GTI Services

GTI Services Information

Coppell ISD gifted and talented services are designed to provide appropriate educational experiences for those learners who perform at a remarkably high level of accomplishment or show the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to learners of similar age, experience, or environment. Our goals for learners who receive gifted and talented services in Coppell ISD will be for them to demonstrate advanced skills in the following areas:

self-directed learning

critical and creative thinking

research skills in one or more disciplines

communication

Ms. Deana Dynis, CISD Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, presented information on the GTI Services model to parents of newly identified learners. Her slides may be viewed at this link:

CISD GTI Services

General Information about CISD GT Screening Process

Please watch this video, then read below for more information.

Screening Process Information

Coppell ISD screens all learners in grades K, 1, 3, and 5 for their need for Gifted and Talented Services. At each grade level, the screening process consists of multiple data points, both quantitative and qualitative, that are compiled over the course of the fall semester. These data are then presented to the campus Gifted and Talented Committee for consideration and determination of services.

Things to keep in mind:

• Studying/practicing/preparing for CogAT or other tests INVALIDATES results. These measures are intended to show student ability on novel tasks.
• Being identified as being a GT learner is NOT the same thing as being in need of or receiving advanced academic work. There is certainly overlap, but there are many children who are high academic achievers who are not gifted and many gifted students who are not high academic achievers.
• Nearly all GT services are provided within the context of the regular classroom. These include extension and enrichment activities designed to help gifted learners take the state standards to a deeper, more complex level. GT learners are not served in separate classes at the elementary level.
• We strive to provide instruction to ALL learners at their levels of need, ability, and interest. Your children will be challenged regardless of whether or not they are identified as gifted. In their secondary years, advanced courses such as the AP and IB programs are available to all.

Transfer Student Information

If your child was receiving Gifted and Talented Services in their previous school district, your campus GT Specialist will review their records to see if they are in keeping with the state plan and the standards of our district. If so, your child will be placed on probationary status for one semester while being evaluated for our services. It is possible that either the test scores are too old or the previous district cannot provide adequate information to make a determination. In those cases, your child will be evaluated during the next regular screening period. If you have missed the screening period for the current school year, you can check the district website for information on signing up for screening. See http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/453 for more information.

Off-Level Screening Information

Learners who are new to Coppell ISD and are in 2nd or 4th grades, may be referred for off-level evaluation. See the district website at http://www.coppellisd.com/Page/453 for more information. Learners who were screened the previous school year in Coppell ISD will be re-evaluated, but are not eligible to take the CogAT or other standardized ability tests unless they have never taken it or their scores are more than 2 years old. Keep in mind that it is often better to wait the extra year until your child is back in a universal screening grade level (K, 1, 3, or 5) because this gives them the best chance of actually qualifying as they will be a bit older and more advanced. Furthermore, if, for example, they take CogAT in 4th grade, they will not be eligible to take it again in 5th grade, and these scores will be used to make middle school placement decisions.