New Diana ISD

plan for the

Education of Gifted and Talented Students

Gifted/Talented Coordinator: Joyce Sloan

Phone: 903-663-8000, ext 206

State Goal for Gifted and Talented Education

Students who participate in services designed for gifted 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 experience, or environment. High school graduates who have participated in service for gifted students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services.

New Diana ISD Goals for Gifted and Talented Education

Students who participate in gifted and talented education at New Diana will demonstrate significant gain in their general knowledge, their ability to express themselves in written and oral form and their problem solving skills. These students will show evidence of improved self-image in relation to family, peers and scholastic achievement. These students will develop their skills in critical thinking through the application of higher level thought processes such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation as well as to think and learn with a deeper understanding of concepts, generalizations and principles.

Special Programs: Gifted and Talented Students:

EHBB (Legal)


	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 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/talented in accordance with a written policy that includes: 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. Assessment measures collected from multiple sources according to each area defined in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students. 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. 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. Provisions regarding furloughs, reassessment, exiting of students from program services, transfer students, and appeals of District decisions regarding program placement. 19 TAC 89.1
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: Instructional and organizational patterns that enable identified students to work together as a group, to work with other students, and to work independently. A continuum of learning experiences that leads to the development of advanced-level products and performances. In-school, and when possible, out-of-school options relevant to the student’s area of strength that are available during the school year. Opportunities to accelerate in areas of strength. 19 TAC 89.3

Special Programs: Gifted and Talented Students

EHBB (Local)

NOMINATION	Students may be nominated for the gifted and talented program at any time by teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons.
IDENTIFICATION CRITERIA	Criteria to identify gifted and talented students shall be established in the Board-approved program for the gifted and talented. The criteria shall be specific to the state definition of gifted and talented and shall ensure the fair assessment of students with special needs, such as the culturally different, the economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
PARENTAL CONSENT	Written parental consent shall be obtained before any special testing or individual assessment is conducted as part of the screening and identification process. All student information collected during the screening and identification process shall be an educational record, subject to the protections set out in policies at FL.
SELECTION	A selection committee shall evaluate each nominated student according to the established criteria and shall select those students for whom gifted program placement is the most appropriate educational setting. The committee shall be composed of at least three professional educators who have received training in the nature and needs of gifted students and shall be established at each campus.
ASSESSMENTS	Data collected through both objective and subjective assessments shall be measured against the criteria approved by the Board to determine individual eligibility for the program. Assessment tools may include but not be limited to the following: achievement tests, intelligence tests, behavioral checklists completed by teachers and parents, teacher nominations based on classroom observations, student/parent conferences, and student work products, if available.
NOTIFICATION	Parents and students shall be notified in writing upon selection of the student for the gifted program. Participation in any program or services provided for gifted students is voluntary. The District shall obtain written permission of the students and the parents before a student is placed in a gifted program.
REASSESSMENTS	The District shall not perform routine reassessments.
TRANSFER STUDENTS	When a student identified as gifted by a previous school district transfers into the District, the student’s records shall be reviewed by the selection committee to determine if placement in the District’s program for gifted and talented students is appropriate. The committee shall make its determination within 30 days upon receipt of previous gifted and talented records and shall base its decision on the transferred records, observation reports of District teachers who instruct the student, and student and parent conferences.
FURLOUGH	Students who are unable to maintain satisfactory performance within the structure of the gifted and talented program may be placed on furlough by the selection committee. The purpose of such a furlough is to provide the student an opportunity to attain performance goals established by the selection committee. A furlough also may be granted at the request of the student and/or parent. A student may be furloughed for a period of time deemed appropriate by the selection 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.
EXIT PROVISIONS	Student performance in the program shall be monitored. A student shall be removed from the program at any time the selection committee determines it is in the student’s best interest. If a student or parent requests removal from the program, the selection committee shall meet with the parent and student before honoring the request.
APPEALS	Parents or students may appeal any final decision of the selection committee regarding selection for or removal from the gifted program. Appeal shall be made first to the selection committee. Any subsequent appeals shall be made in accordance with FNG (LOCAL) beginning at Level Two.
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. The evaluation process shall ensure that those involved in the planning and implementation of the gifted program are also involved in the evaluation.
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.

Student Assessment

Students not yet identified are considered for nomination and screened once a year for services that are a part of the program for gifted students.

Nominations

Students may be nominated for the gifted and talented program at any time by teachers, counselors, parents, self, or other interested persons. Formal nominations will be held early in the spring semester each year as follows:

Students, parents and community members are made aware when the district is accepting nominations.
Anyone who wishes to nominate a student may pick up a nomination packet from the Principal’s Office on each campus.
Return nomination packets to the Principal’s Office on each campus.
Nominations for kindergarten students take place earlier so that services may begin by March 1.

Assessment

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

G-T staff will establish a folder for each nominee and enter data collected from multiple sources (at least 3). Assessment tools shall be both subjective and objective and may include but are not limited to the following:

Pupil Product
Achievement Tests
Intelligence Tests
Teacher Inventory
Parent Inventory
Student Interview
Creativity Test

Data gathered from these sources is entered onto a G-T Identification Matrix. Two matrices are used:

Matrix for K-3
Matrix for 4-12

Selection

A selection committee made up of teachers trained in the nature and needs of gifted learners shall evaluate each nominated student according to the established criteria and shall select those students for whom gifted program placement is the most appropriate educational setting.

Parents shall be notified in writing upon selection of the student for the gifted program. Participation is voluntary*. The District shall obtain written permission of the students and the parents before a student is placed in the gifted program.

Furlough

Participation in the program is voluntary, but students who are unable to maintain satisfactory performance within the structure of the program may be placed on furlough by the selection committee.

*A furlough request may also be made by the student and/or parent.

Exit Provisions

Student performance in the program shall be monitored and a student shall be removed from the program at any time the selection committee determines it is in the student’s best interest.

*An exit request may also be made by the student and/or parent.

Program Design

The District shall provide an array of learning opportunities that are commensurate with the abilities of gifted/talented students, and that emphasize the four (4) core academic areas.

Services are available during the school day as well as the entire school year.

Program options enable gifted/talented students to work together as a group, work with other students, and work independently during the day as well as the entire school year.

Whenever possible, the District shall provide out-of-school options relevant to the student’s area of strength.

Information concerning special opportunities (contests, academic recognition, summer camps, community programs, volunteer opportunities, etc.) is available and disseminated to parents and community members.

Specialists and advocates for gifted students are consulted in the development of program policies and options

Local board policies are developed that enable students to participate in dual/concurrent enrollment, correspondence courses, accelerated summers programs, and the Distinguished Achievement Program

Curriculum and Instruction

The District shall assure an array of appropriately challenging learning experiences for gifted/talented students in grades k-12 that emphasize content from the four (4) core academic areas and shall inform parents of the opportunities.

The District shall provide a continuum of learning experiences that leads to the development of advanced-level products and/or performances.

The District shall provide opportunities for students to accelerate in areas of student strengths.

Scheduling modifications are implemented in order to meet the needs of individual students.

Curriculum is modified based on annual evaluations.

The District shall notify parents of student progress/performance in the gifted program.

Professional Development

Prior to assignment in the program, teachers who provide instruction and services that are a part of the program for gifted students have a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours of staff development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students, assessing student needs, and curriculum and instruction for gifted students.

Teachers without required training who provide instruction and services that are part of the gifted/talented program must complete the thirty (30) hour training within one semester.

Teachers who provide instruction and services that are a part of the program for gifted students receive a minimum of six (6) hours annually of professional development in gifted education.

Administrators and counselors who have authority for program decisions have a minimum six (6) hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students and program options for gifted/talented students.

Evaluation of professional development activities for gifted/talented education is ongoing, and the results of the evaluation are used in making decisions regarding future development plans

Family-Community Involvement

The District shall develop written policies on student identification that are approved by the board of trustees and disseminated to parents.

The District shall provide an array of learning opportunities for gifted/talented students and shall inform the parents of these opportunities.

The District’s gifted/talented education plan is evaluated annually and parents are included in this process.

The District provides orientation and periodic updates for parents of students identified and served in options that are part of the gifted program.

Implementation

Elementary: K-5

Students in grades K-5 are served in the regular classroom by teachers trained in gifted and talented education. Curriculum and instruction meets the needs of gifted students by modifying the depth, complexity, and the pacing of the general school program.

Students in grades K-5 participate in a pull-out program 1.5 hours per week to supplement and provide additional enrichment for identified gifted and talented students.

Middle School: 6-8

Students in grades 6-8 are served in a self-contained, multi-grade level classroom for gifted students by a teacher trained in gifted and talented education.

In addition to the G-T classroom, students in grades 6-8 whose area of strength is in math may participate in an advanced math curriculum that is compacted to accelerate the students into Algebra I by 8^th grade.

High School: 9-12

Students in grades 9-12 are served in the regular classroom by teachers trained in gifted and talented education. Curriculum and instruction meets the needs of gifted students by modifying the depth, complexity, and the pacing of the general school program.

In addition to being served in the regular classroom, students in grades 9-12 may participate in advanced level courses such as Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement courses in their specific area of strength. (when available)

To supplement the regular classroom, students in grades 9-12 will be provided an opportunity to work together with other gifted and talented students during the school day on a regular basis.

Documentation/Program Evaluation

All teachers, counselors and administrators involved in the implementation, sustained delivery of services and the evaluation of the gifted program are trained gifted/talented education. Certificates from professional development are kept on file.

Evidence of curriculum differentiation is documented in weekly lesson plans.

Administrators/counselors monitor the development and delivery of curriculum for gifted/talented students.

Annual program evaluations include perceptual data from surveys to students, teachers, parents, and administrators participating in the gifted education program.

Factual data resulting from periodic assessment of student performance is also included in annual program evaluation.

Compliance Checklist

ü Hold district-wide nominations

ü Create a folder on each nominated student

ü Obtain written permission to do individual testing

ü Assess students using at least three criteria

ü Enter data on appropriate matrix

ü Selection committee meets to review data and determine which students meet the gifted criteria

ü Notify Parents and students of selection

ü Notify Parents and students of non-selection

ü Obtain written permission from parents to enter students into the program.

ü Enter GT code on student PEIMS information

Any questions, comments, or concerns that might arise from the dissemination of this program handbook should be addressed to:

Joyce Sloan

Gifted/Talented Coordinator

903-663-8000, ext 206