Nominations

1

Gifted/Talented Programs

• Nominations
• Testing
• Screening
• Opportunities for
• all grade levels

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giftedness
Gifted students demonstrate high intellectual
ability, creativity, and task
commitment.

• NISD is dedicated to meeting the needs and
  reinforcing the strengths and interests of gifted
  students.
• NISD recognizes some children possess
  extraordinary talents and abilities that need to
  be fostered, guided and developed in adjunct to
  the normal classroom setting

3
Who can nominatea student for GT?

• Talent Spotters can be
• Parent
• Teacher
• Another student
• Self
• Community member
• In addition, test scores from district wide
  administrations are checked to make sure that
  students who scored at advanced levels have been
  screened for the GT program (we flag high
  scorers)

4
To nominate your child for the Gifted Program

• Contact your childs
• Teacher
• Counselor
• GT Specialist on your campus
• Principal

5
Windows for Nominationsand Testing

• Students may be nominated for GT anytime during
  the school year
• There is a nomination
• deadline prior to each
• test taking session

Testing takes place at every school campus and
occurs in the fall spring semesters
6
GT Testing Center

• The district provides testing free of charge
• Your childs scores determine eligibility to
  enter the GT program
• Three tests are administered usually on two
  separate days
• The achievement test and CogAT tests are returned
  to the publishers for grading the Torrance test
  is evaluated by the GT testing center trained
  scorers

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GT Testing Center

• All tests are administered by a trained NISD
  staff member.
• Tests are available in other languages (i.e.
  Spanish, Mandarin, etc.)
• GT testing is confidential and will not be used
  for any other purpose.

8
Achievement Test

• NISD uses the Iowa Test of Educational
  Development (ITED)
• The test is called the ITBS at elementary level
• The Aprenda is the Spanish Achievement test for
  K-12 students

• Only math and reading are administered
• We use the higher of these two scores
• This test, along with the CogAT test, usually
  takes about 2 hours including directions and
  breaks
• Retesting can take place once every 12 months

9
Abilities Test

• Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

• CogAT consists of the following sections
• Quantitative
• Verbal
• Non-Verbal
• We use the two highest sub-scores
• For Spanish CogAT nonverbal, BVAT verbal is
  available but there is no quantitative section.
• Retesting can take place once every 24 months

Reading Writing
10
Torrance Test of Creative Thinking(TCCT)

• This test looks at the creativity of your child
• The test takes about 45 minutes
• Retesting can take place once every 12 months
• Example of test question make as many things as
  you can out of circles

11
Testing Information

• Your child cannot study for these tests.
• Make sure that they get a good nights sleep and
  eat a healthy breakfast that morning.
• Have them bring two No. 2 pencils to the testing
  room.
• Bring something to read in between tests.

• Fall and Spring testing is available for primary,
  intermediate and secondary students.
• January testing is available for Kindergarten
  students.

12
Assessment

• A GT specialist examines the scores while
  maintaining confidentiality
• The test scores are part of a matrix(profile) for
  identifying eligibility into the GT program

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Assessmentcontinued

• All of the tests are norm referenced and the
  percentile score yielded shows your childs
  performance in reference to their peers.
• At each campus there is a campus selection
  committee to review all the test scores and
  profiles of the students. This committee is made
  up of an administrator, a counselor and a GT
  teacher(s).
• Previous testing data can be used.

14
Behavioral Characteristics Scale

• It asks for your opinion on various
  characteristics about how your child
• learns
• is motivated
• shows leadership
• communicates
• demonstrates creativity

Both a parent and an educator or counselor need
to complete this form for the entry process
15
Entry Requirements

• Each campus has a unique cutoff score or minimum
  for consideration of entry into the program.
• Check with the GT specialist at your childs
  school.
• Students new to NISD with former GT status are
  screened as needed and placed within 30 days of
  entering the district.

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Notification of Results

• You will be notified of the results of the
  screening process in the mail.
• This process usually takes about six weeks.

17
Gifted Programs

• NISD administers pull-out programs in which
  gifted students of all ages and grade levels can
  interact with each other.
• Visit the NISD website for more information
• www.nisd.net/giftww/GTweb/

This information is provided by the NISD
Gifted/Talented Advisory Council.