Gifted and Talented Information

FISD Gifted Program TEA states: A "Gifted and Talented student is 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. All school districts in Texas follow the same TEA guidelines, but each district is able to determine its own identification criteria, as well as the types of services provided. Frisco ISD identifies students based on their General Intellectual Abilities (GIA). We don t identify students based on specific subject aptitudes.

FISD Gifted Program The Elementary GT program is a pullout program that serves the needs of gifted students in Frisco ISD. The GT program allows our identified gifted students the opportunity to work together weekly with the campus GT teacher. K 45 minutes 1 st and 2 nd 1 hour 3 rd 1 ½ hours 4 th and 5 th 2 hours

FISD Gifted Program Frisco ISD s elementary GT curriculum is a skills-based curriculum. A variety of topics and thematic units are utilized to address learning objectives at each grade level. The objectives in each unit for each grade level are researchbased thinking skills which cover a number of aptitudes in five broad areas: critical thinking, creative thinking, metacognition, affective development, and research. The progression of these objectives is grade-level appropriate and spans Kindergarten through fifth grade. The structure and rigor of the curriculum for each grade level ensures that FISD provides a guaranteed and viable GT pullout curriculum across the district.

FISD Gifted Program Identified gifted students are grouped together (clustered) in a regular education classroom with a teacher who has completed the following GT training as well as yearly training updates: Nature and Needs of Gifted Learners Identification, Assessment and Service Design for Gifted Learners Differentiated Instruction for Gifted Learners Designing Curriculum for Gifted Learners Setting the Standards for Gifted Learners

Referral Process for the FISD Gifted Program Parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, or community members may refer a child for testing during the designated referral window. Students may only be referred for GT testing if they have not been screened by our department within the past 2 years, unless a district wide test was administered providing the GT department with new testing information.

Referral Process for the FISD Gifted Program 2 nd 4 th grade students may be referred for GT testing: January 11, 2013 January 25, 2013 1 st and 5 th grade students are administered a district wide CogAT. Parents will be contacted if their child meets GT Department criteria.

Referral Process for the FISD Gifted Program We encourage you to talk with your child s teacher if you are considering having your child go through the GT screening process. Your child s classroom teacher will be able to provide a great deal of insight about your child s behavioral and social skills at school. Discussions may include: The child s specific strengths The child s performance and engagement in class The child s social interactions

Referral Process for the FISD Gifted Program How to request a referral packet: Please contact the GT Teacher on your campus during the referral window dates to request a packet. The campus front office has contact information for the GT Teacher, or contact information can be found on the FISD website.

Referral Process for the FISD Gifted Program The referral packet includes: Referral Form Student information Person referring Reason(s) for referral Permission for testing Parent Inventory Assessment of your child s characteristics based on a Likert scale Anecdotal information about your child

Please be as detailed and specific as possible.

Testing Process for the FISD Gifted rogram Phase I Screening Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Verbal Quantitative Non-verbal Composite Standard Age Score

Testing Process for the FISD Gifted Program CogAT criteria: To meet criteria on the CogAT a student must score a 126 Standard Age Score (SAS) or higher on any 2 of the 4 CogAT sections: Verbal, Quantitative, Non- Verbal, or Composite. CogAT scores are reported on a scale of 50-160, with a score of 100 representing the national average. CogAT scores are normed to a student s date of birth.

Testing Process for the FISD Gifted Program Students who meet the initial CogAT criteria will continue with the second phase of testing and take the Iowa Assessments. This achievement test consists of the following sections: Vocabulary/Reading Language Arts/ Written Expression Math Composite

Testing Process for the FISD Gifted Program Iowa Assessments criteria: To meet criteria on the Iowa Assessments a student must score a 92 nd percentile or higher on any 2 of the 4 sections: Vocabulary/Reading, Language Arts/Written Expression, Math or Composite. Achievement scores are reported in national percentiles of 1 percentile - 99 th percentile, with a score of the 50 th percentile representing the national average. The Iowa Assessments are normed to time of year it is administered.

Testing Process for the FISD Gifted Program Additional Screening Information Products Kinder ONLY: Analytical Product (Completed in the classroom in October) K-5: Creativity Product (Completed by GT teacher on campus) Inventory Forms Parent Inventory (Completed by parents during Phase I) Educator Inventory (Completed by classroom teacher during Phase II)

Identification Process for the FISD Gifted Program All screening information is recorded on a student identification profile form. The District GT Screening Committee will review each student s identification profile form to determine whether or not the student meets the established district criteria. Parents will be notified by mail of the committee s placement recommendation.

Thank you for coming. Please feel free to contact your campus GT Teacher if you have any further questions.