Descriptor Term: IDDD-1

NORTH PIKE SCHOOL DISTRICT GIFTED EDUCATION

POLICY

ISSUE DATE: 10/06/2006

REVISED DATE: 12/4/2014

The Mississippi Gifted Education Act of 1989, as amended in 1993, mandates that each public school district within the state provide gifted education programs for intellectually gifted students in grades 2-6.

The operation of the North Pike Gifted Program is governed by the document entitled Regulations for the Gifted Education Programs in Mississippi. An up-to-date copy of that document and all relative forms used by the gifted program shall be kept on file in the office of the gifted contact person.

Definition: “Intellectually Gifted Children” shall mean those children and youth who are found to have an exceptionally high degree of intelligence as documented through the identification process.

Mission: The mission of the North Pike Gifted Education Program is to maximize student potential through instructional modification that targets the special needs of intellectually gifted children and empower students with skills necessary to become lifelong learners.

Mass Screening: In the spring, a blanket screening with the OLSAT occurs in first grade. Students scoring in the 90th percentile or above will be placed in the referral process. All students scoring in the 80-89th percentile will be screened a second time with the NNAT.

Mass screening will not be the only means of referring first graders.

Referrals: A student may be referred by a parent, teacher, counselor, administrator, peer, self, or anyone else having reason to believe that the student might be intellectually gifted.

Screening:

Students must meet the minimum criteria on at least 3 of the following:

The group intelligence test will be administered first before deciding to go on to the other two subjective measures:

1. Norm Referenced Group Intelligence Test (90th percentile or above)

2. Norm Referenced Achievement Test (90th percentile or above)

3. Normed characteristics of giftedness checklist at or above 90th percentile

4. Normed measure of creativity at or above 90th percentile

5. Normed measure of leadership at or above 90th percentile

Minimum criteria must be met on at least 3 of the above measures PRIOR TO the administration of an individual IQ test (phase 2 of the identification process). If a student does not meet the referral criteria that are in accordance with MDE, he/she does not advance to the assessment level (IQ testing) and must wait for another referral or the next testing period to be referred.

Individual Intelligence Testing

A student must score 91st percentile or above in the composite area on an individual intelligence test to be eligible for services. The district Local Survey Committee will determine whether or not to recommend eligibility of a student, based on all data collected, and parents will be notified.

Identification: Students shall be identified as gifted/talented in accordance with the district gifted proposal which is in accordance with Mississippi Department of Gifted Education Guidelines. The district will assess a student no more than two times while attending the North Pike School District. A state certified psychometrist will administer the individual intelligence test. Upon testing, if a student does not meet the state criteria for placement in the GEP, there must be a waiting period of at least six months before a student can be reassessed with the same measure. Upon a request of assessment, old test scores will be reviewed and LSC will determine if reassessment is appropriate and choose the best instrument for reassessment.

Appeal Process: A parent or professional staff member who desires to appeal an identification/placement decision made by the LSC may do so in the following manner.

Level I Appeal: Submit an appeal letter to the campus principal and gifted contact person requesting that the identification decision be reconsidered.

  • Submit additional information that might be considered as part of the decision, such as: examples of student work, other test data and/or, any other information considered to be appropriate.
  • The LSC will review the decision and other information and respond to the person making the appeal within fifteen school days of receipt of the appeal letter.
  • If the committee decides that the services for gifted and talented students are the most appropriate educational consideration, placement in the program will be made at the most appropriate time to ensure student success in the gifted/talented program.

Level II Appeal:

If resolution is not reached at the campus level, second level appeals should be addressed to the superintendent in writing. The superintendent will appoint a committee to review the appeal and made a determination. The results of the committee’s review will then be sent by mail to the parent or guardian.

Goals/Objectives: The goals/objectives of the program are designed to:

  • cultivate self-direction and autonomy in students
  • enable students to integrate the following process skills into their lives: Thinking skills , creativity, group dynamics, research, communications, self directed learning, and affective skills
  • foster a learning environment that values and enhances the unique characteristics of the intellectually gifted.
  • provide a varied and flexible curriculum that is responsive to the needs, interests and abilities of the intellectually gifted learner.

Participation: Once identified, the student’s parents/guardian will be notified and provided with permission for placement form. However, placement of students in the gifted/talented will be made only after receiving permission to place from the parent or guardian. Once identified and placed, students may participate in the services for gifted and talented as long as they are enrolled in the district.

The student will remain in the program unless a written request by the parent/guardian is submitted to withdraw the student or to place the student on furlough.

Furlough: A parent/guardian may request a student furlough (cessation of participation in all gifted and talented services) due to personal issues. Furloughs are not intended for program removal of students who are performing below expectations. If a furlough is requested, a student must remain out of the program for the rest of the school year before reentering. If a student is furloughed from all services provided for gifted and talented students, he/she should not be counted on MISIS.

To obtain a student furlough, the parent must request a withdrawal form from the gifted contact person, which in turn is completed and submitted to the principal. The furlough is filed in the student’s assessment/placement file.

Furloughed students may reenter gifted and talented services the next school semester if parents sign a Statement of Placement.

The gifted contact person will maintain the assessment files as follows: Active and Furloughed

Transfer Students: Transfer students from other districts who have been identified and served in an intellectually gifted program will be reviewed by the LSC. Placement will be determined by the LSC.

Reassessment: The local survey committee will review students’ records of the gifted and talented program on a yearly basis in order to determine if the students need to continue placement for the next year. These reassessments will be kept in the office of the gifted contact person.

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