Granger Independent School District- Gifted and Talented Program
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Texas State Definition………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
Texas State Goal……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
Granger ISD Philosophy…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
Granger ISD GT Mission Statement……………………………………………………………………………………………3
Program Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
State Codes for Gifted and Talented Students……………………………………………………………………………4
Characteristics of Gifted and Talented Students…………………………………………………………………………4
Program Design………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
Program Options………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8
Curriculum and Instruction……………………………………………………………………………………………………….9
Professional Development……………………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Gifted and Talented Identification Procedures…………………………………………………………………………12
Nomination………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Assessment and Evaluation………………………………………………………………………………………………………13
Screening and Selection………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…14
Reassessment……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…16
Student Transfers…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...16
Appeals Procedure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Furlough/Exit Procedure………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18
Texas State Definition
“Gifted and talented” 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 (1) exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area; (2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or (3) excels in a specific academic field. (Senate Bill 1, Sec. 29.121)
Texas State Goal
Students who participate in services designed for gifted/talented students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. High school graduates who have participated in services for gifted/talented students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services. (Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, Texas Education Agency, September 2009, Austin, TX p.1)
Granger ISD Philosophy
We believe Gifted and Talented (GT) students possess the potential for self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by innovative products and performances reflecting individuality, creativity, and intellectual ability more advanced than the majority of students of the same age or grade.
Therefore, we will endeavor to provide services to develop and opportunities to demonstrate their potential.
Granger ISD GT Mission Statement
The Granger Independent School District GT program will meet the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of the identified student population through individualized instruction, enrichment, and extension. GISD will offer opportunities for students to explore and enrich their giftedness in core subjects, humanities, and fine arts. GISD will provide unique learning opportunities through depth and complexity that celebrate:
individuality
creative thinking
problem solving
critical thinking
self-discovery
Program Objectives
- Identify and serve the student population in a similar ethnic and economic distribution patterns as the general student population in the areas of:
- general intellectual ability
- creativity
- advanced academic achievement
- Provide exemplary units of study that both challenge and engage all identified students both intellectually and creatively.
- Train students in high order thinking skills, research skills, decision making, problem solving and reasoning.
- Address the social and emotional needs of identified students through locally developed affective curriculum.
- Encourage and model lifelong learning.
- Provide students with multiple opportunities to participate in learning experiences using advanced content (within the four core areas) which are defensibly differentiated in depth, complexity and range through the use of a variety of strategies. (Centers, Independent Study, Flexible Grouping, Tiered Assignments, Appropriate Questioning Strategies, etc.) Students will be able to work independently, with groups of other gifted students, with groups of non-gifted peers, with adults, and with the community.
State Codes for the Gifted and Talented Students
The Texas State Board of Education mandated that gifted and talented students in grades K-12 be identified and served by 1990-91. GrangerISD has complied with this mandate and will continue to do so by implementing plans to continuously improve the quality of services for our gifted students as stated in the Texas Education Code (TAC), Subchapter D., 121-29.121 to 29.123; Subchapter C., 42.156 and the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part II, Chapter 89, 89.1 to 89.5 TEC 29.121 provides a definition for gifted and talented students, for the establishment of a program, and for a state plan for gifted and talented students. The code reads:
§29.121. Definition
In the subchapter, “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:
(1) exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
(2)possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
(3)excels in a specific academic field.
Characteristics of Gifted and Talented Students
Gifted students arethosewho consistentlyexcel, or thosewho showthe potential to excel in one ormore areas. Sincewidevariation exists among the gifted,anylist of characteristics must be a verygeneral description of thegroup asawhole. A giftedindividual maypossess oneor moreof the followingtraits:
Acquires basicskills andknowledge rapidly
Perceives moreunusual relationships and displaysunusual sensitivityto expectations and feelingof others
Comprehends advanced ideas, concepts, formsgeneralizations, better at sensing discrepancies, and recognizesimplications
Displays independence and exhibits self-sufficiency
Formulates superior abstractions
Possesses akeenand unique sense of humor
Demonstrates intellectualcuriosity, demonstrates astronger needto know
Is moreinnovative and imaginative than theirpeers
Responds positivelyto beingchallenged byintellectual andcreativetasks
Reads widelyandintensivelywith anadvanced level of languagedevelopment
Eachgiftedindividual possesses variedand divergent characteristics, traits, andbehaviors. Individuals develop anddemonstrate theirgifts and talents at differentdevelopmental stages. This is particularlytruein the preschool, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and theprimary years throughgradetwo.
HighAchiever,GiftedLearner,CreativeThinker
AHighAchiever... / AGiftedLearner... / ACreativeThinker...Rememberstheanswers. / Posesunforeseenquestions. / Seesexceptions.
Isinterested. / Iscurious. / Wonders.
Isattentive. / Isselectivelymentallyengaged. / Daydreams;mayseemofftask.
Generatesadvancedideas. / Generatescomplex,abstractideas. / Overflowswithideas,manyofwhich willneverbe developed.
Workshard toachieve. / Knowswithoutworkinghard. / Playswithideasand concepts.
Answerthequestionsin detail. / Ponderswithdepthand multiple perspectives. / Injectsnewpossibilities.
Performsatthetopofthegroup. / Isbeyondthegroup. / Isin owngroup.
Respondswithinterestand opinions. / Exhibitsfeelingsand opinions from multipleperspectives. / Sharesbizarre,sometimesconflicting opinions.
Learnswithease. / Alreadyknows. / Questions:Whatif...
Needs6to8 repetitionstomaster. / Needs1to3 repetitionstomaster. / Questionstheneedformastery.
Comprehendsatahighlevel. / Comprehendsin-depth,complex ideas. / Overflowswithideas--manyofwhich willneverbe developed.
Enjoysthecompanyof agepeers. / Prefersthecompanyofintellectual peers. / Prefersthecompanyofcreativepeers butoftenworksalone.
Understandscomplex,abstracthumor. / Createscomplex,abstracthumor. / Relisheswild,off-the-wallhumor.
Graspsthemeaning. / Infersand connectsconcepts. / Make Makes mentalleaps:Aha!
Completesassignmentson time. / Initiatesprojectsand extensionsof assignments. / Initiatesmoreprojectsthatwilleverbe completed.
Isreceptive. / Isintense. / Isindependentand unconventional.
Isaccurateand complete. / Isoriginaland continually developing. / Isoriginaland continuallydeveloping.
Enjoysschooloften. / Enjoysself-directedlearning. / Enjoyscreating.
Absorbsinformation. / Manipulatesinformation. / Improvises.
Isatechnicianwith expertisein afield. / Isan expertwhoabstractsbeyond thefield. / Isan inventorand ideagenerator.
Memorizeswell. / Guessesand inferswell. / Createsand brainstormswell.
Ishighlyalertand observant. / Anticipatesand relatesobservations. / Isintuitive.
Ispleasedwithownlearning. / Isself-critical. / Isneverfinishedwithpossibilities.
GetsA's. / Maynotbe motivatedbygrades. / Maynotbe motivatedbygrades.
Kingore,B. (Spring2004).HighAchiever,GiftedLearner,CreativeLearner.
UnderstandingOurGifted.
ProgramDesign
GrangerIndependent School District offers avarietyof learning experiences andopportunities forGifted andTalented students in grades K-12. Instructional and organizational patterns will be flexible. Students haveopportunities to work togetherwith other G/Tstudents, to work together in diversegroups, and/or towork independently. Flexiblegroupingis essential.
Parents arenotified of options duringthe schoolyear that arerelevant to theneeds andareas of strength of thegifted andtalented students.
Program options are available K-12 (Seethe followingpages forProgram Options).
Students at themiddle schoolreceive servicesat everygradelevel dailyinlanguagearts, mathematics, science, socialstudies and through a Project Learn class. Studentsat thehigh schoolareservedin grades nine through twelve dailyin languagearts, mathematics, social studies, and science.
Program Options
Elementary Grades:
Texas Performance Standards Project
Reading A-Z Project Based Learning
Affective Curriculum
Specials: Art and Music
Differentiated Instruction Services in regular classroom
Middle School:
Texas Performance Standards Project
Project LearnClass
Academic/Enrichment Field Trip
Differentiated Instruction Services in regular classroom
High School:
Journalism
UIL Film
Lit/Mag Creative
Rocketry
Robotics
Dual Credit: English Composition I with American Literature, English Composition II with American Literature, English Composition I with British Literature, English Composition II with British Literature, Introduction to Speech Communication, US History I, US History II, Spanish I, Spanish II, American National Politics, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, College Algebra, College Pre-Cal, College Calculus
Independent Study
Differentiated Instruction Services in regular classroom
Curriculum and Instruction
Thestateplan for the education ofthegiftedand talented devotes onesection to the curriculum and instruction ofgiftedstudents.
GrangerIndependent School Districtdevelops campus and districtimprovement plans to improvethe services of theprogramand tobein compliancewith the expectations of thestate. Each campuses'one-yearimprovement plan allows students to beprovided an arrayof learning opportunities in the four coreareas within the regularand elective classesat theelementary, Project Learn class at the middle school, and dual credit and/or enrichment classesat thehighschool. Thecampus willofferavarietyof program services, or options, forthe deliveryof services tothe students identified on that campus. Opportunities to address students'individual learningstyles andintelligences willbe embedded in the curriculum and instructional process. Thedistrict andcampusimprovement plans will continue to bedeveloped to improvetheservices of theprogram.
Differentiation
A varietyof strategies are employed in order to differentiate the curriculumand instruction to meet theindividual needs of gifted and talented students. Because of thetraits, behaviors, and characteristics ofthesestudents, theylearn in different waysand at a different pacethan other students. Challengesareimperative forthesestudents. A differentiated curriculumcan provide those challenges that willaddress thegiftedstudents'learningstylesand pace. Combinations of thesestrategiesareutilized in grades K-12 in thedeliveryof thecurriculum.
QuestioningStrategies
Tiered Assignments
FlexibleSkills Grouping
LearningCenters
Interest Groups
Independent Study/Projects
Acceleration
Depth and complexitywithin the content the student studies or investigatesis most important. In lookingfordepth and complexitythe options would include:
Depth
longerperiod oftime to studycontent/concept
use of professional/advanced vocabularyor terms
use ofgeneralizations/broad-based themes
examination ofunanswered questions
exploration of an ethical issue orjudgment
examination of rules, principles, orlaws
Complexity
content/concept isstudied over time (past, present, future)
content/concept is approached from different ormultiple perspectives, view points, or roles
content/concept has interdisciplinaryconnections
non-examples of the content/concept areinvestigated within thethemeorgeneralization
Foryears, basic principles of differentiation havebeen recognized and arealargepart of the manylearningexperiences forgiftedstudents.Those principles include:
real world problems/issues
open-ended problems
use ofmore advanced/sophisticated resources
use ofan inquiryor inductive approach
student choices in learning
effortful andchallenginglessons
advanced thinkingskillsnot expected ofpeersat that time
Outsideof theschool day, students and their parentsarenotified ofanyareaopportunities that mightbeof interest or related to a student's areaofstrength.
Professional Development
TheGranger Independent School District is committed to providingits staffwith the appropriate and meaningful professional development that enables the staffto meet theunique and individual needs of allstudents includingservicesforgiftedand talentedstudents.
Becausegiftedchildren possess certain identifiable characteristics, behaviors, and traits, their learningexperiences must be an appropriate matchto their needs in terms ofthe deliveryof services andthe curriculum and instruction. Sincetheyreason at differentlevels from their peers, theyneed specialopportunities to develop their moresophisticated reasoning abilities. Theyreadilymakegeneralizations and thereforedelight in inductive lessons makingmeaning for the parts ofthe whole. Their unique abilityto establish diverse connections between two ormore seeminglyunrelated pieces of information requires a morecomplexand abstract curriculum that allows them to see relationships between thevarious content and topics theystudy. Because theylearneasilyand quickly, theirinstructionmustbepaced differentlyfrom theirpeers.
It is imperativethat all staff,whoare responsible for formallyservicingthesestudents, possess appropriate training foreducatingthegifted child. GISDwill requireat least theminimum hours oftraining asmandated bythe state:
All teachers providing formal services willbe trained appropriately withaminimum of thirtyhours trainingin giftededucation in thethreemajorareas: nature and needs, identification and assessment, and curriculumand instruction.
All instructional staffincluding aides will participate insixhours annuallyto update their training. We feel that this is important since such students are gifted in many ways and in classes other that core content areas.
All administrators and counselors who haveauthorityforprogram decisions will be trained appropriately with a minimum of sixhours of professional development that addresses the nature and needs of giftedand talented students and program options forgifted and talented students.
On-campus staff development also occurs with sessionsafter school;during teamingtimes; after school in the form of studyteams or mini-training sessions. Staff development experiences also occurthroughvertical andgradelevel team meetings. Teachers areencouragedto pursuelearningthrough studygroups and independent studies related togiftedand talentededucation.
Professional development in giftedand talented education is ongoingforstaffin thedistrict.Individual needs of each staffmember are taken into considerationas staffdevelopment plans aremade. New staff membersare givenan orientation to the program and theprofessionaldevelopment requirements. Thespecial programs office maintains staffdevelopment recordsfor teachers for trainings occurring in the district.
Gifted and Talented Identification and Procedures
Granger Independent School District has administrative approval of the identification procedures and process for the identification of students K-12 for the services of the Gifted and Talented Program. These procedures meet state requirements (§29.121 & TAC 89.1) and have been designed to ensure the identification of any student who qualifies for the services of the program under the established guidelines. The criteria for identification ensures the fair assessment of students with special needs, such as the culturally diverse, the economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
Theprocess following asimple threestepprocess:
Step One– Nomination,
Step Two – Assessment/Evaluation
Step Three– Screening and Selection
Nomination
Nominations may be made from multiple sources. Parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, and students are invited to nominate students they feel might benefit from the GT program. All nominated students will be screened to determine whether they meet administrative approved criteria for placement in the program.
The nomination process will be advertised annually with a letter of announcement sent home via each student communicating nomination procedures and timelines.
Parents will be notified when their child is nominated for the GT screening with a permission form requesting written permission for testing.
There is no limit to the number of times a student may be nominated and screened for the GT program.
Assessment andEvaluation
The Granger Independent School District GT program is available to all qualifying students. The assessment and evaluation of students for the GT program includes multiple measures of general intellectual ability. Qualitative and quantitative measures are used in the identification process. Quantitative data includes the results of nationally normed ability tests, teacher assessments, other available test data, such as standardized tests and baseline assessments. All identification instruments are selected according to program services, curriculum and instruction, validity, reliability, and appropriateness for the population for the district. Qualitative information includes teacher observation and student product. The campus GT coordinator and/or other appropriate professionals will conduct testing.
Screening will occur for nominated Kindergarten students in the early Spring semester of their kindergarten year.
Screening will occur for nominated students in grades 1-12 in the late spring semester.
A student may be assessed once in an academic year.
Some students who are not placed in the GT program after screening may remain in the screening pool at the direction of the screening committee to be re-assessed at subsequent screenings.
Screening and Selection
Unless a student is withdrawn from the screening pool, collection of data pertinent to the screening criteria will be collected and assembled for presentation to the placement/identification committee. The committee of at least three local professional educators trained in the nature and needs of gifted students from within the district will determine if the student meets criteria for identification and placement into the GT program.
The GT placement/identification committee will consider placement of nominated students based on administrative approved selection criteria. These criteria include both quantitative and qualitative measures which help to identify students capable of advanced thinking or performance when compared with age/grade peers. Generally, the committee will place students whose profiles indicate that they meet or exceed at least 3 of these multiple criteria. The committee may upon consideration of this data, call for more information on a given individual before reaching a final decision or may make additional placement of students not meeting criteria in three areas if, in their professional judgment, the nominee’s best interest is served by such placement.
Students are screened by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data such as the ability tests and achievement tests. A student profile is used to identify those students who perform at a remarkable high level of accomplishment relative to their age, peers, experience, or environment.
Assessment instruments may include, but are not limited to:
Ability testing with a nonverbal logical reasoning test
Achievement testing in reading and math
Behavioral checklists completed by teachers
Creativity testing
Student portfolio
Possible tests could include, but are not limited to Renaissance Early Literacy, Reading, or Math, Screening Assessment of Gifted Elementary Students (Sages- 2), Slocumb/Payne Teacher Perception Inventory, Renzulli Hartman Scale for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students, Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales (GATES) checklists, Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS).
The campus committee will consist of various participants such as: the campus principal, the campus GT coordinator, and at least one trained classroom teacher. Written parent or guardian permission is required to evaluate a student. Once the student qualifies, the campus will be notified and the student will be coded accordingly. The parents will receive through the mail a letter stating their child “does qualify” or “does not qualify”. This letter includes the Parent/Guardian Consent Form for students who qualify.