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for high school. There are Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, music/art lessons, support for the purchase of hardware and software needs, and other learning enrichment opportunities that are specific to the student. This is an opportunity that many families are not aware of and we want to change that.

Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development (CTD) works collaboratively with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to educate families and educators about this opportunity and help families through the application process. Throughout the winter and spring, Tammie Stewart, CTD Outreach Manager for the Young Scholars program, is offering free online workshops for anyone interested in learning more about how to apply. The next information session is scheduled for Monday, March 13th at 6 p.m. (Central). The application will close May 11, 2023.

More information is available online. If you have any questions or would like to arrange for an information session at your school, please contact Tammie Stewart at tammie-stewart@northwestern.edu.

Upcoming Webinar on Preparing for an IEP or 504 Meeting

This interactive webinar presented by the Belin-Blank Center Assessment and Counseling Clinic is for parents/guardians who might have questions about IEP or 504 meetings.

Highlights will include: defining key terms, differences between an IEP and a 504 plan, common accommodations and modifications (including tech-based), and how to prepare for the meeting. There will be time for questions!

• Presented by Jenny Feng, MA, current University of Iowa doctoral student.
• 6:30PM–7:15PM on Wednesday, January 18, 2023
• Cost: $10 (donated to Assessment and Counseling Clinic financial aid fund)

Come learn with us!

Our Commitment to Twice-Exceptionality

The Belin-Blank Center uses the definition of twice-exceptionality (2e) drafted by Dr. Sally Reis and her colleagues: 2e learners both “demonstrate the potential for high achievement or creative productivity in one or more domains…AND…manifest one or more disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria.” Despite the high potential these students possess, they are often not identified and/or admitted into programs for talented students. Their unique profile results in misunderstanding and frustration for schools, parents/guardians, and the students themselves. This reality serves as the catalyst for our research and programming efforts to ensure these students are challenged and engaged in school: 

• Research articles, chapters, and presentations on twice-exceptionality. Drs. Megan Foley-Nicpon and Susan Assouline from the Belin-Blank Center are considered research leaders in this area. 
• The Belin-Blank Center’s Assessment & Counseling Clinic offers comprehensive clinical services for twice-exceptional students, including evaluations, therapy, and consultations. In 2022, we served over 125 students and families. 
• An online social skills group for twice-exceptional middle school students in Iowa. 
• A partnership with Carver College of Medicine’s Iowa Neuroscience Institute on research and intervention projects.  
• A Summit on the Neuroscience of Twice-Exceptionality co-hosted with the Iowa Neuroscience Institute in 2021. The summit featured speakers sharing research from several different domains, including neuroscience, genetics, gifted education, special education, psychology, and psychiatry. 
• A neuroscience-focused summer program for twice-exceptional students sponsored by the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, returning for its second year on June 12, 2023. More details to come! 
• Specific guidance and support in the Integrated Acceleration System, a tool used in grade-skipping decisions, for twice-exceptional students being considered for acceleration. 
• The Academy for Twice-Exceptionality, a support system for twice-exceptional University of Iowa students. Supports include partnering with UI services, individual weekly meetings, topical workshops, planned social events, and communication with parents/guardians. 
• The new Twice-Exceptional Summer Academy will run June 13 & 14, 2023. This summer offering for students who finished grades 9 or 10 will be held on the University of Iowa campus. More details are coming soon!  

Getting Ready for the 69th Annual NAGC Convention

Nesibe Karakis and Laurie Croft

Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

Many of us dedicated to meeting the needs of gifted learners—and supporting the development of their varied talents—are looking forward to seeing friends and colleagues next week in Indianapolis.  We often talk about the importance of ensuring gifted learners spend time with their true peers, and it’s the same for professionals in the field. 

Our field is a small one, though, and the word bittersweet comes to mind when thinking about this year’s convention without Dr. Marcia Gentry, the winner of the 2022 NAGC President’s Award.  She contributed so much to the field, and to our awareness of “missingness,” that is, inequity in identification and services.  While we go to learn from our peers, Dr. Gentry’s voice will be there in many sessions, but we will miss her.

The October newsletter from the Belin-Blank Center included a message from our new director, Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with reflections on lessons learned from Dr. Gentry.  We also have a post-doctoral colleague at the Center, Dr. Nesibe Karakis, who graduated from Purdue University.  Dr. Karakis shared insights from colleagues at Purdue:

Dr. F. Richard Olenchak, Professor, Purdue University, Gifted Creative and Talented Studies, noted that

Having been friends with Marcia Gentry for over 35 years as far back as graduate school, I not only enjoyed working with her, I most enjoyed spending brainstorming sessions with her. Marcia’s dry wit and tendency to drift to dark humor not only ended up helping us to see the positives in otherwise stressful scenarios, but these occasions stimulated my own thinking to find the positive dichotomies when we zeroed in on the cynical side of things. I will go through the rest of my life loving her as one of my dearest friends. She was far more than a work colleague for me.

Dr. Nielsen Pereira, Associate Professor, Purdue University, Gifted Creative and Talented Studies, shared

It is very difficult for me to separate Marcia’s impact on me as a person and scholar since she was such an integral part of my life for over 15 years. It also would be difficult to decide on only a couple of things that impressed me about knowing and working with Marcia, but I will focus on two that come to mind now: her brilliance and her generosity. Marcia was definitely and truly a brilliant scholar. When I look at her contributions to the field (some we have collaborated on), I see how unique and brilliant her ideas were. The Total School Cluster Grouping model, the HOPE projects, the Native American Research Initiative, the Access Denied report all represent her passion for making gifted services more equitable and accessible to students from underserved populations. Additionally, each of these included a twist on things that have been considered best practices in gifted education. More recently, the introduction of “missingness” as a concept when looking at underrepresentation in gifted education (see Access Denied report) is (in my opinion) a contribution that could be key to, hopefully, one day achieving equity in gifted education. Marcia’s generosity is something that I had the privilege to experience at a personal level, but also in professional settings. Over the years, she went from being my doctoral advisor to a colleague and a friend I knew I could trust and count on in almost any situation. She was generous with her time, resources, friends, and so many other things. She helped me in times of great need and when I simply needed a hand or advice. She was always the first to reach out (to me and others) to offer help or support. She also was always willing to share her home with friends and colleagues. I will always remember each celebration at her house… graduation parties for doctoral students, end-of-the year celebrations, a welcome reception for a guest, and many others. She will always have a special place in my heart and I will always remember her as the best mentor and colleague I could have asked for and a dear friend.

Dr. Alissa Cress, Clinical Assistant Professor, Purdue University, Gifted Creative and Talented Studies

I worked with Dr. Marcia Gentry since the beginning of my graduate school program in 2016. Although that is not long in the scope of her amazing career, I was honored to work with her for the time we had. I was her 25^th advisee to graduate with a Ph.D.! Learning from her expertise in the field and how she navigated professional and personal challenges life attempted to throw at her were just a few of the many qualities I found most admirable about her. Her constant, selfless dedication to creating opportunities for all students inspired me and everyone in her life to do and be better. Marcia Gentry’s impact on the world of gifted education—and the world as a whole—will outlast her for decades to come.  

Dr. Olenchak will be presenting at the Convention with Jeffrey Thomas about Exploring Social-emotional Development of High-Ability LGBTQ through Retrospectives.

Dr. Pereira will be presenting with Hernan Castillow-Hermosilla and Yuxiao Zhang about Are They Really Gifted Too? Challenges in Identifying Underrepresented Gifted Students; with Dr. Sarah Bright, Zafer Ozen, and Tugce Karatas: Fostering SEL Skills in STEM Curricula for Underrepresented Gifted Students; and with Dr. Joni Lakin, Dr. Emily Mofield, and Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, focusing on Research into Practice (topic varied by presenter).

Dr. Cress will be presenting with Abdullah A. Tuzgen about Reducing Biases and Creating Partnerships to Recognize & Foster Children’s Gifts and Talents; with Dr. Jennifer Richardson and Dr. Yukiko Maeda, discussing Total School Cluster Grouping: New Research Findings, Directions, and Discussion; and with Abdullah Tuzgen and Hernan Castillo-Hermosilla about What Do Teachers Really Think about Differentiation? Strategies, Successes, and Solutions.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Presentations from staff and faculty at the Belin-Blank Center include:

Dr. Laurie Croft & Dr. Alena Treat, Diverse Faces in Gifted Education: LGBTQ+

Sheyanne Smith, Dr. Toni Szymanski, & Dr. Laurie Croft, Expanding Concepts of Multi-tiered Systems of Support to Serve Gifted Children

Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, Dr. Susan Assouline, Dr. Duhita Mahatmya, and Dr. Saba Ali, A Hybrid Model of Talent Identification-career Exploration for Underrepresented Students

Dr. Kimberley Chandler, Dr. Jaime Castellano, Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, Dr. Kristina Henry Collins, Erik Francis, Dr. Anne Gray, Dr. Nancy Hertzog, Dr. Tiombe Bisa Kendrick-Dunn, Dr. Kimberly Lansdowne, & Dr. PJ Sedillo, Identifying and Serving Diverse Gifted Learners: Meeting the Needs of Special Populations in Gifted Education

Dr. Del Siegle, Dr. Betsy McCoach, Dr. Catherine Little, Dr. Susan Assouline, & Dr. Scott Peters, Not so Fast: Think Twice about Identification

Dr. Lori Ihrig & Dr. Nesibe Karakis, Developing Rural STEM Talent Through Afterschool Programs

Dr Randy Lange & Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Transition Planning for Whole-grade Acceleration

Dr. Joni Lakin, Dr. Emily Mofield, Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, & Dr. Nielsen Pereira, Research into Practice

Dr. Katie Schabilion & Dr. Amanda Berns, Essential Tips for Teachers of Twice-Exceptional Students

Dr. Katie Schabilion, R&E Dissertation Award Recipients Presentation

Posters of interest from staff and faculty at the Belin-Blank Center include:

Anna Payne & Dr. Laurie Croft, Acceleration: Insights into Environmental Constraints to an Effective Practice

Dr. Toni Szymanski & Dr. Laurie Croft, Exploring Curriculum Models through Lesson Planning

Dr. Nesibe Karakas, Dr. Lori Ihrig, & Dr. Duhita Mahatmya, Who Is Missing from Rural STEM Talent Development Efforts?

Dr. Randy Lange & Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Grade-skipping: The Essential Considerations

Starting Soon: Reading for High Ability Learners

One of the needs perceived in the fall semester is appropriate programming in reading for gifted learners!  The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented reported that approximately 50% – 70% of traditional reading material could be eliminated for gifted and talented learners.

Workshop:         EDTL:4026:0WKA  Reading for High Ability Learners

Dates:                   October 24 – November 11, 2022

Instructor:           Dr. Patricia Champion

Format:                Fully asynchronous online workshop

This workshop reviews the purposes and methods of reading instruction, with a focus on developmentally-appropriate needs of high-ability readers. Topics include genres of literature, enriched and accelerated reading curricula, and the role of reading in the social and emotional development of gifted students.

Get Registered for Credit

To participate in endorsement classes, you must register one time each year with Distance and Online Education as a non-degree seeking student. For the purposes of the State of Iowa Endorsement in Talented and Gifted Education, you may register as either a graduate or undergraduate student regardless of your professional status. In other words, if you won’t benefit in other ways from the graduate credit, you can save tuition dollars. Once you have your HawkID and password, you can follow the directions to register for the courses that interest you the most (belinblank.org/educators/reg).

If more than one person from your school or district enrolls, the Belin-Blank Center is pleased to provide an automatic 50% tuition scholarship to those using this workshop as a professional learning community!  Just contact educators@belinblank.org to let our professional development team know.

Taking advantage of workshops is one of the most cost-effective ways to earn the State of Iowa Talented and Gifted Endorsement.  Workshops are focused on one topic for three weeks; tuition is the only cost associated with a workshop (no additional fees).  Many workshops (ITAG credit, NAGC credit, Belin-Blank Chautauqua in the summer) offer automatic scholarships!

The Belin-Blank Center meets all national Standards for Gifted Education, including Standards for Faculty.

We look forward to supporting your professional learning needs!

Big news!

Dr. Foley Nicpon

Congratulations to Megan Foley Nicpon on being named the new director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development and the new Myron and Jaqueline Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education!

Read more on the College of Education’s website.

Farewell to Professor Miraca U. M. Gross

by Dr. Susan Assouline, Belin-Blank Center Director

Un seul être vous manque et tout est dépeuplé. 

This French saying, loosely translated as “one sole person is gone, and everything is amiss,” captures my sentiment when I learned that my dear friend and colleague, Professor Emerita Miraca U.M. Gross, passed away on Friday, January 28, 2022.

(L to R) Dr. Susan Assouline, Director of the Belin-Blank Center; Professor Emerita Miraca Gross; Ms. Bronwyn MacLeod

My mind overflows with 30 years of memories, I think of her in my solid Midwestern English, but when I “hear” her, it is always in her lovely Scottish brogue, modestly accented with Australian. Miraca lived on three continents. She started her life in Edinburgh, Scotland; she earned her Ph.D. from Purdue University; and she lived most of her adult life in Australia. She was a professor of Gifted Education at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

She traveled the world sharing her wisdom about gifted children and their profound educational and social-emotional needs, but her academic home was the University of New South Wales (NSW) School of Education. Early in her career at UNSW, she founded the Gifted Education Research, Resource, and Information Center (GERRIC), which in many ways was a sister gifted education center to the Belin-Blank Center.

My heart is heavy, but that heaviness is lightened when I think of how her life’s work, truly an oeuvre, continues to change the lives of children, their families, educators, and researchers. Tributes have been flowing on various education listservs, and Dr. Ann Robinson’s observation that “she moved a continent” soundly resonates. Hundreds, if not thousands, of adults are making a difference in the world because Dr. Miraca Gross advocated at the individual, school, and policy level for their educational and social-emotional well-being.

Miraca was a paradox. In addition to the memorable Scottish accent, she was also petite, almost diminutive, in stature. She often used herself as an example when individuals would put forth the excuse of a student being “too small” to be considered for acceleration. By those standards, she would argue, she would still be in first or second grade. As a scholar, she was a giant.

In 2005, Dr. Gross received the National Association for Gifted Children’s Distinguished Scholar Award, the only international recipient of this prestigious award. In 2008, Miraca was inducted into the Order of Australia, an honor that was of tremendous significance to her.

I was first introduced to her scholarship through my postdoctoral mentor, Dr. Julian Stanley, who had just read Miraca’s enormous dissertation at the recommendation of Professor John Feldhusen of Purdue University. If Dr. Stanley was impressed, then I knew that there was good reason to pay attention to what was in that dissertation, which was published in 1993 under the title of Exceptionally Gifted Children. For decades, I would continue to learn from her.  I still do.

Professor Gross was a strong advocate for acceleration. One of the most delightful writing experiences I had was co-authoring with Miraca and Dr. Nicholas Colangelo the watershed publication, A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students. Although the publication focused on schools in the United States, it was widely disseminated in Australia and around the world. This publication was the core of what would become the Belin-Blank Center’s Acceleration Institute and served as the impetus for the 2015 publication, A Nation Empowered:  How Evidence Trumps Excuses that Hold Back America’s Brightest Students. Dr. Gross and her colleague Professor Jae Jup Yung co-authored the excellent chapter for Nation Empowered on radical acceleration.

Dr. Gross was instrumental in advancing gifted education in the whole continent of Australia, but especially in the state of New South Wales. I had the good fortune to meet her early in both of our careers at one of the Belin-Blank Center’s very first Wallace Research Symposia on Talent Development. She was a regular at our symposia and always had something new to say. I was particularly impressed with her work on the social-emotional development of exceptionally gifted students. It is not an exaggeration to say that she followed in the footsteps of Leta Hollingworth, one of gifted education’s pioneering scholars focused on social-emotional development in extraordinarily gifted children.

Dr. Gross and her brilliant husband, John, did not have children of their own. I vividly recall one evening, after a day of teaching in the teacher education program she founded. Miraca softly shared that even though they did not have children, they did have their beloved cat. She was quick to say, “Of course, he’s not like a child or anything…” John, who always quietly supported and steered her, said, “Like hell! He is exactly like a child.”  The tenderness they showed to living creatures – be they four-legged, furry, and precocious, or two-legged, furless, and precocious — nurtured the lives of hundreds of children around the world.

I miss her, and the world of gifted education seems amiss knowing that she is gone. I see her in my daily work and know that her legacy will continue to be felt in the Belin-Blank Center and around the world.

Fois dhut.

Save the Dates for Professional Learning

Photo by Max Fischer on Pexels.com

SAVE THE DATES! The Belin-Blank Center will host several professional learning opportunities for educators in Summer 2022.

The Belin-Blank Fellowship Program is a unique opportunity for a cadre of educators to learn more about the area of gifted education, through a five-day summer workshop. Its purpose is to help teachers learn better methods for working with gifted children in their classrooms. The program is designed to help educators provide an appropriate program for gifted students, develop in students a heightened sense of social responsibility in the use of their talents, and provide leadership in gifted education. For Summer 2022, priority will be given to those in instructional coaching roles. The dates for Summer 2022 are June 20-24. Applications will be available on our website in mid-February.

Want to prepare for teaching an AP class? The Belin-Blank Center will be hosting BOTH on-campus and online Advanced Placement Summer Institutes (APSI). The on-campus APSI will be held at the University of Iowa in Iowa City from June 28 – July 1. The online APSI will take place from August 1-5.

The planned ON-CAMPUS classes are:

Biology, Calculus AB, English Language & Composition, English Literature & Composition, Government & Politics, Human Geography, Psychology, US History, and World History

The planned ONLINE classes are:

Computer Science Principles, English Language & Composition, English Literature & Composition, Physics I, Psychology, Spanish Language & Culture, and Statistics.

Stay tuned for more professional learning opportunities in spring and summer 2022. We hope you will plan to join us!

Message from the Director: Thinking Again

by Dr. Susan Assouline, Director of the Belin-Blank Center

Longer nights, cooler days, and brightly colored falling leaves signal that the school year is well underway, and it’s time to start planning for summer! Yes, that’s right, summer is very much on our minds, and we look forward to implementing all that we’ve learned over the past year and a half. 

Recent director’s messages have addressed the collaborative efforts of the fantastic Belin-Blank Center faculty and staff to re-imagine our services and programming during the pandemic. However, I hadn’t discussed how we adjusted our thinking, accepting a new level of ambiguity and change. This message offers a glimpse into that process.  

Late November afternoon light illuminating the Pentacrest.

A colleague recently discussed Adam Grant’s newest book, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, with our first-year Bucksbaum Academy students. It’s been many years since I was a first-year student; however, we all get a fresh start at the beginning of each academic year. Because “thinking again” seems to dominate my thoughts these days, I  downloaded the book and was captivated from the start. There are many takeaways from Grant’s book, but two crucial words capture its essence: “humility” and “flexibility.” 

Humility has many dimensions, but at its core, it is the acknowledgment that even if we know a lot, we don’t know everything. As knowledge in all fields increases exponentially, there is little hope of keeping up entirely. Grant suggests that if “knowledge is power, knowing what we don’t know is wisdom.” 

Flexibility, too, manifests itself in multiple ways. The consequences of showing cognitive flexibility – or inflexibility – can be far-reaching. If my colleagues at the Belin-Blank Center were not cognitively flexible, our services and programs would no longer be relevant. Thankfully, they have demonstrated cognitive flexibility in spades and our services and programming are more relevant today than ever. We also understand the process is continuous.  

The combination of intellectual humility and cognitive flexibility leads to progress. We are not only thinking about summer when the days will be longer and hotter, and we will look for shade under lush green trees. We are “thinking again” well beyond summer 2022.  

To be the first to know about the many exciting things to come, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow @belinblank on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Using BESTS for IOAPA Decisions

As you may know, the Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) and the Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS) team up to provide identification and programming services to help Iowa teachers discover talented students and develop their abilities. For more on how BESTS and IOAPA work together, check out our IOAPA-BESTS blog roundup. Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, IOAPA will require 6^th or 7^th grade students to have taken I-Excel in order to be eligible for IOAPA courses. We highly recommend using the ACT to inform eligibility for older students to take IOAPA courses. Testing is not required for students registering for Spring 2022 courses, although it is recommended.

In order to use this year’s above-level testing scores to inform eligibility for next spring’s IOAPA courses, now is the time to begin the above-level testing process. (Spring registration opens November 8, and we expect seats to fill quickly.) You may also use above-level test results from this academic year to decide which students you will register for fall 2022 classes, when that registration is available. There are four basic steps for participation in BESTS.

1. Find the students who are ready for additional challenge; these are the students who will be recommended for participation in BESTS. Typically, students who have earned scores at or above the 90^th percentile on grade-level standardized tests, such as the Iowa Assessments, are strong candidates for above-level testing.
2. Notify the students identified in Step 1 and their families about the opportunity to participate in BESTS.
3. Contact assessment@belinblank.org as soon as possible to set up testing. We have two options for testing, one for 7^th-9^th graders, and one for 4^th-6^th graders.
4. 7^th-9^th graders take the ACT. Due to the pandemic, ACT has been prioritizing testing 11^th and 12^th graders. We plan to offer above-level testing for our 7^th-9^th grade students later this academic year. If you would like to be notified when testing is available for 7^th-9^th graders, visit belinblank.org/talent-search for specific information and email assessment@belinblank.org to be added to the notification list. ACT testing is not required, but it is highly recommended.
5. 4^th-6^th graders take I-Excel. I-Excel testing sessions for current 4^th-6^th graders are flexible to schedule. However, it’s still important to reach out soon to ensure that the process can be completed in time for your desired test date(s) and IOAPA spring registration. Please allow approximately 6 weeks from the time of registration to having the assessment results in hand. I-Excel testing will be required for students interested in taking 6^th-7^th grade courses next school year, so we highly recommend testing eligible 5^th and 6^th graders this year.
6. Inform students and parents about test results and the recommended course of action following testing.

Costs

• The cost for ACT registration will be announced at a later time. Students testing through the Belin-Blank Center will receive access to individualized reports explaining their test results and comparing them to other talented students in the same grade.
• The cost for I-Excel is $45 per student when groups of 4 or more students are testing.  Iowa schools using I-Excel for the first time in the past 3 years can request up to 20 free student test registrations to try out I-Excel with their students. Schools receive group results as well as individual student reports following I-Excel testing. Families also receive the individualized report.
• For both I-Excel and ACT, fee reductions are available for students eligible for the free/reduced cost lunch program.

For more information, see:

What’s the Best-Kept Secret in Gifted Education? Above-Level Testing — This post offers an overview of the theory and research behind above-level testing.

An Easy Way to Learn More About Your Students’ Needs— Specific steps for setting up I-Excel are included in this post.

Have Your 7th-9th Graders Registered to Take the ACT? — This post includes useful information about using the ACT as an above-level test for 7th through 9th grade students. Current information about fees, test session dates, and registration deadlines can be found at www.belinblank.org/talent-search.

Autism, Gender and Sexual Identity Conference

Looking for opportunities to learn more about autism?  The Autism Society of Iowa (ASI) will be hosting a one-day online seminar on Autism, Gender, and Sexual Identity.  Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Increase their understanding of the role that Autism might play in the consolidation of gender identity.
• Enhance their knowledge base of environmental and psychological factors that play central roles in adolescent identity formation in all adolescents, and the distorting impact of STIGMA leading to psychopathology.
• Review the emerging data base supporting a higher rate of gender diversity (GNC/GE/etc.) in youth with autism, and vice versa.

For more information or to register, click here.

Message from the Director: Humility, Gratitude, and Optimism in 2021

by Dr. Susan Assouline, Belin-Blank Center Director

Like a long-awaited visitor we thought would never arrive, 2021 is almost here! My colleagues and I are ready to greet the new year with humility, gratitude, and optimism. Humility counters the pride with which we entered 2020 and the assumptions that we held about the format of our programs and services. That self-assuredness blinded us to the crises lurking in the shadows that came out in full force to affect our health, economy, climate, and sense of social justice.

These crises-imposed restrictions resulted in new ways of collaborating to find creative ways to provide programs, deliver services, and conduct research. I am grateful for the continued assessment and counseling services our licensed psychologists offered through a hybrid format. The student program team re-imagined several new opportunities for students. I am also appreciative of the continuation of our many professional development opportunities for educators.  

There are many reasons for which I am optimistic about 2021. The teachers and students participating in our grant-funded services displayed astounding resilience, despite the learning format’s unpredictability. We started a new collaboration with colleagues at the National Center for Research on Gifted Education, housed at the University of Connecticut; our focus will be on academic acceleration. Our research collaboration with the Iowa Neuroscience Institute continues, and we are looking forward to a re-imagined Summit on the Neuroscience of Twice-Exceptionality in a virtual format.

The Integrated Acceleration System’s development team completed the online interactive product designed to produce a report that offers information about the appropriateness of academic acceleration for individual students.  

These are just a few of the reasons why we will enter 2021 with humility, gratitude, and optimism. I am humbled by the Belin-Blank Center staff’s efforts and those of our colleagues in the College of Education. I am awed by the continued support of our Advisory Board. Their commitment to the Belin-Blank Center’s mission, and the students, families, and educators we serve, has never wavered despite the many obstacles experienced.  

May 2021 be a year in which we continue to seek social justice and address racism. May we find new ways to tackle our many climate challenges, observe improvement in our economy, and realize an abatement of the pandemic. We look forward to seeing you in 2021, in person and virtually. Happy New Year!

Visual Guide to IOAPA High School Courses

To aid in decisions about spring enrollment, we are excited to share the IOAPA High School Course infographic. This infographic uses data from 2019-2020 IOAPA students. This, along with our middle school infographic and other useful information, can be found on our website. On this page, you can also find our course catalog and more information about individual course options.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Launch Today!

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. The Belin-Blank Center serves at the affiliate for art and writing for both the state of Iowa and the Midwest Region-at-Large.

Get started early!
Submissions are only open from September 1 through December 1, but it’s never too early to get started! Students, save the work you’re creating over the spring and summer…even if you’re creating it from home.

Sign up!
Submissions open for the 2021 Scholastic Awards on September 1, 2020 on our website at belinblank.org/scholastic. On this date, students can create an account to upload their work. If you are an educator, create your account on September 1, 2020, to register your students.

We can’t wait to see what you create!

IOAPA Classes 2020-2021

Welcome to the fall semester for IOAPA courses! During this busy time of year, we don’t want you to forget about some important information related to your IOAPA courses. Here are a few upcoming items for IOAPA.

• If your students decide the class is not for them, not a problem! Just make sure to drop the course before September 14th to prevent the $350 drop fee. For more information about our drop policies, check out the IOAPA handbook on our website.
• Check your email for messages from ioapa@belinblank.org. These emails contain important information and deadlines about the upcoming year. If you did not receive these emails, make sure to check your spam / junk folder.
• Don’t forget: AP Coordinators need to order AP Exams by November 15, 2020! (Click here for instructions and check here for additional deadlines).
• November 1, 2020: IOAPA spring registration opens. Keep this date in mind, we expect spring enrollment to fill quickly!
• December 11, 2020: IOAPA fall classes end.

Helpful Tips to Start the Semester

Textbooks: Recommended textbooks for courses on APEX can be found by clicking “Learn more” on the relevant course(s) from the IOAPA course catalog. Edhesive courses do not require textbooks.

Online Support: APEX and Edhesive offer support guides and videos on their websites! Reach out to their customer service with technical questions.

Message from the Director: The Mission Continues

In April, I acknowledged the Belin-Blank Center’s “Big Pause,” aimed at doing our part to flatten the pandemic curve. We shared that summer coursework for educators and programs for students would not be as we had hoped.  Although programming was paused, the Belin-Blank Center’s mission to serve and empower the worldwide gifted education community was never on hiatus.

This mission requires us to examine our actions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  We consistently strive to address gaps in these areas; however, my colleagues and I know that we can do better.  We are stepping up our efforts to educate ourselves about the history and impact of racism, particularly as it relates to education.  We started with introspection, which will continue indefinitely as we also work to increase our awareness through dialogue and new learning.  We remain dedicated to diverse, equitable and inclusive programming that increases access to gifted education opportunities in underserved populations.  Based on our own enhanced awareness of the issues, we will be able to take informed actions to improve our programs and services.  

An important aspect of our approach will be to maintain a local focus while also addressing nationwide issues, including educational disparities that have been made salient through COVID-19.  Educators involved in gifted and talented education are aware of disparities in access to gifted programs, and the only federal legislation concerning gifted education, the Jacob Javits Gifted & Talented Students Education Act, has a singular focus on increasing access to underrepresented populations through funding research-based programming. There are two components to this funding.  First, the Javits Act provides grants to state education agencies.  Our TICE (Talent Identification-Career Exploration) project, which works with rural Iowa schools, was funded by one of these grants. 

The second part of the Javits Act establishes a national research center through a highly competitive proposal process approximately every five years.  Since 1988, the University of Connecticut has been awarded this funding.  We congratulate them on their extraordinary work, which was recently renewed.   We are honored that as part of that renewal, the Belin-Blank Center will be one of their partners. The research will focus on the following important questions:

• How can we simplify identification systems while expanding participation opportunities for underserved students?
• What impact do teachers have on gifted students’ academic success?
• What are the benefits of gifted programs? How do they extend beyond academic achievement?
• Can universal screening be effectively implemented for acceleration?

In the April newsletter, I shared my perspective that these past few months have created some challenges as we adapted to the changes made necessary by COVID-19.   However, we also recognized exciting new opportunities to grow and advance into the future.  My colleagues are hard at work developing new online programs for pre-college students.   We have long dreamt of increasing access to our programming through online options, and now we are poised to make this possible.  We will have more details on these programs, some of which you inspired with your suggestions, over the coming weeks. 

I hope that you are enjoying the sunshine while staying well and safe.  We will see you soon, online, with new, innovative programming that nurtures potential and inspires excellence.

Online Courses for Teachers

True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own.

Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek writer, early 20^th century

The Belin-Blank Center, in partnership with the academic departments in the University of Iowa College of Education, collaborates with educators who work with gifted learners, so that as teachers, counselors, and administrators, they feel confident about being bridges to their students’ futures! 

Teachers who work with gifted/talented learners in Iowa, and in several other states, must earn an endorsement in gifted education.  The State of Iowa Talented and Gifted Endorsement mandates a total of 12 hours in different “strands” that ensure teachers better understand the unique nature of gifted learners (the Psychology strand), how to better meet special needs that arise from being a gifted learner (the Programming strand), administrative kinds of issues that impact gifted education (the Administrative strand), and envision working with the K-12 gifted population (the Practicum experience).  The Center provides choices across the required strands so that earning the endorsement in one summer is possible (belinblank.org/courses).  For those who already have the endorsement, the focused one-semester-hour workshop-style classes are ideal for updating skills. 

Summer classes are fully online (classes are one-semester-hour unless otherwise noted):

• Cognitive and Affective Needs of the Gifted (PSQF:4126:0WKA), June 29 – July 17 (Dr. Megan Foley Nicpon).
• Practicum (EDTL:4188:0EXW), June 29 – August 6 (Dr. Laurie Croft, permission required; this section is typically for full-time students and/or those seeking more than one hour of practicum.  For the one required hour for endorsement, see EDTL:4189:0WKA, below)

Online classes continue in July and August:

• Differentiation at the Secondary Level (EDTL:4074:0WKA), July 8 – 28 (Dr. Kristine Milburn)
• Practicum (EDTL:4189:0WKA), July 13 – 31 (Dr. Laurie Croft, permission required; this section is typically for those earning their endorsement in gifted education seeking the one required practicum hour. For those wanting more than one-hour of credit, or for those who are full-time university students, see EDTL:4188:0EXW).
• Special Topics: Giftedness 101 (EDTL:4096:0WKC), July 15 – August 4 (Anna Payne)
• Special Topics:  The Gifted Brain: Neurodiversity and Gifted/Talented Learners (EDTL:4096:0WKE), July 22 – August 11 (Dr. Antonia [Toni] Szymanski & Dr. Laurie Croft, team teacher)
• Special Topics:  Personal Learning Plans (EDTL:4096:0WKB), August 3 – 21 (Lora Danker)

The Belin-Blank Chautauqua, named for the popular adult education movement in the early 20^th century, is back in July.  This summer, Chautauqua classes will also be online; each will include virtual class times via Zoom on the dates the class would have met at Blank Honors Center, that is, the first two days of each class.  Scholarships for Chautauqua participants will remain the same.  We wrote more about this year’s changes to accommodate an online-only Chautauqua in A 19th-Century Idea Meets 21st-Century Technology.

Want to Support a Student?

We know that times are hard for many students and their families right now. On this #GivingTuesdayNow, we are grateful that the Iowa way is to support each other.

If you are able and would like to help gifted and twice-exceptional students have their unique needs met, please consider donating at belinblank.org/donate. Your support creates life-changing experiences for the next generation of our most promising minds.

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IOAPA: Fall Registration Opening Soon

Registration for Fall 2020 Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) courses will open April 15^th!

In this time of stress and uncertainty, we are excited to continue to offer above-level courses to high-ability Iowa students at no cost. See our full course catalog for more information on the middle school and high school courses.

• Students in grades 9 – 12 have the opportunity to enroll in AP courses. These courses use a College Board-approved curriculum that aligns with the material covered in introductory-level college courses. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit for these courses by earning a qualifying score on the end-of-year AP Exam.

• Students in grades 6 – 8 have the opportunity to enroll in high school level courses. 

Middle School Requirements

We realize the new requirement of above-level testing for middle school courses will be difficult to complete at this time. Therefore, we are waiving this requirement for the 2020-2021 academic year. However, we still recommend above-level testing as the best method in identifying students for advanced coursework. This requirement will go into place for the 2021-2022 academic year.

For more information on how IOAPA is navigating the COVID-19 epidemic, please see this blogpost for information on 2020 AP exams, this blogpost on resources for APEX and Edhesive, and this blogpost for internet and educational resources. 

We are already thinking of how this situation may affect the fall semester, and we are working on being as flexible as possible. Be on the lookout for more blog posts and emails that will provide information on next steps. Our goal is to determine how we can best support our IOAPA community! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at ioapa@belinblank.org

Registration is scheduled to close August 14^th. The close of registration may be extended depending on school circumstances and course openings. Relevant information and policies can be found on our website. 

To stay up-to-date, follow our blog and our Twitter. 

IOAPA & COVID-19: Updated Information about AP Exams

In regards to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we hope you are all doing well. We recognize this is a stressful time for everyone. We have created a number of blog posts regarding IOAPA and COVID-19. This one provides updated and key information on how the College Board is navigating the 2020 AP exams. Another blog post provides resources for navigating your online courses through APEX and Edhesive.  This blog post provides internet access and educational/learning resources.

As a reminder, the College Board is providing free, remote learning resources and a new at-home testing option for this year’s AP Exams. Also, see Trevor Packer’s presentation regarding the 2020 AP Exam updates and for rationale behind the exam content. Please see below for more details. 

Exam Dates

The College Board surveyed many AP teachers and students, and a majority preferred to test earlier, while the content is still fresh.

• Exams will be given from May 11–22.
• Makeup test dates will be available for each subject from June 1–5.
• Students can take exams at home or in schools, if they reopen.
• Each subject’s exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide.
• View the full testing schedule.

We encourage you to remind your students about exam dates for their courses.

Exam Format

Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. Students will need to write and submit their responses within the allotted time for each question.

• Students will be able to take exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. They’ll be able to type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phones.
• For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, plus an additional 5 minutes for uploading. Students will need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up.
• Certain courses—Art and Design: 2D; Art and Design: 3D; Computer Science Principles; Drawing; Research; and Seminar—will use portfolio submissions and will not have a separate online exam. All deadlines for these submissions have been extended to May 26, 2020, 11:59 p.m. ET. Teachers and students may receive separate course-specific communications.
• Students taking world language and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions 3 and 4 on the current AP Exam. Written responses will not be required. The College Board will provide additional details in the coming weeks to help students prepare.

Tips for testing on specific devices will be available in late April.

Confronting the Digital Divide

The College Board recognizes that the digital divide could prevent some low-income and rural students from participating. Working with partners, the College Board is investing so these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your students need mobile tools or connectivity, you can contact the College Board directly to let them know by April 24.

Exam Scores and College Credit

As usual, students’ work will be scored by our network of college faculty and AP teachers, and will be reported on a 1–5 scale. The College Board anticipates releasing scores as close to the usual July timeframe as possible.

The College Board is confident that the vast majority of higher ed institutions will award college credit as they have in the past. The College Board has spoken with hundreds of institutions across the country that support our solution for this year’s AP Exams.

Special Benefit for Teachers

To help support teachers and schools that are struggling to collect and score student work for course grades, the College Board will provide every AP teacher with their students’ responses from the online exams by May 26. Administrators and teachers can individually determine whether they’d like to use these results locally as part of a course grade or as a final exam.

Exam Security

Like many college-level exams, this year’s AP Exams will be open book/open note. The exam format and questions are being designed specifically for an at-home administration, so points will not be earned from content that can be found in textbooks or online. However, students taking the exams may not consult with any other individuals during the testing period. The College Board will take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of each exam administration, as they do every year.

The College Board is confident that the vast majority of AP students will follow the rules for taking the exams. For the small number of students who may try to gain an unfair advantage, the College Board have a comprehensive and strict set of protocols in place to prevent and detect cheating. While some of these practices are confidential to maximize their effectiveness, students and education professionals can learn more about our security measures.

At a minimum, test takers should understand that those attempting to gain an unfair advantage will either be blocked from testing or their AP scores will be canceled, and their high school will be notified as will colleges or other organizations to which the student has already sent any College Board scores (including SAT® scores). And they may be prohibited from taking a future Advanced Placement® Exam as well as the SAT, SAT Subject Tests™, or CLEP® assessments.

Remote Instruction and Practice

On March 25, the College Board began offering free live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The courses have been viewed more than 3.2 million times since they became available. On-demand lessons are now available for Art and Design, AP Capstone™, and Computer Science Principles.

In addition to sharing information about these classes with students, teachers who are providing remote instruction can use AP Classroom for most subjects. The College Board has now unlocked secure free-response questions in AP Classroom so teachers can digitally assign relevant practice questions students can take at home. Additional tips for helping your students practice are available.

Professional Development Opportunities

The College Board will be providing webinars, videos, and other resources to help AP teachers and coordinators leading up to exam day. Coordinators can register for live training on April 10 to learn more about exams.

Additional Information

The College Board has added frequently asked questions to the site so you can find answers to important topics, including information for students with accommodations, details about exam fees and cancellations, credit and placement, calculator policies, and more. The College Board will continue to make updates on the site and share them with you through email, online educator communities, and social media.

Your support is critical to ensuring students have the opportunity to earn college credit and placement. Thank you for all you’re doing during this unprecedented time.

We are already thinking of how this situation may affect the fall semester, and we are working on being as flexible as possible. Be on the lookout for future blog posts and emails that will provide information on next steps. Our goal is to determine how we can best support our IOAPA community! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at ioapa@belinblank.org

IOAPA & COVID-19: Internet & Educational Resources

In regards to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we hope you are all doing well. We recognize this is a stressful time for everyone. We have created a few blog posts regarding IOAPA and COVID-19, and we will continue to provide updates and new resources. This blog post provides internet access and educational/learning resources. This blog post will provide resources for navigating your online courses through APEX and Edhesive. Another blog post will discuss how the College Board is navigating COVID-19 with AP exams.

Internet Resources

We acknowledge the digital divide could prevent some students from continuing with their online IOAPA courses. We want to provide you with a few resources to combat this barrier:

1. The College Board is attempting to navigate this situation for students enrolled in AP courses. Please fill out this survey for the College Board to provide mobile tools or connectivity.
2. The University of Iowa is providing free drive-up wireless service to allow students, faculty, and staff who need high-speed internet Review the Drive-up Wifi Locations page for additional on-campus and off-campus locations, maps, and instructions on connecting.
3. Many internet providers are announcing various packages to help those who don’t have internet or have slow internet at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Below is a partial list of what is offered. Please note: This list is rapidly changing. Please check with your the provider for the most recent updates and offers:

• FCC agreement stating providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
• AT&T COVID-19 response: Offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low-income families.
• CenturyLink COVID-19 response: Follows FCC agreement, will waive late fees due to financial circumstances associated with COVID-19, and will suspend data usage limits for consumer customers for 60 days.
• Charter Free Internet offer for 2 months.
• Comcast COVID-19 response: Offers free WiFi for 2 months to low-income families plus all Xfinity hot-spots are free to the public during this time.
• Mediacom COVID-19 response: Follows FCC agreement, offering complimentary access to all Mediacom Xtream Wi-Fi Hotspots for 60 days, and extending the pricing of Mediacom’s Access Internet 60 broadband service to new customers at $19.99 per month for the next 12 months. 
• Sprint COVID-19 response: Follows FCC agreement, provides unlimited data to existing customers, and, starting Tuesday, 3/17/2020, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge.
• T-Mobile COVID-19 response: Follows FCC agreement, plus unlimited data to existing customers, and, coming soon, will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge.
• Verizon COVID-19 response: Follows FCC agreement, plus giving all mobile customers 15GB of extra data from March 25th through April 30th.
• US Cellular: Follows FCC agreement.

Educational Resources

1. Amazon Future Engineer and Edhesive have collaborated to offer free access to additional Edhesive computer science courses or professional development through August 31, 2020. See this page for more information.
2. Check out this list of education companies that are offering free subscriptions due to school closings. It is frequently updated so make sure to bookmark it!

We are continuing to think of how this situation may affect the fall semester, and we are working on being as flexible as possible. Be on the lookout for a future blog posts and emails that will provide information on our next steps. Our goal is to determine how we can best support our IOAPA community! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at ioapa@belinblank.org

SSTP Acceptance Status FAQ

Acceptance emails for the 2020 Secondary Student Training Program go out on April 1! With this information comes lots of questions, so here are answers to some of the most frequent questions we get.

Q: I’m an alternate. Why was I selected as an alternate?

A: Congratulations! Being an alternate means, you have an impressive and competitive application. After selecting students, we search for research group placements that match based on declared research interests, previous research experiences, and high school coursework. When the pieces fall into place, we offer a placement in a research group for the summer. In many cases, we are unable to provide students with outstanding application materials a spot in a research group because we are unable to find a suitable lab placement.

Q: I’m an alternate. What number am I on the waitlist?

A: We work to match you with your indicated research interest. Because of this, ranking the names on the waitlist 1 – 100 is not possible. When a student declines their invitation to SSTP, we look for an alternate with similar research interests that is a good match for the open seat.

Q: I’m an alternate. I really want to come to SSTP, but I’ve been invited to join other programs. What should I do? 

A: This is a question only you can answer. We cannot guarantee that anyone on the waitlist will be offered a spot in the SSTP program.

Q: What about COVID-19 concerns?

A: The Belin-Blank Center is committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of all our staff, students, and families, and we continue to actively monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. We are following the University of Iowa’s guidance and the CDC’s recommendations, and we will continue to do so throughout the duration of the situation. Furthermore, we continue to rely on University of Iowa leadership for guidance regarding our summer programs.

We have been told that the university will make decisions later this semester about face-to-face programs that begin mid-June or later. As soon as we have that information, the Belin-Blank Center will provide email updates to our program participants and their families about whether their program will proceed as planned or has been canceled, rescheduled, or modified for a different format. If the University of Iowa requires that we cancel a program due to COVID-19, all enrolled participants will receive a full refund of any program fees that they have already paid.

Q: I’m accepted! What’s next?

A: Congratulations! We look forward to your participation in SSTP. Once we have the decision from the University, we will send additional information. There are no further steps you need to take at this time. Assuming the program is able to proceed as planned, you will receive an email with information regarding your faculty mentor match, the first payment deadline, and additional program details.

Congratulations to all of the 2020 SSTP applicants! You are an impressive group of students and should be proud of your many accomplishments.

IOAPA & COVID-19: AP Exams

In regards to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we hope you are all doing well. We recognize this is a stressful time for everyone and we want to check in on a few things. We have created a few blog posts regarding IOAPA and COVID-19. This one will provide information on how the College Board is navigating COVID-19 with AP exams. Another blog post will provide resources for navigating your online courses through APEX and Edhesive.  This blog post provides internet access and educational/learning resources.

The College Board is supporting AP students by offering free, optional remote learning and at-home AP testing. These resources are offered in order to allow students to still earn the college credit and placement that they have been working toward all year. 

• For the 2019-20 exam administration, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. The College Board development committees are currently creating these exam questions.
  • Students are able to take these exams on any device – computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option.
  • The College Board recognizes the digital divide for low-income and rural students. If students need mobile tools or connectivity, please reach out to the College Board.
• Each AP exam will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. This will account for the students who may have lost more instructional time than others. 
• Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject there will be two different testing dates. Specific test dates will be posted by April 3. 
• Colleges support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive the credit they’ve worked hard to earn. 
• Any student already registered for an exam can choose to cancel at no charge. 
• Beginning March 25, students and schools will have access to free, live AP review lessons,delivered by AP teachers from across the nation. 
• For more information, check with the College Board’s websiteand their AP updates for schools impacted by COVID-19. 

We are already thinking of how this situation may affect the fall semester, and we are working on being as flexible as possible. Be on the lookout for a future blog post and email that will provide information on our next steps. Our goal is to determine how we can best support our IOAPA community! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at ioapa@belinblank.org

IOAPA & COVID-19: Resources

In regards to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we hope you are all doing well. We recognize this is a stressful time for everyone and we want to check in on a few things. We have created a few blog posts regarding IOAPA and COVID-19. This one will provide resources for navigating your online courses through APEX and Edhesive. This blog post provides internet access and educational/learning resources. Another blog post will discuss how the College Board is navigating COVID-19 with AP exams.

APEX Resources

Apex has suggestions for proctoring exams, and Apex also offered a ‘course-pause’ option for students that lose access to courses. If your courses are set up to be proctored by a mentor, you can:

1. Have students take exams upon their return.  Per Apex’s standard policy, students will not be penalized for late work.
2. Work with parents to proctor students taking exams. Mentors can unlock tests remotely.  

You can also request a course-pause for your entire program, or just for students that may lack access. Apex will leave the courses ‘paused’ until you confirm they should be re-opened.  Please reach out to our student services team (alvs.support@apexlearning.com; 855-550-2457) to initiate this option.

Edhesive Resources

Edhesive has created a guide on how to continue courses with remote learning. This guide includes tips to support teachers, students, and parents. Edhesive is currently working with their partners at Amazon to support students who may lack equipment and internet access. Support and online teaching assistants will continue to be available to support students and teachers via online forums. 

We are already thinking of how this situation may affect the fall semester, and we are working on being as flexible as possible. Be on the lookout for a future blog post and email that will provide information on our next steps. Our goal is to determine how we can best support our IOAPA community! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at ioapa@belinblank.org

FAQs about the IOAPA + BESTS Partnership

The Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) and the Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS) are teamed up to provide identification and programming services to help Iowa teachers find talented students and develop their abilities. This partnership helps (1) students remain challenged and engaged after they master the classroom curriculum, and (2) assists teachers school districts in identifying students who are ready for additional challenge. Above-level testing and the implementation of advanced coursework can help with these issues.

This partnership has been around for many years. In this blogpost, we discuss and respond to the most frequently asked questions related to how IOAPA and BESTS work together.

What is above-level testing?

In short, above-level testing is giving a younger student a test that is developed for older students.

Is above-level testing a new concept?

No! It is extensively used at universities with centers for gifted education, but unfortunately it is often not used by schools. The idea of above-level testing was pioneered over one hundred years ago by Dr. Leta Hollingworth. This concept was fully developed by Dr. Julian Stanley in the 1970s when he devised the “Talent Search” in which 7^th and 8^th graders took the college admissions exam, the SAT. Currently, hundreds of thousands of students around the world take above-level tests each year as part of a university-based talent search (including the Belin-Blank Center)!

Why above-level testing?

Scores from grade level tests demonstrate that students have mastered grade-level material, but they don’t tell us how much additional challenge the students need.  If students do so well that they get everything (or almost everything) right, then we don’t really know what the extent of their talents might be.  Psychologists call this “hitting the ceiling” of the test.

In just one or two hours of testing, we are able to get important information about the student’s aptitudes, which allows us to make good recommendations about the types of educational challenges the student needs.

How can above-level testing be used?

1. Identifying a student for a gifted program
2. Determining what a student is ready to learn next
3. Deciding whether or not a student is ready for subject-matter acceleration
4. Deciding whether or not a student is ready to skip a grade

What is the cost of I-Excel?

The cost of I-Excel in Iowa is $45 per student if groups of 4 or more students are tested. The cost is $22 if student is eligible for free/reduced cost lunch. For students testing individually, the cost is $90 ($45 for those receiving free/reduced cost lunch). If students test on campus in June at the testing session (this year, June 11 2020), we sponsor $70 of the fee ($35 for those receiving free/reduced cost lunch).

I’m ready to set up I-Excel testing – Where do I start?

1. Find the students who are ready for additional challenge. Typically, students who have earned scores at or above the 90^th percentile on grade-level standardized tests, such as the Iowa Assessments, are strong candidates for above-level testing.
2. Notify the students identified in Step 1 and their families about the opportunity to participate in BESTS.
3. Contact assessment@belinblank.org as soon as possible to set up testing. I-Excel testing sessions for current 4^th-6^th graders are more flexible to schedule, but it’s still important to reach out soon to ensure that the process can be completed in time for your desired test date(s) and IOAPA fall registration. Please allow approximately 6 weeks from the time of registration to having the assessment results in hand. (Note: that if you have 7^th-9^th grade students in need of above-level testing, they will be taking the ACT, and there are specific deadlines for registration; visit belinblank.org/talent-search for specific information).
4. Inform students and parents about test results and the recommended course of action following testing.

How do I help students prepare for the I-Excel?

The best preparation for taking a standardized test such as I-Excel is to get a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast. This helps to set the student up for success.

Before taking I-Excel, we recommend that students try the sample items so they become comfortable with the format of the test. Beyond that, we do not recommend that students study for the test. The most useful scores result when students understand the format but do not study for the test.  Families receive a link to the sample test in their confirmation email. Registered students can use the email address associated with the registration to access the sample items, or contact assessment@belinblank.org to receive the link and a temporary access code.

If the test is not during a regular school day, make sure they know what time to arrive and where to meet.  They should bring:

• A simple calculator for use during the Mathematics test.
• A snack to eat during a break. We recommend something healthy, such as an apple.
• Two pencils.
• Scrap paper will be provided.

What is the outcome of I-Excel testing?

I-Excel test results will better equip teachers and students to make decisions about which students would benefit from advanced coursework, specifically through the Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA). Scores at or above the 50^th percentile on an above-level test are indicative of a need for additional challenge, such as that provided by IOAPA courses.

Content Area Scores for IOAPA Eligibility

Above-level assessments can provide individual domain scores specific to each content area measured, and an overall composite score reflecting performance across areas. IOAPA recommends using these content-area scores, rather than overall scores, to ensure the advanced learning opportunities are available to all talented students in their area(s) of strength. The table below details the relevant content area score(s) for each of our IOAPA middle school course.

We at the Belin-Blank Center are thrilled to be able to provide educators with specific information about your students via I-Excel, an above-level testing option for talented 4^th – 6^th graders. For more information about how this could work in your school, visit  www.belinblank.org/talent-search, or contact assessment@belinblank.org.

Students in 7th – 9th grade also have an opportunity for above-level testing by taking the ACT through the Belin-Blank Center. We encourage educators to let their students know about this unique opportunity.  For more information, visit www.belinblank.org/talent-search.

IOAPA: Funding for Spring Course AP Exams

The Belin-Blank Center is pleased to continue offering scholarships to pay for the cost of Advanced Placement exams for low-income students in rural schools who are currently participating in IOAPA courses.

We are now accepting applications for AP exam scholarships for students enrolled in one-term, spring semester courses! As a reminder, the deadline to order all one-term, spring semester AP exams in March 13, 2020.

IOAPA principals, site coordinators, and mentors can apply for this funding opportunity by February 21, 2020! For more information and for access to the application, click here.

The purpose of this funding is to increase the number of students taking AP exams from rural schools in Iowa. If schools are already paying for AP exams, they should not request this funding. Funding for this application is only available for students who are taking a one-term, spring semester IOAPA Advanced Placement (AP) course in the 2019-20 school year.

The per-exam cost for the 2019-20 school year is $64 for students eligible for free/reduced cost lunch. Schools should pay the $64 per student to the College Board. Schools should submit an invoice to the Belin-Blank Center after students have taken the AP exams along with documentation showing they have paid the College Board for these students’ exams. There will be no reimbursement if a student does not take the exam.

Awards will be announced by March 1, 2020.

As a reminder, the College Board’s new deadline to order one-term, spring semester AP exams is March 13, 2020.

Please email us at ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions!

Message from the Director: Homecoming

Fall often signals homecoming, which the Belin-Blank Center experienced in full swing this past month.  At our annual advisory board meeting, we welcomed “old” board members, some of whom have served on the advisory board since its inception in 1999, and “new” members, some of whom are alumni of our programs. Everyone on the board enjoys one or more connections to the Belin-Blank Center, and everyone truly loves coming home.

As with all homecomings, feelings are mixed.  Reminiscing about our co-founders and our legacy evokes nostalgia and pride for the work we do and the impact we have on students and educators.  There is also great excitement for new initiatives and updates.  One of the most significant updates concerns our website, designed to help you feel at home wherever you are!

The Belin-Blank Center is home for students who show a deep curiosity, a love of learning, or a particular talent in an area.

TAG professionals seeking their TAG endorsement have a home here, too.  

And we are your home for research about:

• acceleration for advanced learners;
• access & equity for bright students;
• new initiatives for twice-exceptionality.

Visit the new website to see for yourself and… welcome home!

Will We See You in Albuquerque?

Our staff is gearing up to head to the National Association for Gifted Children Annual Convention from November 7-10 in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

If you will be attending too, be sure to check out our presentations and stop by our booth in the exhibit hall to say hello! Here’s where you can find us:

We hope to see you there!

IOAPA: Continued Funding for AP Exams

The Belin-Blank Center is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships to pay for the cost of Advanced Placement exams for low-income students in rural schools who are currently participating in IOAPA courses.

IOAPA principals, site coordinators, and mentors: Make sure to apply for this funding opportunity by October 15! For more information and for access to the application, click here.

The purpose of this funding is to increase the number of students taking AP exams from rural schools in Iowa. If schools are already paying for AP exams, they should not request this funding. Funding is only available for students who are taking or have taken an IOAPA Advanced Placement (AP) course in the 2019-20 school year.

The per-exam cost for the 2019-20 school year is $64 for students eligible for free/reduced cost lunch. Schools should pay the $64 per student to the College Board. Schools should submit an invoice to the Belin-Blank Center after students have taken the AP exams along with documentation showing they have paid the College Board for these students’ exams. There will be no reimbursement if a student does not take the exam.

Awards will be announced by November 1, 2019.

As a reminder, the College Board’s new deadline to order AP exams is November 15, 2019.

Please email us at ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions!

2019: IOAPA + Edhesive

IOAPA has been providing computer science courses to students across Iowa since 2015! We are able to offer these opportunities because of our partnership with Edhesive, an online curriculum provider. Whether you are new to using Edhesive or have a few years of experience, it is always helpful to refresh with important tips and information, as well as changes within the online course provider! We hope this blog post serves as a resource for teachers mentoring for computer science IOAPA courses.

IOAPA Mentors’ Role:

Since Edhesive is not a credit-bearing institution, mentors will serve as the teacher of record at each school. Mentors and schools also decide how involved they want to be when offering Edhesive courses. However, mentors are responsible for the following six items:

1. Setting up your course: Follow this link to learn how you can divide your course into grading periods and change/update student names in your gradebook.
2. Helping students enroll: Follow this link to assist your students in enrollment, add/remove students, and adding a second course for a student.
3. Provide access codes to students: Follow this link to know where all the quiz and exam access codes can be found.
4. Monitor student performance and progress: Follow this link to learn how you can view the “Course Access Report” to see what course items your student has viewed, participated, along with when these were viewed or completed, and to view overall activity, assignment submissions, grades, and quiz and exam statistics!
5. Transfer students’ grades in Edhesive to your school’s transcript: Follow this link to learn how to download the grades from your online Edhesive gradebook to your computer as a CSV file.
6. Complete the AP Course Audit with the College Board: Follow this link to learn how to complete the AP Course Audit for AP Computer Science A and AP CS Principles. AP Computer Science Principles mentors must also create a Digital Portfolio with the College Board.

Supports & Resources

Edhesive has recently created new onboarding videos for Edhesive teachers! These serve to provide a short introduction to getting started on and using the Edhesive platform. There are 25 short videos, totaling only 30 minutes to show you everything you need to know about getting started with your Edhesive courses. Click here to access the Edhesive Onboarding Videos. For additional tutorials and guides, mentors can visit the Help Center or email support@edhesive.com.

The teachers listed in the course (Rebecca Dovi and Becky Stacey) do not interact with students. If students have questions, they should ask their IOAPA mentor or utilize the Student Forums for additional support with their coursework.

Similarly, if mentors need support you can connect to Edhesive teaching assistants (TAs) and other teachers through the Teacher Forums.

IOAPA Classes 2019-2020

We are just over a week into the fall semester! During this busy time of year, we don’t want you to forget about some important information related to your IOAPA courses. To keep you in the loop, here are a few upcoming items for IOAPA.

• If your students decide the class is not for them, not a problem! Just make sure to drop the course before September 13th to prevent the $350 drop fee. For more information about our drop policies, check out the IOAPA handbook on our website.
• Check your previous emails from ioapa@belinblank.org, as these emails contain important information and deadlines about the upcoming year. If you did not receive these emails, make sure to check your spam / junk folder.
• Don’t forget: New to Fall 2019, AP Coordinators need to order AP Exams by November 15, 2019! (Click here for instructions and check here for additional deadlines).

Helpful Tips to Start the Semester

Textbooks: Recommended textbooks for courses on APEX can be found by clicking “Learn more” on the relevant course(s) from the IOAPA course catalog. Edhesive courses do not require textbooks.

Online Support: APEX and Edhesive offer support guides and videos on their websites! Also, feel free to reach out to their customer service with technical questions.

Message from the Director: What We Do Matters

What we do matters…I had just typed those words as the title to this message when an email from a teacher-mom who has advocated extensively for her twice-exceptional student crossed my screen.  Of course, I switched screens and opened her email.  Her message concluded with these words, “I’m so very grateful that this middle school has seen that 2e kids are HERE and they MATTER.”

You might think that being a teacher would make it easier to advocate.  No.  Being a teacher in the district where your child attends school requires extra effort when advocating for your child’s academic needs.  When a child is twice-exceptional, or 2e (that is, have very high ability and have a learning, behavioral, or social-emotional disability), the effort required increases by magnitudes. This mom has assiduously navigated her professional and personal roles and responsibilities over the past several years to ensure that educators (a) understood the complexity of her child’s strengths and diagnoses and (b) that her child’s needs were being met. 

This teacher-mom effectively advocated for her child and blazed a trail for other 2e students.  What she did matters, and we know this because the school counselor called her to share that the educators and administrators at her child’s school recognized that traditional approaches for identification for gifted services are not enough for twice-exceptional students.  The final phrase, “2e kids are HERE and they MATTER”, captures the essence of the Belin-Blank Center’s tagline: Nurturing Potential/Inspiring Excellence.

Each day, my colleagues and I recognize the wisdom expressed through the psychological principle known as individual differences,. Basically, individuals vary across a variety of traits, including physical size, behaviors, emotions, cognitive ability, and achievement.  The licensed psychologists in our Assessment and Counseling Clinic experience this with every client.  Understanding the variation in twice-exceptional students from typically-developing students allows psychologists  to generate evidence-based recommendations that can be tailored to the student’s needs.  When recommendations are translated into advocacy by parents and action by teachers, it can change a child’s educational and overall life trajectory. Our work matters. 

Help us understand what matters to you – fill out our thirty-second survey.

During the weeks of summer programming for gifted students and professional development for educators of gifted students, this notion of doing something that matters is apparent each day – often multiple times a day.  Sometimes what matters emerges in a class discussion among educators.  Other times, we know that what we do matters when we a student in one of our programs expresses that they were able “to try things that I thought I could never do.”

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• 

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A new school year is upon us.  The Belin-Blank Center’s amazing faculty and administrative, clerical, and student staff are already busy planning for another summer that will matter to students and teachers and to us!  

You don’t have to wait until next summer…check out the Weekend Enrichment classes, professional development, above-level testing, or the twice-exceptional research project.  Opportunities like these have the potential to make a real difference in a child’s life.  As we start this school year, we applaud the educators and parents who pursue these opportunities on behalf of their gifted learners.  This work matters.

Changes to AP: Beginning Fall 2019

The College Board is implementing some changes and new resources for Advanced Placement (AP) courses! These changes and resources are to provide better support throughout the school year, and to give students the best opportunity to succeed on AP exams. For more information on these changes, click here.

Beginning August 1 2019, AP teachers and students will have access to a variety of new online classroom resources.

What’s new:

1. AP teachers and students will complete a short digital activation at the start of the year. Students and teachers will then have access to new online classroom resources!
2. Schools will need to order AP exams by new deadlines in October and November. The College Board hopes that once students commit to the exam, they will more readily invest themselves in their classes.
3. Classroom resources such as AP question banks, a performance dashboard, and unit guides will be available online.

What will stay the same:

1. Exams administration during the first two full weeks in May
2. Exam fee and exam fee reduction
3. Scores will be reported on usual timelines

Follow us on Twitter @belinblankIOAPA to stay updated on all Iowa Online AP Academy and AP news!

Social Share: Asynchronous Development and Friendship

In addition to sharing our own staff’s expertise on this blog, every month, we scour the internet for interesting and informative perspectives on giftedness and academic talent to share with our followers on social media.

This month, the post our audience viewed the most was a thoughtful piece by Dr. Gail Post, of Gifted Challenges, discussing how asynchronous development in gifted individuals can affect their relationships.

Dr. Post begins with an explanation of asynchronous development and examples of the ways in which it can manifest in daily life. She then offers suggestions for how to help your gifted child cope and thrive.

Gifted children, teens and adults thrive when they understand the social, emotional and cultural impact of their giftedness, when they feel understood and accepted, when surrounded by like-minded peers, and when they are not criticized for any delays in their social-developmental trajectory. As parents, we must help them navigate the path to adulthood, seek out activities where they can develop healthy social relationships, and encourage them to accept, work with, and appreciate their unique differences.

Dr. Gail Post

Check out the full post here: Where can I find a friend? How asynchronous development affects relationships

If you would like to speak to a licensed psychologist about asynchronous development in your own child, consider the Belin-Blank Center’s Assessment and Counseling Clinic. You can also read more about asynchronous development and other social and emotional issues on the National Association for Gifted Children‘s website.

And be sure to connect with us on our social media pages for more! You can find us @belinblank on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Come join the discussion!

IOAPA: Funding for AP Exams

The Belin-Blank Center is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships to pay for the cost of Advanced Placement exams for low-income students in rural schools who are currently participating in IOAPA courses.

IOAPA principals, site coordinators, and mentors: make sure to apply for this funding opportunity by February 15th! For more information and for access to the application, click here.

The purpose of this funding is to increase the number of students taking AP exams from rural schools in Iowa. If schools are already paying for AP exams, they should not request this funding. Funding is only available for students who are taking or have taken an IOAPA Advanced Placement (AP) course in the 2018-19 school year.

The per-exam cost for the 2018-19 school year is $53 for students eligible for free/reduced cost lunch. Schools should pay the $53 per student to the College Board. Schools should submit an invoice to the Belin-Blank Center after students have taken the AP exams along with documentation showing they have paid the College Board for these students’ exams. There will be no reimbursement if a student does not take the exam.

Awards will be announced by March 1, 2019.

Please email us at ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions!

Discovering Students Who Are Ready for IOAPA Courses

As you may know, the Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) and the Belin-Blank Exceptional Student Talent Search (BESTS) have teamed up to provide identification and programming services to help Iowa teachers find talented students and develop their abilities.

With the frigid cold and many snow days, it may be difficult to think about this fall. However, right NOW is a great time set up above level testing with I-Excel. Your students’ above-level testing scores are needed to inform eligibility for fall 2019 IOAPA courses.

 There are four basic steps for participation in BESTS:

1. Find the students who are ready for additional challenge; these are the students who will be recommended for participation in BESTS. Typically, students who have earned scores at or above the 90^th percentile on grade-level standardized tests, such as the Iowa Assessments, are strong candidates for above-level testing.

• Notify the students identified in Step 2 and their families about the opportunity to participate in BESTS.

• Contact assessment@belinblank.org as soon as possible to set up testing. Note that if you have 7^th-9^th grade students in need of above-level testing, they will be taking the ACT, and there are specific deadlines for registration; visit belinblank.org/talent-search for specific information. I-Excel testing sessions for current 4^th-6^th graders are more flexible to schedule, but it’s still important to reach out soon to ensure that the process can be completed in time for your desired test date(s).

• Inform students and parents about test results and the recommended course of action following testing.

Email assessment@belinblank.org or ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions.

IOAPA: Spring Dates & Deadlines!

We want to help you keep on track for 2019! Here are all of the important dates and deadlines related to IOAPA and AP courses for the spring semester.

• January 25, 2019: Last day to drop IOAPA courses without being assessed a $350 drop fee. (Note: Per the IOAPA drop policy, these fees are waived for students in middle school and computer science courses.)
• January 31, 2019: Deadline for submission of AP Course Audit materials for new courses (i.e., courses that have not been offered by your school prior to 2018-2019).
• February 22, 2019: Deadline for submitting testing accommodations requests for students with disabilities who plan to take AP Exams. See our post about the changes to this process that took effect in January 2017.
• March 13, 2019: Deadline for pre-administration materials for AP Computer Science Principles.
• March 29, 2019: Deadline to order 2019 AP Exams.
• April 30, 2019: Deadline for submitting Performance Tasks for AP Computer Science Principles students.
• May 10, 2019: IOAPA spring courses end.
• May 6-17, 2019: AP Exams are administered. A complete schedule of exam dates is available on the College Board website.

Ordering AP Exams

Students (generally with advice from teachers, parents, school counselors, or other school personnel) are responsible for deciding whether to take AP Exam(s) for the courses in which they enrolled. Schools are responsible for ordering those exams from the College Board for all students who indicate intent to complete exams. More information about specific procedures for ordering exams is available from the College Board.

Different states and schools handle exam fees differently. In general, for 2019 exams most students will pay the school $94 per exam. The College Board offers reduced-fee exams for students with financial need; these students generally pay the school $53 per exam. Further information can be found on the College Board website.

The Belin Blank Center is pleased to announce that we are offering a new funding opportunity to pay for the cost of AP exams for low-income students in rural schools.  Stay tuned for more information, coming soon!

Follow IOAPA on Twitter @belinblankIOAPA for reminders about deadlines, as well as other useful information to support mentors and students.

IOAPA for Middle School: It’s Time to Prepare for Above-Level Testing!

We are nearing the end of 2018! Although there are many fun and stressful end-of-year activities and holidays approaching, we encourage you to think about planning for 2019 Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) coursework. The best way to do so for middle school students is to start with above-level testing. Above-level tests can provide essential information for determining whether a student is ready for additional challenge. If you have students in your classroom who have mastered the curriculum, or you are unsure of how to keep some students challenged and engaged, you may want to consider above-level testing.

For instance, IOAPA is partnered with the Belin-Blank Exceptional Students Talent Search (BESTS), our above-level testing program. This partnership helps connect students with appropriate assessment and educational opportunities. Check out this blog post for instructions on getting started with above-level testing, or this one for recommendations on using scores to inform eligibility for advanced coursework.

As always, contact us at ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions!

See You at NAGC!

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) will hold its 65th annual convention on November 15-18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our staff will be available to discuss our programs and services, and answer any questions you may have, at Booth 610 in the Exhibit Hall. We will also be delivering several presentations, and we hope to see you there!

NAGC Convention presenters from the Belin-Blank Center include Dr. Susan Assouline, Professor in the Department of Psychological & Quantitative Foundations (P & Q), Myron and Jacqueline N. Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education, and Director of the Center; Dr. Laurie Croft, Clinical Professor of Gifted Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning (T & L) and Associate Director, Professional Development at the Center (and NAGC Board Member); Dr. Megan Foley-Nicpon, Professor in P & Q and Associate Director, Research (Past Chair, Research & Evaluation Network); Jan Warren, Assistant Director, Student Services at the Center (Chair, Arts Network); Dr. Alissa Doobay, Supervisor, Psychological Services; Dr. Joy Goines, Staff Psychologist, Assessment and Counseling Clinic; David Gould, Administrator, Bucksbaum Academy; Dr. Lori Ihrig, Supervisor, Curriculum and Instruction; Dr. Duhita Mahatmya, Administrator, Research Methodology; and Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik, Administrator, Acceleration Institute. In addition, other familiar names in gifted education from the University of Iowa, Dr. Clar Baldus, Clinical Professor in Teaching & Learning, Consultant for the Arts at the Center (Past Chair, Arts Network), Dr. Susannah Wood, Associate Professor in Counselor Education, and colleagues Dr. Carol Smith, Clinical Associate Professor, and Dr. David Duys, Associate Professor, will be presenting at the NAGC Convention.

 

Going Back to School Gifted

A new school year can be an exciting or nerve-wracking endeavor for any child. Gifted children often have extra sensitivities or overexcitabilities that can intensify these feelings. Parents of gifted children can also have some apprehension about how best to help their child have a positive and productive learning experience at school. To help ease the transition from summer to school, we have compiled some tips for parents sending their gifted kids back to the classroom.

Watch out for signs of any concerns about transitioning back to school, like perfectionism, bullying, or boredom. Help your child understand any particular issues they deal with and make a plan for dealing with these throughout this year. Involve the school or other professionals if needed.

Communicate with the teacher(s) early to discuss your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses. Politely let them know what has worked well in grades past (and what hasn’t). If you have any relevant results from testing, assessments, or doctors, consider sharing these with the teacher, so that they can differentiate (or, adjust their plan based on what each child needs) more effectively. If you are pursing an IEP or 504 plan, be sure to get organized and stay on top of those processes.

Don’t be afraid to advocate for what your child needs. Even more importantly, teach your child ways to advocate for their education, as well.

Check the deadlines for any science fairs, art competitions, scholarships, or other enrichment opportunities. It’s also never too early to be planning for out-of-school days, including spring break and, yes, next summer! Work with your child to make a list of camps, classes, or extracurricular activities they are interested in, and note the timelines for those applications processes, as well. Write these on your calendar, and have your child write them down in any calendars or planners they keep. (And be sure to check out our programs for talented students!)

Attend the school’s back-to-school or curriculum nights, and keep an eye out for any potential pain points (or solutions) for your child.

Meet the TAG teacher and offer to support their programming with your available expertise and/or resources. Are you in business? Offer to make a class visit to discuss entrepreneurship. Do you have an interesting hobby, like photography, bug collecting, or stand-up comedy? Offer to put on a workshop and let the students give it a try! Do you have contacts at a local college or major employer? See if you can arrange a behind-the-scenes tour. Do you have some available time? Ask if classroom volunteers or extracurricular sponsors are needed.

Supplement classroom learning with books that match the level at which your child is capable of reading, trips to museums, documentaries, extracurricular activities, and the like.

Reassess your student’s study space at home, and discuss time management skills. Make sure your child has everything they need to work in the way that is best for them. Evaluate whether the amount of study time that your family has built into its schedule is still appropriate.

For more, be sure to check out these other helpful posts:

• Back to school tips for gifted teens, middle schoolers, and their parents
• Back to School Resource Roundup
• Back to School Tips for Teachers and Parents of Gifted Kids

Above all else, keep in mind that no one parent can do all of the things in this post at all times, and that is okay! The most important things you can do are to listen to your children, support them, and make sure they know you are here for them.

What other tips do you have? Share with us here or on social media (Facebook, Twitter).

Here’s to a year of learning new things, exploring interests, and growing through challenge!

Countdown to Applications

Our five-and-a-half-week intensive summer research program is now accepting applicants!