INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT #221
EMMETT, IDAHO 83617
GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM PLAN
Definition of Giftedness
possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of high
performing capabilities in one or more of the following areas: intellectual,
creative, specific academic, leadership, or performing or visual arts and who
require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities. (Idaho Code 33-2001)
Intellectual-as evidenced by superior aptitude for
Understanding facts, concepts, generalizations and their relationships
Identifying patterns
Verbal and nonverbal reasoning
Spatial perceptions
Developing and evaluating ideas
Creativity-as evidenced by superior abilities in
Fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration
Divergent thinking skills
Problem solving strategies
Specific Academic-as evidenced by superior ability in mastering skills and concepts in one or more curriculum areas.
Leadership-as evidenced by a variety of outstanding characteristics, including
Responsibility
Rapid insight into cause/effect relationships
Interpersonal intuition
Ability to motivate performance of others
Visual and Performing Arts-as evidenced by a superior aptitude for
demonstrating, typically through exhibition or performance, aesthetic, critical,
historical and production aspects of dance, music, theater and/or the visual arts.
Program Goals
perform at a level commensurate with their identified capabilities. Through the
process of identification, specific areas will be targeted for instruction or training
that will develop each student’s individual gifts and/or talents.
District Goals:
Identification with multiple indicators, both formal and informal
Instructional strategies designed to accommodate diversity and to find and
develop strengths in all children
Differentiated instruction guided by the principles in the Idaho Best
Practices Manual
Increase in positive self-image in students as a result of their being
challenged to meet higher levels of accomplishment
Strong community relationships
Cultivation within the District educational staff of an understanding of the
nature and needs of gifted students in order to increase their ability to
effectively teach these students
Set high expectations and encourage higher performance
Student Goals:
Development of higher-level cognitive skills, including critical and
creative thinking, problem solving, and synthesis of concepts
Development of research skills
Creation of unique products that reflect complexity of thinking and/or
development of talent
Development of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills
Performance at a rate appropriate to interests and ability
Our services-
Following is a menu and a description of the Emmett Public Schools gifted service options. Since it is our mission to raise high-ability student achievement, it is critical that an appropriate match is made between child and the service.
Elementary Level:
Cluster Grouping
Service to Gifted and Talented students will include cluster grouping in the
regular classroom. The instruction and curriculum will be differentiated to fit the
student’s academic needs. Services will be provided through a collaborative
effort between the classroom teacher and the gifted education specialist.
Subject Acceleration
This option will allow the students to move more quickly through the progression
of skills and content mastery in one subject where great advancement or
proficiency has been observed. This option will be contingent on school board
policy.
Grade Skipping
This will cut a full year from the usual number of years typically required to
progress from kindergarten to high school graduation. This option will be
contingent on school board policy.
Curriculum Compacting
Streamlining the regular curriculum to “buy time” for enrichment, accelerated
content and independent study.
Enrichment Clusters
Children will be grouped for a specific period of time each day or week to work
with a trained specialist on differentiated curriculum.
Mini-workshops
These short term workshops will focus on specific areas such as creativity,
leadership, and the visual/performing arts. Students will engage in both individual
and group projects.
Mentorship
This option may be considered in unique areas of need.
Junior High Level:
Service to Gifted and Talented students includes an elective class with both group and individual projects included in the curriculum. Performing and visual arts identified students are encouraged to enroll in appropriate art, drama, and music classes. Leadership identified students are encouraged to participate in student government. Mentorships are also available.
High School Level:
Service to Gifted and Talented students includes an elective class in which students engage in individual independent study in areas in which the school does not offer courses appropriate to their level of development. This independent study may be in the form of correspondence courses, online courses, dual enrollment, or other appropriate means of learning. Other classes offered exclusively to the identified gifted students are History of the Arts and Philosophy and World Religions. Gifted students are advised to take Advanced Placement and Honors courses whenever such courses are offered. Leadership identified students are encouraged to participate in student government and clubs. Music, art, and drama courses are available, but students who have advanced beyond the levels of
the courses in their area of giftedness may enroll in the independent study course to further their development through individual projects. The facilitator counsels Gifted and Talented students in dealing with their own unique abilities and in understanding how to deal effectively with their peers and the community at large, as well as preparing for college admission.
Identification Procedures
Emmet School District Gifted Services utilizes the Teacher Assistance Team process for identifying and matching children to an appropriate gifted service. Below is a summary of this process:
1. Anyone may initiate the referral process by articulating a need to the gifted services teacher, classroom teacher or principal.
2. A meeting will be held with appropriate staff and parent(s) or guardian(s) in attendance. This team determines if services are needed.
3. The team assesses the child's needs and recommends matching the child to a gifted service option. The gifted service(s) may be applied in and/or out of the classroom setting.
4. The child's progress is reviewed each year to determine if the service is still an
appropriate match.
The gifted education staff will screen students for eligibility for Gifted/Talented
services with the following tools:
Pre-referral form which includes state-mandated test results, teachermade
tests, grade reports, Renzulli Scales, and portfolios (when
appropriate).
Testing or screening using, e.g., Sages II, Gates, Ross Creativity Test,
Screening instruments will use the16 standard deviation or the 95th
percentile as a cutoff score for consideration for further assessment for
identification for the Gifted/Talented program.
Final placement decisions will be made by a G/T Placement Committee and will
be based on multiple indicators, both formal and informal.
Formal intellectual measures, e.g., UNIT, Wechsler Series Intellectual
Tests, Stanford-Binet for L-M, Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Abilities,
WISC III, SIT-R. Qualifying criteria: 98th percentile.
Standardized academic measures, e.g., Woodcock Johnson Achievement
Test, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test. Qualifying criteria: 98th
percentile.
Measures of higher-level reasoning skills, e.g., portions of the Stanford-
Binet L-M, Woodcock Johnson Cognitive Abilities, Wechsler Tests.
Qualifying criteria: 98th percentile.
Pupil product evaluations and observations of independent learning,
higher-level communication skills, and more mature emotional and social
skills. Qualifying criteria: checklists or product scoring guide: 90th
percentile.
Biographical data, interviews, grades, cultural and economic influences,
disabilities. Qualifying criteria: team decision.
Leadership: Ranking by adults in positions to observe student’s abilities
and Renzulli Leadership Scale. Qualifying criteria: 95th percentile.
Creativity: Ranking by parents and other adults in positions to observe
student’s imaginative qualities and Renzulli Creativity Scale. Qualifying
criteria: 95th percentile.
Visual and Performing Arts: Ranking by parents and adults recognized as
highly skilled and accomplished in the same skill area. Qualifying criteria:
performance at 95th percentile.
Program Evaluation
Program evaluation will be accomplished by the following means:
Administrative evaluations and reports to the School Board
Annual surveys of parents and students
Begin a parent advisory program that is involved in evaluating the
program
Collection and analysis of data from G/T Students’ standardized tests
All collected data will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the practices and to drive improvements in the Gifted and Talented Program of the Emmett School District.
Administration
Overall administration is the responsibility of the Emmett School District Special Services Director. The Gifted Coordinator will work with the Special Services Director to facilitate all aspects of the program.
