Gifted Education in SouthEastern BOCES

 Definition of Gifted Student

SE BOCES follows the Colorado Exceptional Children’s Education Act (ECEA) definition of “gifted student” in order to maintain consistency in identification and to ensure that identified students receive the appropriate programming to best help them achieve their highest potential. The ECEA rules state "Gifted and talented children" means those persons between the ages of five and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Children under five who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services.

Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice-exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic, cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness:

·         General or specific intellectual ability.

·         Specific academic aptitude (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages).

·           Specific talent aptitude (Creative or productive thinking, Leadership, Dance, Music, Performing Arts (theater, speech and debate), Visual Arts, Psychomotor

(section 12.01(16) (a-e) ECEA Rules)

IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES

The Colorado Department of Education Identification Guidelines require the use of a Body of Evidence to collect both Quantitative Data (test scores and other numerical information) AND Qualitative Data (teacher observations, contests, competitions, etc) to establish whether a student needs gifted programming.  This collection of evidence requires careful analysis and lots of time!  We never want to overlook a student or just see a "snapshot" of a student's capabilities, so we are determined to be as inclusive and purposeful in our intent as possible.  While we begin to collect information as early as Preschool, most formal identifications are not made until 3rd grade or later.  If a student exhibits any of the qualifications for gifted identification, he or she is first placed in the Talent Pool/Talent Development program, in which they have many of the same opportunities as students who are formally identified as gifted.  For more information, please contact your school/district gifted education coordinator or Becky Roesch, SE BOCES Gifted Education Director.

Advanced Learning Plan (ALP)

Each student who is identified as gifted in one or more areas will receive gifted programming to meet his or her learning achievement needs.  This programming is recorded on an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) which records student identification information, learning goals, and steps to be taken to meet those goals.  Each ALP includes an achievement goal and an affective or social-emotional goal.  ALPs are required to be student-driven and standards-based, so that each plan reflects the student's interests and learning needs as well as addressing any affective needs or goals.  ALPs are developed collaboratively between the student, parent, and teacher, and facilitated by the school/district gifted education coordinator. Progress monitoring of these goals is an integral part of the ALP, and plans should be updated/revised at least annually.  Please contact your school/district gifted education coordinator or Becky Roesch, SE BOCES Gifted Education Director, for more information.