1. Gifted Education (the basics)
Presented by:
Genny Jenkins
Gifted Coordinator and Instructor
Rowan County Schools

2. Welcome to RC KAGE
Are you a member of KAGE?
Parent Night

3. Tonight’s Topics
How are students identified as gifted in Rowan County?
An overview of giftedness
Resources for parents

4. Requirements for Identification in an academic area
Three pieces of evidence
One of these must be a score in the 9th stanine on a nationally normed test (96 – 99 percentile)
Other evidence:
Teacher recommendation
Other test scores
Student products
Parent recommendation

5. Requirements for Identification in an arts area
Three pieces of evidence
Teacher recommendation
Awards/honors
Additional evidence of giftedness through performance
Student products
Recommendation from arts specialists
Parent recommendation

6. Requirements for Identification in leadership
Three pieces of evidence
Teacher recommendation
Awards/honors
Completion of leadership portfolio
Recommendation from community member
Parent recommendation
KMMPI (survey scale)

7. Identification procedures
Teachers submit recommendations for testing.
Students are tested (usually in March or April)
Evidence is collected by Mrs. Jenkins
Evidence is inventoried on an identification process form (student ID number only)
Gifted committee reviews all evidence and makes a decision regarding the student
Parents are notified of initial identification and services

8. Scientists tell us that 90% of an iceberg’s Volume and Mass is underwater.
An Analogy

9. Success
IS TO
Effort
this AS
Is to
this

10. Often, gifted kids can achieve this in the classroom
What people see
Success
Persistence
Failure
Dedication
Sacrifice
Hard Work
Good Habits
Disappointment
What people don’t see
without any of this…

11. Food for Thought
If during the first five or six years of school, a child earns good grades and high praise without having to put forth much effort, what are all the things he doesn’t learn that most children learn by third grade?

12. Degree of Giftedness AP 40 55 70 85 100 115 130 145 160
standards, text books, instruction AP
Degree of giftedness – distance from the mean
Different lessons are needed for 40, 55, 70
Different lessons are needed for 130, 145, 160 40 55 70 85
100
115
130
145
160 12

13. TRUE OR FALSE?
Gifted students don’t need help; they’ll do fine on their own.
Teachers challenge all the students, so gifted kids will be fine in the regular classroom.
Gifted students make everyone else in the class smarter by providing a role model or a challenge.
All children are gifted.
Acceleration placement options are socially harmful for gifted students.
Gifted education programs are elitist.
That student can't be gifted, he is receiving poor grades.
Gifted students are happy, popular, and well adjusted in school.
This child can't be gifted, he has a disability.
FALSE

14. What does the law say? http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/704/003/285.htm
Personnel Issues…
How much does the federal government spend on gifted education?
The federal government does not provide funding directly to local school districts for programs and services for gifted and talented students.
Funding…

15. Resources: NAGC Resources for Parents KAGE Resources page Read books.
Build background knowledge.
Cultural understanding is important.
Encourage and praise effort.
Focus on the process and not so much the product.

16. Resources: Go to Rowan County Schools page www.rowan.kyschools.us
Click on any of the elementary school pages.
Click on Teacher Websites.
Find Genny Jenkins