Gifted & Talented

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    TEXAS STATE PLAN FOR G/T EDUCATION
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    killingsworthALLISON KILLINGSWORTH
Gifted/Talented Coordinator
Phone: 903-927-8700 ext. 1025
E-Mail: killingsworthad@marshallisd.com
     
Per the Texas Education Agency, A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:

• exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;

• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or

• excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

Marshall ISD defines gifted and talented as any child or youth in grades K-12 who performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, a remarkably high level of accomplishments when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:

• exhibits high performances capability in general intellectual ability or
• excels in one or more specific academic fields: math, science, language arts, and/or social studies

HOW ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS SERVED IN MARSHALL ISD?
Grades K-5: Gifted and Talented students are served through a pull-out model with a specific teacher for their grade level, generally during prime time. During their pull-out period students participate in the Texas Performance Standards Projects curriculum.

Grades 6-8: Gifted and Talented students are served through the Advanced cohort. Students receive a highly challenging instructional program through Advanced Core Classes such as Advanced Math, Advanced Language Arts, Advanced Science, and Advanced History. The Advanced Academic program is designed to meet the needs of gifted and talented students as well as other advanced learners with a strong emphasis on higher level thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. The curriculum for Advanced Academics is built on the core academic curriculum following the Texas Education Agency guidelines for each course, called the TEKS, or Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Students who complete Advanced course sequence in junior high will begin the College Board Pre-AP and Advanced Placement (AP) course sequence at the high school.

Grades 9-12: Gifted and Talented students are served in core subject areas of advanced, Pre-Advanced placement, and Advanced Placement classes. Advanced Placement courses are designed to meet the standards established by the College Board and allow students to test and receive college credit while in Marshall High School. Also, high school students have the option to enroll in dual-credit courses through Maverick University.

Gifted and Talented and Advanced Placement teachers are required to go through 30 hours of training specific to the needs and nature of gifted students.

WHAT ARE THE TEXAS PERFORMANCE STANDARD PROJECTS?
The Texas Performance Standards projects or TPSP provide a coherent package of standards, curriculum, and assessments for use in G/T programs. At each grade level, the TPSP provides guidelines for independent learning experiences and research projects that teachers can adapt and use with their G/T students. The projects, or “tasks,” are based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and focus on the foundation content areas of English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and social studies with interdisciplinary connections.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING GIFTED AND TALENTED IN MISD?
In Marshall ISD, nomination period is open district-wide in November through December for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. After nominations are received the school counselor sends home a parent survey and permission letter to begin the assessment process. In kindergarten, students are assessed in January and February and for grades 1-12 students are assessed in April and May. After assessments take place, a Gifted and Talented committee uses the student’s assessment profile to determine if a student demonstrates an educational need to be serviced through the gifted and talented program. Kindergarten students receive services beginning March 1 of the current school year, and students in 1-12 grade receive services beginning in August of the next school year.