Mission Statement:

The Ballard ELP program provides students with a supportive learning environment that consistently challenges students to meet their highest potential.

Program Goals:

The Ballard CSD ELP goals are derived in order to help us meet the mission of our program.

1. Utilize valid and systematic procedures for identifying gifted and talented students from the total population by using multiple selection criteria and data points.

2. Create and foster a learning environment intended to develop students’ personal, social, and communication competencies.

3. Provide targeted instruction with a variety of resources and experiences to continually develop student abilities and aptitudes in their talent areas.

4. Provide opportunities for students to develop and practice executive functioning skills.

5. Challenge identified students in the general education classroom by collaborating with classroom teachers.

How can I tell if my child is gifted?:

Gifted students are often difficult to identify, as they are a very diverse group. They come from all socio-economic groups. They are represented in all ethnic groups. They come from rural and urban areas. Some are good students and others are not. The only common denominator gifted students share is that they think and learn differently: they learn more rapidly than other students and think more deeply about what they learn. Gifted students learn beyond basic knowledge and understanding to synthesis, analysis and evaluation. Here are some of the specific characteristics you are likely to find in a gifted student:

• a precocious ability to think abstractly

• a need for constant mental stimulation

• an ability to learn and process information quickly

• a precocious ability to perceive patterns and form connections

• a prodigious ability within a particular area, such as math, music, etc.

Ballard Identification Process:

Students will be identified for ELP by scoring 97% (national percentile) or higher on at least 3 of their past 6 data points.

Data points may include:

• FAST aReading

• ISASPS

• CogAt Screener

• CogAt Post Screener

• Creativity, task completion, ability/potential

Classroom teacher and parent approval will be needed and the identified student will sign an expectation agreement.

Formal identification at the end of 3rd, 5th, and 8th, Students will be given CogAT assessments in these grades.

Helpful sites for parents:

• https://www.sengifted.org/

• https://oedb.org/ilibrarian/50-essential-links-for-the-parents-of-gifted-children/

• https://www.iowatag.org/

• https://www.exquisite-minds.com/