Program for the Academically Talented (PAT)
Services for Highly Capable Students - Elementary School
For information contact the Doug Poage, Carnation Elementary Principal
poaged@riverview.wednet.edu | Phone: 844-4553
or Mary Jacobson, PAT Program
Assistant
jacobsonm@riverview.wednet.edu Phone: 844-4529.
Mission Statement
The primary focus for the Program for the Academically Talented (PAT) is to help highly academically talented students achieve at their optimal level in their identified talent area(s). Teachers are committed to providing challenging curriculum and to maintaining high expectations for the PAT students. Placing PAT students in classes with more rigorous course work helps teachers provide appropriate cognitive challenge.
Description of Services
The Elementary Program for the Academically Talented begins at second grade. This program uses an option based service model. Once accepted into the program children continue to be enrolled until the end of fifth grade unless there are concerns with the placement. The parent of a qualified child may yearly apply for the option that best meets his/her child's needs. The fol1owing options are included within this model:
Option 1 - PAT Full Day Class
PAT students attend a full day, every day class. This class is currently based at Carnation Elementary.
The full day class provides curriculum acceleration, opportunities to study concepts in greater depth and cognitive interaction for second through fifth grade PAT students. Critical thinking skills, the arts and technology are infused across the curriculum. Students are part of the Carnation Elementary community; they are included in assemblies, recesses, school projects, services by various specialists and grade level field trips. Students are selected for this class based on a PAT matrix ranking, with the highest students being selected. A second-third class and a fourth-fifth class are provided. Once selected for this class, students continue from year to year, unless parents and/or staff determine the class is no longer appropriate for the child. This is an accelerated and challenging class with a fun child-centered focus.
Transportation for Full Day Class
Transportation to the full day class at Carnation is provide either by the parent or by riding district provided transportation. The PAT bus routes are Route 40, Route 49, and Route 50 (part of Carnation Elementary's Bus Run)
Option 2 - PAT Cluster Classes
Within the cluster class option PAT students are clustered within one or two classrooms per grade level at each school site. The classroom teacher determines and provides daily curriculum and instruction within the PAT framework. The clustering of PAT students provides them with some cognitive peer interaction and allows the teacher to group them as appropriate. PAT cluster teachers receive a grant that they may use for training, materials, substitutes to allow them to spend more time with PAT students, and/or curriculum planning for their PAT students. Parents tend to choose this model so that their children can stay at their home school. This is a teacher driven program and each individual teacher determines the program within his/her class in accordance with the PAT framework. This can vary from year to year.
Option 3 - Regular Classes
Parents may enroll their PAT eligible child in a regular classroom following the normal school procedures. The regular classroom teacher provides the program of instruction within his/her normal classroom model and is responsible for meeting the needs of the children within the class. Although no direct PAT support is provided, PAT materials may be checked out of the school library.
Teacher Support Services
- Training opportunities are offered.
- Materials and alternative curriculum are available or can be ordered.
- Release time for planning or for gifted education conferences is available.
- Consultation services are available upon request.
Beyond Elementary School
Services for highly academically talented students are also provided at the middle school and the high school.
At the end of fifth grade every student in the district is considered for inclusion in accelerated math classes and for inclusion in the Tolt Honors/Advanced Placement Options within the regular Language Arts classes. The testing is done through the standard district tests in fourth and fifth grade. Students are not automatically continued in PAT from the elementary, they must re-qualify. Any student may chose to attempt the Tolt Language Arts Honors options whether or not they qualify for PAT. Tolt also offers an eighth grade Honors Language Arts class and advance placement in math.
At the high school level students may take honors classes and/or receive college credit for their work through advanced placement courses at Cedarcrest and/or Running Start classes at a community college.
How are students identified for PAT?
Parents, teachers and community members refer students for the RSD Elementary PAT Program, using the PAT Referral Packet. The following criteria are used to determine whether or not a student qualifies for PAT placement:
§ Scores from an intelligence or cognitive abilities test (at least one cognitive score at the 90%ile or higher) and
§ Scores from a standardized achievement test (at lease one achievement area score at the 96%ile or higher)
§ Information from a Parent Questionnaire
§ Information from a Teacher Questionnaire
§ Team recommendation from PAT Selection Committee
The assessment tools help to determine whether or not the grade level curriculum can adequately challenge the students. Students whose scores are in the exceptional range in either Reading Comprehension or Math are considered for placement in PAT program options designed to provide a more rigorous level of challenge in the student's specific area of expertise.
The Identification Process
The identification process begins with referrals in late November and December each year. The first round of achievement testing (CAT) takes place in January and the second round of cognitive testing (coGAT), by invitation only for those who qualified (at the 90%ile or higher on at least one area of the CAT), in early February. PAT Placement Teams will then meet in February/March and make recommendations/selections for the program. Parents are then notified in March and those qualifying are invited to a classroom visit in April for the Full Day Program. Acceptance letters must be received in the PAT office by mid-May.
Students are selected for placement for the following year. The referral process and test dates are publicized in the local papers and school newsletters. Parents are notified of placement decisions results typically by the end of March of each year.
PAT Timeline
November 12, 2009
Required PAT Parent Information Night, PAT Elementary Referral Forms available at this meeting.
Place: Carnation Elementary LRC Time: 5:30 pm
November 13 – December 14, 2009
PAT Elementary Referral Forms available from school secretaries.
November 20 – 25 Parent Teacher Conferences
Give the Teacher Input Form to your student’s current teacher. When completed, the teacher will return it to the PAT office. The teacher’s deadline is December 15, 2008.
December 14, 2009 deadline for receipt of applications.
Applications may be FAXED or mailed to the PAT Office at Carnation Elementary. You will receive a reminder flyer of the testing date and time.
January 9, 2010
CAT Tests at Carnation Elementary School 9:00 – 12:00.
January 28, 2010
Letters will be sent out informing you whether or not your child scored in the 90%ile or above and will advance to the CogAT tests or not on Feb.7th .
February 6, 2010
CogAT test at Carn. Elem. School 9:00 – 12:00 only to applicants who have qualified on the CAT test.
End of March, 2010
Parents will have received a letter with CAT and CogAT scores. This letter will let you know if your child has qualified for the PAT Program or not and what their classroom type will be.
April, 2010
PAT Full Day Classroom visitation for qualifying students. Invitations will be mailed.
May 17, 2010
Signed acceptance of your child’s placement must be received in the PAT office to ensure your child’s placement in the PAT classroom type offered.
- If your child is ill and unable to attend a
testing session please contact Mary Jacobson at 425-844-4529 to
schedule testing. No outside or private testing accepted.
- Note: Placement consideration is based upon:
(1) Space availability in the program
(2) Receipt of the completed Parent Application by December 14, 2009
(3) Receipt of the completed Teacher Input Form by December 14, 2009
(4) CAT and CogAT qualifying scores, as indicated in the cover letter of the application packet.
Why We Test
PAT testing is used to identify students, who have an accelerated learning rate or complex thinking style, so we can maximize their learning experiences by providing appropriate challenge.
Highly capable students need to be able to:
§ move through the curriculum at a faster pace
§ apply research and project development skills
§ interact with their cognitive peers daily
§ explore issues, themes, and ideas that connect various subjects
Application Packet and Information – 2009-2010
- PAT Application Parent Letter
-
Elementary PAT Program Application Checklist
- Application Packet - Parent - Part 1 (Word Document)
- Application Packet - Parent Input - Part 2 (Word Document)
- Application Packet - Teacher Input - Part 3 (Word Document)