Gifted Program in District 54

District 54 provides services to students who are both academically talented and profoundly gifted. Educational opportunities are expanded through differentiated instruction and learning experiences. Screening, eligibility and placement are determined through the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test as well as through cognitive abilities standardized testing.

In order to ensure student success, identified elementary gifted and talented students are provided services that:

• engage students in learning opportunities that require beyond grade level academic rigor,

• provide opportunities to engage in rich complex text, and

• utilize increased depth of knowledge.

Elementary Services

Elementary resource gifted services provide enrichment activities that support the general education curriculum. Each elementary school has a full-time gifted teacher/enrichment coach. Each week, the teachers will meet with students identified for gifted services in small group sessions or in classrooms for enrichment activities that extend beyond the curriculum. They will also serve as enrichment coaches, collaborating with general education teachers on instructional strategies to support students in applying critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to provide depth and challenge to further learning.

Elementary Gifted Criteria

Elementary gifted services begin in grade three and continue through grade six. To qualify for elementary gifted services, students in grades two through five are first screened through the MAP test administered in September. Students must achieve a score of 95% or above on the reading and math portions of the test. Letters to parents who have children eligible for further testing are sent in November. For these eligible students, an online cognitive skills test is administered in January where students must score at the 90th percentile on one portion of the test (verbal or non-verbal) and the 95th percentile (verbal or non-verbal) on the other portion of the test. Parents are notified of the results by the middle of March. For qualified students, gifted services begin the following school year.

Elementary Acceleration Support

Students in kindergarten through second grade who are achieving high scores on the MAP test and performing at high levels academically in the classroom will have scheduled enrichment/acceleration opportunities throughout the week in literacy and math. High performing students in third grade through sixth grade may be flexed in and out of gifted instructional activities throughout the year depending on scheduling as well as the number of students identified for this additional acceleration. These opportunities may occur during the grade-level enrichment block, as a push-into the classroom during literacy or math, or in a small group.

Elementary Magnet Criteria

To qualify for the Magnet program, students in grades two through six must achieve a score of 98% or above on the reading and math portions of the MAP test taken in September and score at or above the 98th percentile on both the verbal and nonverbal portions of the online cognitive skills test. Students meeting these criteria will take a standardized intelligence test given individually by the school psychologist. Students must score in the top two percent nationally on all components to be eligible for this program. Student scores and eligibility are provided to parents by the end of April. For qualified students, the Magnet program will begin the following school year. Students who are tested for the Magnet program and do not meet the Magnet program criteria will receive gifted services through the building-based program. Students who test for the Magnet program and are not eligible based on their standardized intelligence test scores will not be tested the following year, but may be tested every other year. For example, if a second-grade student tested for the Magnet program and was found not eligible the next opportunity the student can test is in fourth grade. Magnet students in third through sixth grade who demonstrate profound giftedness through the district testing program attend Campanelli School.

Junior High Discovery Services Overview

Junior high services consist of enrichment in the core classes of language arts, social studies and science. This service at each base junior high, known as Discovery, is aligned to District 54 curriculum and Essential Outcomes and is taught at an advanced rate.

English Language Arts – Discovery classes utilize high school level complex text and require deep analysis of text as part of the coursework.

Science – Discovery classes utilize increased complex content text and require students to independently apply scientific inquiry and engineering problem solving.

Social Studies – Discovery classes utilize increased complex content text including primary and secondary source documents. Within this coursework, students will be studying United States history along with the global impact of historical events.

Discovery Criteria

Sixth-grade students are screened through the MAP test administered in September and must achieve a score of 95% or above on the reading portion of the test. All students currently receiving building-based gifted services are automatically eligible for testing into this program. Eligible students will then take an online cognitive skills test in January and must score in the top five percent in either the verbal or the nonverbal portion of the test to be eligible. Parents are notified of the results by the middle of March. Discovery is considered a two-year program at the junior high. No further testing for this program will occur after sixth grade.

Junior High Magnet Services Overview

Magnet classes are located at Mead Junior High. The Magnet program is considered a two-year program at the junior high. No further testing for these programs will occur after sixth grade.

English Language Arts – Magnet classes build off the elementary Magnet coursework and utilize high school level complex text that requires deep analysis of texts as a part of the coursework.

Science- Magnet classes build on the complexity from elementary Magnet coursework utilizing the high school level Next Generation Science Standards as the roadmap.

Social Studies – Magnet classes build upon the complexity of the elementary Magnet coursework utilizing high school level application of the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Studies.

Junior High Magnet Criteria

Students who are part of our Magnet program in sixth grade automatically continue in the junior high Magnet program.

To qualify for the Magnet program as a sixth grader, students must achieve a score of 98% or above on the reading and math portions of the MAP test taken in September and score at the 98^th percentile on both the verbal and nonverbal portions of the online cognitive skills test. Students meeting these criteria will take a standardized intelligence test given individually by the school psychologist. Students must score in the top two percent nationally on all components to be eligible for this program. Student scores and eligibility are provided to parents by the end of April. For qualified students, the Magnet program will begin the following school year. Students who are tested for the Magnet program and do not meet the Magnet program criteria will receive gifted services through the building-based Discovery program.