Gifted & Talented

The District shall establish a process for identifying and serving gifted and talented students and shall establish a program for those students in each grade level.  The District may establish a shared services arrangement with other districts.  Education code 29.122

Definition

Gifted students are those who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience or environment.  These students exhibit high performance capacity in intellectual ability, creativity, leadership and/or a specific academic field.  Gifted students can be identified in any cultural group or within any economic stratum and require special instruction, services and/or activities not ordinarily provided by the general education program.

“Gifted and talented student” means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area, possesses an unusual capacity for leadership, or excels in a specific academic field.  Education Code 29.121

Identification

Students shall be identified as gifted and talented in accordance with a written policy that includes:

1. Provisions for ongoing screening and selection of students who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment in the areas defined in Education Code 29.121.
2. Assessment measures collected from multiple sources according to each area defined in the Texas State Plan for the education of Gifted/Talented Students. 
3. Data and procedures designed to ensure that students from all populations in the District have access to assessment and, if identified, to services provided for the     gifted/talented program.
4. Provisions for final selection of students to be made by a committee of at least     three local District educators who have received training in the nature and needs of gifted students.
5. Provisions regarding furloughs, reassessment, exiting of students from program     services, transfer students, and appeals of District decisions regarding program placement.

Learning Opportunities

The District shall provide an array of learning opportunities for gifted/talented students in kindergarten through grade 12 and shall inform parents of the opportunities.  Options shall include:

1. Instructional and organizational patterns that enable identified students to work together as a group, to work with other students, and to work independently.
2. A continuum of learning experiences that leads to the development of advanced-level products and performances.
3. In-school, and when possible, out-of-school options relevant to the student’s area of strength that are available during the school year.
4. Opportunities to accelerate in areas of strength.  19TAC89.3

Staff  Development

The District shall ensure that:

1. Teachers who provide instruction and services that are part of the program for gifted students have a minimum of 30 hours of staff development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students, assessing student needs, and curriculum and instruction for gifted students.
2. Teachers who provide instruction and services that are part of a program for gifted students receive a minimum of six hours annually of professional development in gifted education.
3. Administrators and counselors who have authority for program decisions have a minimum of six hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students and program options.  19TAC89.2
4. Professional development activities for G/T education are evaluated, and the results are used in making decisions regarding future staff development plans.
    

The TEKS-based program focuses on a differentiated curriculum based on interdisciplinary themes emphasizing the development of research skills, complex thinking skills (analysis, critical thinking, evaluation, logical thinking, and problem solving), affective skills and metacognitive skills especially the evaluation of self-progress.  Individual interest centers, product development as well as cooperative learning are emphasized.  The program addresses the strengths of students in the core academic areas.

Primary School
In grades K-2, students are served through regularly scheduled pullout programs with the appropriate GT resource teacher.  Research skills and independent projects allow students to investigate and learn in areas of strength.  Creativity, problem solving, decision making and critical/logical thinking are included in the process.

Opportunities for higher level thinking skills will be provided through the reading and math curriculum.  Teachers will provide different activities for students who show unusual capability and need something beyond the usual enrichment.  

Elementary School
In grades 3-5, gifted and talented students will be served through a pullout program.  This will include learning opportunities that emphasize all four core content areas of (1) English language arts, (2) math, (3) science, (4) social studies and UIL Competitions.

Middle School
In grades 6-8 gifted and talented students will be provided gifted and talented opportunities in their English, math, social studies, and science classes, through a differentiated curriculum as well as Math/Science Competitions and U.I.L. Competitions.

High School
In grades 9-12, gifted and talented students will be served through a variety of courses at the high school, including Advanced, AP, and Dual Credit courses in English, math, social studies, and science. GT students are also encouraged to compete in academic UIL competitions.

Learners identified as gifted and talented will not have to requalify for the program each year.
 

Testing

The GT assessment will be administered once per calendar school year.

Selection

The selection committee will be composed of the Campus Principal, Campus Counselor, and the Director of Instruction of the District. Kindergarten students who meet three out of four of the district criteria will be considered for the Gifted and Talented Program. First through twelfth grade students who meet three out of five of the district criteria will be considered for the Gifted and Talented Program. The committee makes the final decision based on the nature and characteristics of G/T students.

Notification

Parents and students shall be notified in writing of selection for the gifted and talented program.  Participation in the gifted and talented program is voluntary.  The district shall obtain written permission of the parent(s) before a student is placed in a gifted and talented program.

Transfer

Any incoming transfers who have been in a gifted and talented program will automatically be enrolled in the gifted and talented program at Atlanta ISD. Upon teacher observation reassessment may be necessary to retest to meet the criteria of AISD.

Exit Provisions

At any time the parent of a gifted and talented student, the gifted and talented teacher, or the campus principal may request a meeting for the purpose of reviewing a student's placement in the gifted and talented program.  Review requests are made through the campus principal.  For a student to exit the program, a meeting of the GT campus committee and the parent will be held to discuss the student's educational needs.  If the consensus of the group concludes that the gifted and talented program is not meeting the student's educational needs, the student will be exited from the program.

A student who is exited from the program for any reason, other than moving out of the district, may not re-enter during the same academic year.  The student must re-qualify and meet the criteria established by the identification/selection committee.

A parent may request that a student be withdrawn from the gifted and talented program at any time, and the child will be withdrawn. However, students and parents are encouraged to use the process previously stated.

Furloughs

The GT committee may place students who are unable to maintain satisfactory performance within the structure of the gifted and talented program on furlough.  The purpose of such a furlough is to provide the student an opportunity to attain performance goals established by the GT committee.  A furlough also may be granted at the request of the student and/or parent. Furloughs may be used for extenuating circumstances such as schedule conflicts or personal problems.

A student may be furloughed for a period of time deemed appropriate by the GT committee.  At the end of the furlough, the student’s progress shall be reassessed and the student may re-enter the gifted program, be removed from the program, or be placed on another furlough.

Appeals

Parents or students may appeal any final decision of the GT committee regarding selection for or removal from the gifted program. Appeals shall be made first to the GT committee.

Program Evaluation

The gifted program shall be evaluated periodically, and evaluation information shall be shared with Board members, administrators, teachers, counselors, students in the gifted and talented program and the community.

Community Awareness

The District shall ensure that information about the District’s gifted and talented program is available to parents and community members and that they have an opportunity to develop an understanding of and support for the program.

Other

Questions concerning the gifted program or mental ability scores should be referred to the counselor on each campus.  The Gifted and Talented Program Plan is available on the district website and hard copies are available on request. 
 

A formal referral process for the Gifted and Talented Program will be conducted in the Fall for grades 1-12 and in the Spring for Kindergarten students.  However, teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons may refer students at any time.  Middle School and High School students may refer themselves.  Referral forms may be obtained in the counselor’s office on each campus.

Students will be tested and selected for the program based on the criteria and tests on the “Atlanta ISD Identification Profile Sheet.”  All testing will be done in the student’s native language if needed. All decisions will be made by the GT committee and not on the recommendation of one person. 

Parental Consent

Written parental consent shall be obtained before any special testing or assessment is conducted as a part of the screening and identification process.

Evaluation

Evaluation can be used as a means of improving any process or procedure.  In the gifted and talented program, evaluation will be a continuous means of communication between the parent, the student, and the school.  This will be accomplished through the use of questionnaires and open communication between the school personnel and the parents of  gifted and talented students.  
 

Parent/Guardian Referral Form

Teacher Referral Form

Student Referral Form

Referral Form for Persons other than Parents or Teachers/Staff

Permission for Testing

Parent/Student Agreement Form

Furlough Form

Exit Procedure Form

Identification Profile Sheet – Grade K

Identification Profile Sheet – Grade 1

Identification Profile Sheet – Grades 2-12