This document outlines the gifted and talented program for Harmony Public Schools. It discusses the definition of gifted students, the focus areas and services provided, the identification and selection process including nomination, testing and selection, program components, academic competitions, and exiting the program. It also covers credentials for GT personnel, forms used, and the composition of the GT committee.

1. For Teachers
2013

2. AGENDA
1. Introduction
2. G/T Handbook Overview
 Definition
 HPS GT program
 Academic competitions
 Identification and selection
 Calendar
 Exiting program
 Grade acceleration
3. Credentials of G/T Personnel
4. G/T Forms- teacher nomination
6. G/T Committee

3. GT Definition
 “… ‘gifted and talented students’ means 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:
(1) exhibits high performance capability in an
intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
(2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
(3) excels in a specific academic field.” [Chapter 29,
Subchapter D §29.121]

4. Harmony Public Schools Gifted and
Talented Program
 Focuses on two domains; general intellectual and specific
academic. The specific academic areas of focus are
Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, and
Computer.
 K thru 12 services:
- Honors courses, GT courses, and Advanced Placement
courses,
- Differentiated GT curriculum is taught in the academic core
areas of English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social
Studies.
- Pull-Out Program Option is available in the academic core
areas of Math and English/Language Arts.

5. Program Components
Services may vary from campus to campus

6. Program Components
Services may vary from campus to campus

7. Program Components
Services may vary from campus to campus

8. Academic Competitions
 Math Counts (Grades 6-8)
 Science Olympiad (Grades 6-12)
 Odyssey of the Mind (Grades K-12)
 Science and Engineering Fairs (Grades 4-12)
 The Math League (Grades 4-12)
 Spelling Bee (Grades K-8)
 Academic Pentathlon (Grades 6-8)
 UIL Academics
 American Mathematics Competition (AMC) (Grades
6-12)
 Robotics Competitions (Grades 4-12)

9. Identification and selection
The identification process conducted in Harmony Public
schools consists of three steps:
 Nomination
 Assessment/Testing
 Selection

10. Nomination
Students may be nominated by
 Parent(s),
 Teacher(s),
 Peers,
 Other Professional Personnel,
 And/or themselves
- Nomination forms must be completed by the individual who nominates
the child; however parents must give consent that the student be tested
and evaluated. Parent Nomination Forms and Teacher Nomination
Forms, available in the front office, are filled out by parents, teachers,
peers, etc. and submitted to G/T Committee.
- Nominations can be made at any time during the school year, however,
any testing and identification will be completed according to the
Harmony assessment and identification schedule.
- Written parental permission is required before screening/testing begins.
No student may be denied access to Gifted and Talented Programs on the
basis of race, creed, language or handicapping conditions.

11. Assessment/Testing
Students seeking admission to Harmony Public Schools G/T
Program are assessed as described below:
 i. Ability Tests (CogAT)consist of two parts:
 Part I: To measure cognitive abilities through verbal and
quantitative skills
 Part II: To measure non-verbal abilities in reasoning and
problem solving using spatial symbols
 ii. Achievement Tests (Terranova)are used to determine
student academic level in the academic core areas of
English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
 Testing may take place during the school hours, after-
school, and/or weekend.

12. Selection & Notification
A G/T committee is to evaluate each nominated student
according to the established criteria. Selection is based
on the following:
 The student’s ability and achievement test scores
 Nomination forms
 Report card grades
 AR and STAR reports
 Teacher observations
 Previous G/T enrollment

13. Calendar

14. Exiting the program
 Students could exit the program if they do not perform
at expected standards in the program.
 A student may be exited from the G/T program:
- Repeated failure to complete work assigned.
- Substantial difficulty in understanding work that other
students do independently (without parental or tutorial
assistance).
- Consistent pattern of low grades (C’s, D’s or F’s) over 6
weeks.
- Behavioral concerns, distractions, etc.

15. Grade acceleration
 If a teacher or parent recommends grade acceleration
for a child who outperforms his/her peers in
class, then the G/T coordinator and parent meet to
discuss the student’s case. The G/T coordinator
collects data from the student’s teachers and if there is
agreement that the student will socially and
academically succeed, then the student is scheduled
for a state-accredited grade acceleration test (Exam for
Acceleration).
http://www.utexas.edu/ce/k16/cbe-ea/about/

16. Credentials of G/T Personnel
 Prior to assignment in the program, teachers who provide
instruction and services that are part of the program for
gifted students have a minimum of 30 hours of staff
development.
 Teachers without the required training who provide
instruction and services that are part of the GT program
complete the 30-hour training requirement within one
semester;
 Teachers who provide instruction and services that are part
of the program receive a minimum of six hours annually
of professional development in gifted education; and
 http://www.esc19.net/documents/conferences/GT%20Trai
ning%20ESC-
Region%2019%20Spring%20and%20Summer%202012.pdf

17. G/T Forms
 Parent Nomination form
 Teacher nomination form
 Parental Permission for screening
 Parent Notification letter of Assessment Results-DNQ
 Parent Notification letter- Acceptance and Permission
to Enroll

18. G/T Committee
 The committee should be composed of at least three
educators who have received training in the nature
and needs of gifted students. (19 TAC ¤89.1(4))
 Special Programs Coordinator
 Campus Administrator
 G/T Service providing teacher
 General ed teachers provide feedback