Gifted and Talent Development

ISD 196 Gifted and Talent Development

Program Overview

The Gifted and Talent Development (GTD) Program extends educational challenges for intellectually and academically gifted students.

Gifted and talented children are those students with outstanding abilities and capable of higher performance when compared to others of similar age, experience and environment. They have significantly different educational needs from their peers and require educational differentiation as a regular part of their school day to ensure they reach their full potential. District 196 uses multiple criteria to help identify gifted and talented children.

Identification Process

District 196 conducts universal screening at a district level to find students who are demonstrating outstanding abilities and are capable of higher performance when compared to others of similar age, experience and environment. We use multiple criteria for a strengths-based identification of gifted and talented students. We screen and identify students annually in grades 2 through 5.

Service Model Goals

1. Enrich, enhance, and extend core classroom curriculum and instruction within the literacy workshop and math workshop blocks. Staff utilize critical and creative thinking strategies, problem-solving and inquiry to help students become independent investigators. (NAGC standards 3.4)
2. Engage and empower learners across the full day
3. Equip PLC (professional learning community) teams and individual teachers
4. Empower collaboration among classroom teachers, GT specialists, coaches, parents, students, and community

Flexible and Fluid Tiered Service Model

• Tier 1, Core classroom - Core classroom teacher, grade level PLC team, and GT Specialist
• Tier 2, Guided groups - Core classroom teacher, grade level PLC team, and GT Specialist
• Tier 3, 1:1 - Focused on individualized need - Core classroom teacher, and GT Specialist

Students whose needs extend beyond the tiered service model may be referred for single subject and/or grade level acceleration.

We continue to identify and serve potential high ability students who may be overlooked by traditional methods for identification in gifted programming. The ultimate goal is for students to see themselves as ready to experience rigorous course work in the middle and high school levels, preparing them for college.