G/T Identification Parent Orientation January, 2015

Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative, and /or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools.

STATE GOAL FOR SERVICES FOR GIFTED STUDENTS Students who participate in services designed for gifted students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. High school graduates who have participated in services for gifted students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services.

G/T PROGRAM DESIGN QUEST (G/T students, grades K-1) are identified and served in addition to the Project THINK program. Project THINK serves approximately 20% of the Kindergarten and first grade students on each elementary campus other than Carver. QUEST serves the top 5% of Kindergarten and first grade throughout MISD.

G/T PROGRAM DESIGN G/T students, grades 2-6, are identified and served at Carver Center in a full time program differentiated from the regular school program. Classes explore content in greater depth and complexity while moving at an accelerated pace.

G/T PROGRAM DESIGN G/T students, grades 7-12, are identified and served in courses designed to differentiate the depth, complexity and pacing from the corresponding core content area Advanced Academics (PreAP/AP/Honors) courses as required in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students.

G/T PROGRAM DESIGN G/T students must qualify for placement through criteria approved by the District to ensure consistency of processes, to comply with state regulations and national standards for G/T students. Services begin on the first day of the fall semester except for Kindergarten services which begin no later than March 1.

G/T NOMINATION: Students may be nominated only once per year for any or all requested services by a parent/guardian, counselor, principal, teacher, other District professional staff, similar person from private, charter, or home school, or any other person who is aware of the student’s talents and who obtains the signature of the student and the student’s parent/guardian on the nomination form.

G/T NOMINATION: G/T applications serve as the nomination form and are available annually during the month of January. In addition to MISD, students who reside in Midland but attend private, charter or other schools, receive a courtesy invitation to apply. Otherwise, these students will not be screened until they enroll in MISD. Transfer students who do not reside in Midland in January may be nominated within two weeks of enrollment in MISD.

The student’s scores throughout the identification process shall present a continuum of evidence that the student’s complete performance can be reasonably expected to match the performances of students already identified beginning with the  Top 10% of grade performance ( grades 3-11)  Advanced level performance on state assessments (grades 3 – 11)  Advanced level performance on Planned Experiences (K)  Recommendation from the campus staff (grades 1-2)

G/T SELECTION CRITERIA: The District Selection Committees determine from the assessment profile that the applicant may be reasonably expected to match the performances of the students identified by the placement criteria: All grade levels:  90th Percentile: Applicable School Abilities Tests  90th Percentile: Applicable Achievement Test Scores  95 average in grades  Top 10% of grade level in performance on  Planned Experiences  Other evaluation documents

G/T SELECTION CRITERIA continued: Students must have a preponderance of scores (a majority of the grade level’s criteria) in the ranges listed in the bullets on the prior slide to be placed in a G/T service with the preponderances of all other scores in the “above average” range. Students in elementary services shall be identified based upon strengths across all content areas. Students shall be identified for each secondary content area service using the content area criteria established for the year of nomination.

EnglishMathScienceSocial Studies Abilities TestVerbalQuantitative Higher of Verbal/ Nonverbal Higher of Verbal/ Nonverbal Achievement Test Reading Gr 6-7: Algebra Aptitude Test, Gr 8-11: Math ScienceSocial Studies Prior Year Texas Assessment or Achievement if Texas assessment not available Gr 6: Reading Gr 7 – 11: Reading/ELA Math Gr 6: Reading Gr : Reading/ELA Prerequisite Grade Gr 6: Reading Grades 7-11: English Math Gr 6: Reading Grades 7-11: Science Gr 6: Reading Grades 7-11: Social Studies Secondary Applicable Assessment by Content Area

G/T SELECTION : G/T Services will present the data collected for each student to the respective district selection committee. G/T Services will include recommendations in the data presented to the selection committees; however, the final determination of placement rests with the committees.

G/T ASSESSMENTS: All G/T assessments will be administered by G/T staff. Assessment protocols of the test publishers will be followed to ensure that students’ scores can be compared and interpreted using the norms established during the standardization among chronological peers.

G/T ASSESSMENTS: Accommodations that are acceptable to test publishers may be used by students whose circumstances require such accommodations. Advanced Academic Services must be apprised of the requested accommodations with the application/ nomination form, and the accommodation will be used if doing so will not alter the norming of the test.

APPEALS A parent/guardian wishing to appeal a placement decision, the submission of an application after a stated deadline, an exit from a program service, or a furlough decision submits an original copy of the G/T Appeal Form to Advanced Academic Services Office Advanced Technology Center (ATC) 3200 W. Cuthbert, Room 149 no later than the stated deadline of fifteen (15) school business days from the date of notification of a decision or deadline. Generally, appeals shall be based upon procedural error as outlined on the G/T Appeal Form.

Who needs to turn in an application for G/T services? Any grade 1 – 11 student who is NOT currently enrolled in QUEST in grade 1, in Carver Center in grades 2 – 6, or in a Secondary G/T Services content area course should obtain applications from their MISD campus for the G/T services for which they wish to qualify. Applications are also available at Hillander, St Ann’s, Trinity, Midland Christian, and Midland Charter Academy. PLEASE NOTE: Grade K has completed screening for this year. Grade 6 students will be screened for all Secondary G/T Services.

PARENT/ STUDENT IMPORTANT DATES January 6-30:Applications on Campuses January 30:Deadline for Applications: ALL STUDENTS RESIDING IN MIDLAND COUNTY May 15:Target Date for Initial Notification

G/T Contacts Director of Advanced Academic Services Judy Bridges ( )