Pringle-Morse CISD
Gifted and Talented Program
Gifted and Talented Program
Mission Statement
The mission of the Gifted and Talented (G/T) Program of Pringle-Morse CISD is to provide a differentiated, enriched academic learning environment for students with advanced learning abilities, facilitated by trained teachers and mentors, that meet the unique social, emotional, and intellectual needs of gifted and talented students.
Texas Education Code: Educational Programs
§29.121. Definition.
In this subchapter, “gifted and talented students” 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:
(1) exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
(2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
(3) excels in a specific academic field
Identification
The District shall identify students from all segments of the population who are gifted/talented in grades K-12 by using multiple and specific criteria. These students shall be identified in the area of general intellectual ability. The criteria shall be appropriate for each of the areas of giftedness served and shall ensure the fair assessment of students with special needs, such as the culturally different, the economically disadvantaged, and the handicapped. General intellectual ability giftedness is seen in students who show behaviors in three general clusters of characteristics: above average intellectual ability, task commitment, and creativity. The G/T program seeks to serve students who “possess superior intelligence, with potential or demonstrated achievement in several fields of study and the ability to perform complex mental tasks”. .
Referrals may be made by a teacher, counselor, parent, students themselves, or other interested party.
Descriptions of Tests Used in G/T Identification Process
Achievement Testing: NWEA
Unlike paper-and-pencil tests, where all students are asked the same questions and spend a fixed amount of time taking the test, MAP Growth is a computer adaptive test—which means every student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions get harder. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier. By the end of the test, most students will answer about half the questions correctly, as is common on adaptive tests. The purpose of MAP Growth is to determine what the student knows and is ready to learn next.
The standard for GT consideration is performance in the 95th percentile.
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®)
The STAAR program includes annual assessments for
· Reading and mathematics, grades 3–8
· Science at grades 5 and 8
· Social studies at grade 8
· End-of-course assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I biology and U.S history.
The standard for GT consideration is Mastery level of performance in Reading and Math
K-BIT (125)
The KBIT Test (Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test) is a brief, individually administered measure of verbal (vocabulary subtest) and non verbal (Matrices subtest) intelligence.
The KBIT-2 test can be used in educational, clinical or research arenas. In 1990 the first KBIT test was introduced and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test 2 (KBIT-2 test) followed in 2004. There are three scores for the KBIT test for verbal, non-verbal and overall composite of the IQ.
The standard for GT consideration is 125.
NNAT3 (125)
The Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT3) is a nonverbal group-administered abilities test for grades K-12 used to estimate students’ reasoning and problem solving skills. Unlike assessment tests which measure what a student has already learned, abilities tests are designed to measure a student’s aptitude, focusing on analytic and problem solving skills rather than specific knowledge.
The standard for GT consideration is 125.
Bright Child or Gifted Learner…
There is a difference between the bright student and the gifted learner. The bright student is a pleasure to teach and is always eager to please. He/she will most often receive many honors for academic achievements during his/her public school experience. Gifted learners are distinct in their thinking. If your child exhibits the gifted learner characteristics listed on the chart below to such a degree that you feel he/she may benefit from a special program, you may consider nominating your child to be screened for the Pringle-Morse Gifted and Talented Education Program.
Timeline for GT Identification Process