GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION

 

 

Description of the program

 

a.     Purpose of the program

 

The purpose of the G/T program at Arp ISD is to provide gifted and talented students with an array of opportunities in Grades K-12 in the four core academic areas and in leadership and creativity.  The program meets the needs of those students who excel in ability to think, reason, judge, invent, or create to the degree that they need differentiated educational services.  The program allows students the opportunity to achieve their potential as a measure of self-fulfillment while making increased meaningful contributions to society.

 

Arp Independent School District demonstrates its commitment to excellence through the comprehensive programs for the gifted and talented students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.  Arp’s GOALS Program ( Guided Opportunities for Advanced Learning Skills) provides a variety of learning opportunities that balance enrichment and acceleration throughout the student’s elementary, junior high, and senior high school career. 

 

                  b.   Current-year funds $15,392

 

c.     When Implemented

 

The Arp GOALS program was implemented throughout the school district and has been in place for approximately thirteen years.  As TEA has provided changing guidelines, the GOALS program has adapted to meet those guidelines.  In the current program, elementary students, grades    K– 2 are served in a pull out Talent Pool Program.  Kindergarten students are served by March 1 of each year.  Grades 1 and 2 are served beginning the second week of school.  Grades 3 – 5 are identified as gifted and served with a pull out program beginning the second week of school.     Junior High and Senior High campuses begin classes with the first day of school.

 

d.     Number of students served

 

Arp’s current 2000-01 gifted and talented program and talent pool, GOALS, is serving 86 students.  There are 18 being served in the Talent Pool for grades 1 and 2 with Kindergarten Talent Pool students to be placed the second semester.  There are 12 third, fourth, and fifth students identified as gifted being served.  There are 19 Junior High students (grades 6-8) and 37 Senior High students (grades 9-12) being served in the gifted and talented program.

                      

e.     Student identification process

 

Nominations are accepted from classroom teachers, parents, school district personnel, and community members.  Parents are informed of their child’s nomination and submit permission for special testing.  Qualified school personnel as needed administer individual assessment measures.   A folder containing objective data, subjective data, and a matrix is completed for each student. The Identification Committee composed of the principal, counselor, classroom teacher, and teacher of the gifted meets to review the student matrix and folder. They select all qualified students for participation in the program.  Committee members have staff development on characteristics of g/t students and the identification of g/t students.  Written parental permission for participation in the program is obtained.  Each student selected for participation in the program completes a student agreement form.  Parents of students not selected for participation are allowed to appeal the decision.  G/T transfer students are accepted from other school districts with documentation from the sending district.

 

 

f.       When and how students are served

 

Elementary students are served with a pull out program with each grade level being served 150 minutes one afternoon a week.  Junior High students are served a minimum of 50 minutes daily.  Senior High students are served a minimum of 50 minutes.

 

g.     How the curriculum and instructional delivery methods are

       differentiated for the gifted and talented students

 

Content presented is related to broad-based issues, themes, or problems.  Multiple disciplines are integrated into areas of study.  Comprehensive, related and mutually reinforcing experiences are presented within the area of study.  Independent or self directed study skills are developed.  Productive, complex, abstract, and/or higher level thinking skills are developed.  Open-ended tasks are focused on.  Research skills and methods are developed.  Basic skills and higher level thinking skills are integrated into the curriculum. 

 

The development of products that challenge existing ideas and produce new ideas are encouraged.  The development of products that use new techniques, material, and forms are encouraged.  The development of self-understanding, i.e., recognizing and using one’s abilities, becoming self-directed, appreciating likeness and differences between oneself and others are encouraged.  Student outcomes are evaluated by using appropriate specific criteria through self-appraisal, criterion referenced, and/or standardized instruments.

 

 

h.     Curriculum alignment and array of learning opportunities leading to professional quality performances/products

 

All faculty including GT teachers are given staff development in differentiated instruction, project-based curriculum, and technology integration.  Teachers are able to take advantage of staff development from SEDL (Southwestern Education Development Laboratories through two TIE grants and also through the INTEL Teach to the Future with Micro Soft support staff development.  All GT faculty have 30 hours for GT certification and gain a minimum of 6 additional hours each year. 

 

Students are directed toward service-based projects using Internet publishing and global collaboration.  Quality and performance are integrated into the district’s curriculum K-12 as we utilize SCANS (Secretaries Competencies and Necessary Skills for Employment) and character education to teach students leadership, time and resource management and productivity.

 

 i.   Appropriate staff training

 

Arp Independent School District has a strong commitment to providing professional growth for its teachers and staff to improve student achievement.  On the elementary campus, Janet Shuttlesworth, the pull out teacher for the g/t program, Sherri Kain, Tammie Harris, and Carla McCauley  have 30 clock hours of staff development including nature and needs of the gifted, identification and assessment of the gifted, g/t methods, materials and curriculum, counseling and guidance of g/t learners, creativity: models, applications for the gifted.  On the Junior high campus Sheri Taylor, Dianne West, Sarah Hanson, Glenna Marshall, and Marty McDougal have these same 30 hours of  staff development. On the Senior High campus Donna Lowery, Joy Rousseau, Paul Froman, Patti Svoboda, Melissa Freeman, ---- Dunn,  Randy Copeland, ---Irwin, and Wendy Popescu have at least these 30 hours of staff development.  The administrators; Toney Lowery, Ron Sterling, Dwight Thomas, Rebecca Thompson each have at least 6 hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students and program options.

 

i.        Professional staff development beyond 30 clock hours

 

All GT teachers have attended many workshops sponsored by Region VII. Records from the service center substantiates this fact.  Most recently attended above the 30 required hours are: (4-98) Advanced Learners Assessing, (4-98) Code VII Student Seminar, (1-98) 4MAT Training, (9-98) Texas Reading Inventory, (11- 98 & 99) Code VII Imagination Fair, (10,11,12-98) G/T Curriculum Project, (1-99 & 2000) Reading is for Everyone, (1-99) TEXSTAR Training, (4-99) Student Seminar: King Rhythm, (6-99) Character Counts Training, (7-99) PC Troubleshooting, (6-2000) Breaking Mindsets with Destination Imagination, (7-2000) G/T Independent Study/Portfolio Products. 

 

k.     Coordination with other programs and funding sources

 

The GT program integrates its activities with core, technology, and fine arts programs.  The GT individualized projects utilize the subject matter from the regular classroom but allow students to engage in enriched and enhanced with research and provides time for individualized projects.  The GT teachers are team members on curriculum integration teams.  They participate in thematic units with the regular classroom teacher.  State technology allotment and local funding supply each of the GT classrooms with technology, Internet connectivity, printers, and digital cameras.   Arp ISD further provides opportunities for students to develop their talents through:

a.        U.I.L. Competitions

b.        Advanced Placement

c.        Distance Learning

d.        Dual Credit Courses and Articulated Courses

e.        Drama / One Act Play

f.         Jazz Band, Ensemble

g.       Who’s Who Among American High School Students

h.       Distinguished Academic Program

i.         National Honor Society

j.         Mentorships

k.       Athletic Awards

l.         Service Projects

 

l.        Information provided to parents

 

Information is sent periodically to parents of Arp I.S.D. GOALS students in the form of newsletters from the individual campuses and brochures about each  level of the program.  Newsletters from Region VII are copied and sent home.  A G/T parent meeting is held at the beginning of each year to explain the program to parents and to answer any questions a parent might have. A brochure about the program on each campus is sent home with each student yearly.  Information about the program is on the G/T web site.  G/T electronic portfolios are available on the G/T web site of the Arp home page for parents to view.  Notes are sent to parents with information needed concerning various field trips.

 

2.      What evaluations, in addition to TAAS, are conducted to measure impact of the program on student performance?

 

Teachers utilize project rubrics, parent & student surveys, peer reviews, and portfolios (electronic & hardcopy) for assessment of individualized mastery.

 

3.     Describe the effectiveness of the program as measured through evaluations and supporting data (results of evaluation).

 

Students last year created electronic portfolios that demonstrated mastery of content, technology, higher-order thinking, and exemplified creativity.   Surveys returned by parents indicate that parents are pleased with program elements, service to their children and the opportunities their children have for enrichment and depth.