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The World of Gifted Education is filled with Acronym's GIEP, NORA, PLEP, GMDE, GMDT, ....
There are many sources of information. Check our Links (on the left navigation column) to get to Pennsylvania Sites and independant organizations. Here on this page NPAGE (yes, an acronym) will help you get started and try to apply some of these facts to how they appear in the North Penn System.
(We're just getting started so we will add to this page. Check back often.)
AP Advanced Placement
CBA Curriculum Based Assessment
CER Comprehensive Evaluation Report (pre-2001 Chapter 14)
FERPA Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
GIEP Gifted Individualized Education Program
GMDE Gifted Multidisciplinary Evaluation
GMDT Gifted Multidisciplinary Team
GWR Gifted Written Report
IDEA Individual with Disabilities Education Act
IEP Individualized Education Program
IQ Intelligence Quotient
LD Learning Disabled
MDE Multidisciplinary Evaluation
NORA Notice of Recommended Assignment
PDE Pennsylvania Department of Education
PLEP Present Level(s) of Educational Performance
SCAT - School and College Ability Test
STEP - Sequential Test of Educational Progress
PLEP
Essentially, a student's PLEP documents how they are performing now. The purpose of evaluating and documenting a student's present performance is to establish the appropriate grade level / curriculum content mastered for determining a baseline for future instruction to begin in a given subject and to measure progress from. PLEP is a section in GIEP's that is updated every year as a student progresses and is the basis for action by their GMDT.
Besides establishing levels of mastery, a student's rate of acquisition and retention are also critical factors in determining their program needs. This combination of data should point to whether acceleration, enrichment, or a combination of both would provide a student with meaningful educational benefit for their time spent in the classroom. While a student's time may preclude doing this for every subject, spending time on establishing PLEP's in those areas that a student especially enjoys and excels at is important to maintaining their passion and enthusiasm for learning.
[from PDE Gifted Guidelines 2004]
Present Levels of Educational Performance
A written statement of the student's Present Levels of Educational Performance must be included in a GIEP. (22 Pa. Code §16.32(e)(1))
Present levels may include ability and assessment test scores, group and individual achievement measures, grades, progress on goals, instructional levels, aptitudes, interests, specialized skills, products, and evidence of excellence in other than academic areas. Present levels should be updated annually. For a detailed explanation of Present Levels of Academic Performance, locate the GIEP Annotated and GIEP Model on Pennsylvania Department of Education website:
[from PDE Annotated GIEP Model]
I. PRESENT LEVELS OF EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE
§ 16.32. GIEP
(e) The GIEP of each gifted student shall be based on the GMDT's recommendations and shall contain the following:
(1) A statement of the student's present levels of educational performance.
On initial evaluation/identification or re-evaluation PLEP should include a summary of the information contained in sections I, II, and III of the GWR (Assessment of Academic Functioning, Learning Strengths, Educational Needs). Annual IEP development could be based on present education level data (gathered from formal and/or informal assessments/evaluations) such as:
1. Summary of performance in current educational program;
2. Instructional levels;
3. Specific aptitudes and abilities;
4. Rates of acquisition and retention;
5. Interests/Strengths/Needs;
6. Creativity assessment;
7. Problem solving and higher level thinking skills;
8. Social/emotional needs;
9. Learning styles;
10. Other
A few examples:
- The student has exceptional ability to acquire and retain knowledge and demonstrates exceptional memory in ____
- The student is a creative producer of knowledge and is a non-conformist in ways of thinking about____
- The student works independently and/or is self-directed in ___
- The student needs curriculum compacted in ___
- The student needs acceleration in ____
- The student needs to develop and apply advanced research experiences in ___
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