Q: Will acceleration change (by subject/grade level)?
A:  Elementary age learners may have the opportunity for multi-age/content specific acceleration based on their needs.  The CISD Gifted/Talented Service model allows us to schedule time for intentional and targeted acceleration for learners who require that intervention in order to demonstrate a year’s worth of growth for a year’s worth of instruction.

Q: Is GT Curriculum Different?
A: GT Curriculum (for acceleration) is primarily be Understanding by Design (UbD) based if learners have a math/science aptitude or an orbital study if learners have a language arts/social studies aptitude.  Our GTi Specialists work with classroom educators over the course of the year to support the designing of learning experiences for gifted learners while they are in the regular classroom.

Q: Do Gifted Services look the same on every elementary campus?
A:  All elementary campuses provide gifted services to their learners within the same parameters.  For example: Gifted learners are clustered at every campus and GTi Specialists on each campus provide push-in and pull-out services based on the needs of those learners.  However, Gifted and Talented Services on each campus are customized to meet the unique needs of each campus’ GT population. This customization might include the types of clubs or enrichment activities offered by each campus GTi Specialist that address the interests of the majority of learners on that campus.  

Q: Doesn’t “intervention” have a negative stigma?
A: Webster’s dictionary defines the term intervention as a modification.  Our Gifted Services modify grade level curriculum, processes, or products to meet the needs of gifted learners so they might have appropriately challenging learning experiences.  Intervention is an appropriate word.

Q: If most universal screenings are conducted in October, will my child, who may be identified in that process, be moved to a GT cluster classroom?
A: Many classrooms on each grade level in the district have a GT cluster.  However, if a learner were to be identified who was in a classroom that was not a cluster classroom, all stakeholders (including the learner) would be involved in making the best service decision for that child.  S/he might be moved to a cluster classroom (contingent upon there being room in that classroom) or s/he might stay in his/her current classroom and be served by the GTi Specialist and classroom educator in a way that meets her/his needs.

Q:  Will learners identified GT in 5th grade be served in elementary school or middle school?
A:  Once we identify a GT learner, we serve them.

Q: Do GT learners have to re-qualify for GT services?
A:  Learners do not have to re-qualify for GT services, however, GT services may change for a learner based on an identified need and data.  The focus of our model is to customize and personalize the services of GT learners receive to the greatest degree possible.

Q:  What happens to underachieving GT learners?
A:  Underachieving learners are monitored closely, and appropriate interventions are designed to meet their specific needs.  Learners have the opportunity to have conversations about their data and give input into the content they study as part of the service design.