How does your school district handle G&T education?

[scrapquitler]

In my school district they start at 4th grade, and it is based on a test they take in 3rd. Its pretty much a joke, they do a pull out class for 1 hour once a week, for 'enrichment'. Once they are in middle school they do one period once a week as well. Big deal.

 

[mum4jenn]

In the schools here the kids are in Challenge. Each Primary and each Elementary school has their own Challenge teacher and the kids are pulled out for about 45 minutes 5 days a week. Our Challenge funding is grouped with Special Education so at least when there are budget cuts to other programs, the gifted program is not cut!!
My DD was tested in Kindergarten and has remained in the program throughout her Elem years (they re-test each year). Now that she is in Middle School they don't have a named program such as Challenge but they do start grouping kids according to their testing results. So basically all the Challenge kids that are not on multi age teams or looping teams remain together in the more advanced classes. Once they get to Middle School they use their CRCT scores to put them on an advanced Language Arts route or Math route.
This is geared to get them ready for the AP classes once they go to High School.
I think our Challenge program is great!!

 

[mumom95]

There's extra money to help special needs children reach their potential. There's extra money to help GT children reach their potential. Where is the extra money to help average kids reach their potential? My daughter is a bright girl. She is not a GT student. She works very hard and usually gets A's and B's. But she needs extra attention at school to get straight A's. There's no money for that. There are lots of kids like DD who could use that extra help and have their learning tailored to fit their needs as someone mentioned gifted kids need. Too bad for them, they won't get it. At least not provided by the district.

Our gifted program doesn't give the students any extra attention then the average classes. They are just clustered in a class together and the curriculum is more challenging. But there is still just 1 teacher for 25 kids, which is for the most part the same as in the regular classes.

 

[Mommy2three]

our districts g&t program is fairly new so i dont know much about it, but have heard that its not very good. my two oldest are special needs and both have IQs of 71, and my youngest is 4 and was just tested a few months ago and her IQ is 147, and she tests at age level of 9-10 years old. she needs to be challenged, even just doing household chores. she was to go into the half day 4k program but then our district has an early entrance so i filled out the paperwork, she will be tested and put into an appropriate grade level. i know she would be totally bored in a 4k setting and would become a problem child

 

[Inigo]

I live in southern Indiana. We ain't got no need for no gifted and talented education. If you want g&t, you send your child to a private school.

The public schools in my area teach to the lowest common denominator. If a student is advanced, this district's idea of enhancement is to have the advanced students teach the not advanced.

 

[Sleepy]

I don't think G&T is going to change anymore than remedial (not special ed) has. My understanding was that remedial was supposed to give the kids extra help. What I found was that those kids were all clumped in one class. Not neccessarily because they needed extra help, but because of their overall grades. So, this group of kids consists of the ones who are there and want to learn and those who are there because the law tells their parents they have to attend. This environment causes tension. Many of the teachers don't even want to teach these classes, so it becomes more frustrating for those who want to learn.

My son was in those remedial classes. He was barely passing with a low D in everything but math, which I felt he was average in. Basically, these kids are not encouraged to be anything more than janitors when they grow up. Tests are all multiple choice and straight from the book word for word. There is no thinking outside the box or even learning how to write an essay. My son was doomed to do general math for the entire educational process. He was never expected to be able to read and understand Shakespearean writing or have a brain enough to understand the deep meaning of a poem. These things just were not taught.

Upon approaching the high school about a level of learning that was not remedial, yet not quite academic, I was told they could not offer those types of classes because they did not have the time or staff. I swear the principal looked right at me and said "We have too many gifted kids and we had to devote our extra teachers and class time to those getting college credit". That made me decide to homeschool, because I wanted my son to have a chance to write a resume, not just fill out an application when he was older.

It was a struggle the first year. I had to basically get inside his brain to figure out his style of thinking and teach from that. His curriculum is average work which involves much writing. He has to think outside the box. I make him think outside the box. If his old teachers could see him today. He is an A/B student. He can do algebra and geometry. Without any help, he understands poetry and Shakespeare. He understands how to write an essay. Tests questions are not word for word out of the book and he has to think outside the box. No longer is the Choice D "all of the above" the automatic answer. The bulk of his tests are essay questions that are more like mini term papers. He has a better attitude about school. He might still be slower when it comes to "getting it", but the important thing is he is capable of the material. The school just was not willing to alter their style of remedial teaching anymore than most schools will alter gifted.

When asked why he did so poorly in regular school he said his teachers did not care. Most of the kids did not care. Everyone acted like the remedial kids were dumb, so he stopped trying. This is why I say I don't think they will ever be able to meet everyones needs (regardless of level of learning), because everyone is unique in their style of thinking. Teachers and schools focus too much on "If you don't work the math problem my way, even though you got the correct answer, we will mark it wrong". They are too concerned with grouping kids in huge clumps and giving them a label even though not all the kids in that clump should be in that clump. I know the same is true for the gifted kids. I do sympathize, but if they can't fix the problems within one level of remedial and don't have the staff or time to meet everyones needs, I don't see how they can possibly split gifted into 3 or more levels and have the proper resources.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

This year it is pull out from the regular classroom. Our new superintendent wants to phase this out and start putting all of the AL students in one classroom per grade level.

The teacher would be doing all of the extra testing and paperwork that goes along with teaching AL but not get extra pay. Most of our AL teachers in our system are looking for regular classroom positions. All of the extra work wouldn't be worth it for them.

 

[karenos]

Our school district is currently going through major budget cuts. One of the programs that they have cut is our gifted and talented program, which was, at least in part, a two year intensive program for one class each of 4th and 5th graders (pulled from 9 different schools in town to one common classroom). My daughter graduated from this program and went on to her regular middle school in all honors classes - a g&t "track" if you will, but reaches many more kids than the original program she was in.

We are being told by the district that they will be reevaulating the g&t program and coming up with something that meets the needs of more kids across the district. But I honestly think they are starting from scratch and have no idea at this point how they will be handling elementary g&t kids.

So I'm wondering how other districts handle this type of need?

I am not too far away from you in Northwest Bergen County. PM me and I will let you know how our district (small) handles G&T. All our state aid was cut by Christie, I am not sure if our G&T is on the "chopping block" or not.
karenos

 

[Sanchez]

The point you are missing is that the actual incidence of a 140+IQ is VERY RARE and even then they may not show signs of "gifteness".

Not on the DIS!

 

[Longsx3]

I live in southern Indiana. We ain't got no need for no gifted and talented education. If you want g&t, you send your child to a private school.
The public schools in my area teach to the lowest common denominator. If a student is advanced, this district's idea of enhancement is to have the advanced students teach the not advanced.

In my experience private school is not always the best solution for GT students. Typically private schools have less funding for enrichment than public schools and while some do have higher curriculum standards that is simply not enough for a GT student.

My brothers has a DD (16) who is very bright and has a great work ethic, she is in the IB program at her HS, she does wonderfully but works her butt off. Never qualified for GT, she would have done terrific in a private school. Because of the higher level curriculum and the more focused environment.

My DD (13) is GT, she is in the highest curriculum they have at her school and does it with ease. She still works hard because they give a ton of homework, but the work is not about learning the material it is about completing the work. This year (as an extra) she began an online American History Class through the Virtual School, it is an 11th grade course, part of the assessments are Oral...you can't fake it, her teach is amazed at how well she does.

My point is for GT kids it is not they know it all but the key is how fast they learn it. So simply higher standards are not enough, typically keeping them engaged is about moving through the material at a quicker pace than an average classroom setting.

 

[njcarita]

I live in southern Indiana. We ain't got no need for no gifted and talented education. If you want g&t, you send your child to a private school.

The public schools in my area teach to the lowest common denominator. If a student is advanced, this district's idea of enhancement is to have the advanced students teach the not advanced.

what u just discribed was the private school that my 3 kids attended.... i spent over 11000 a year... for my than 5th grader... to have to take and copy notes for another student and to be tutoring others in class..... they had no special ed so the whole class was taught at the level of a few kids.....It was a dis service to all the kids in the class...
so I moved all 3 of my kids to public school and I could not be happier ..... all 3 are being challenged and are in the G&T programs in their schools

but back to the op 's question... we have G&T is elementary,middle and highschool.... kids are tested with some kid of IQ type test starting in 3rd.... I know my daughter was tested over a few days..... out of about 60 kids in her 3rd grade class I think only 4 are in the program...
they get a pulled out a few days a week... and work on projects.. have spelling bees etc etc....

 

[bethy]

In our district it is a full time immersion magnet program for the students scoring in the 98% percentile and above on various standardized tests (IQ, Creativity, Acheivement, etc). For the entire district there are 2 full G&T classrooms for each grade between 15 elementary schools (each of which have about 600 students). So I'd say it's likely that plenty of the students in the program aren't truly prodigies - but that they have needs that wouldn't be met in a regular classroom.

 

[DisneyLover1217]

I'm also in NJ and we have had our G & T cut in the elementary and middle school levels. It's a little disappointing, but we are at risk of losing a lot more than that if our budget does not go through like no more kindergarten, no more AP classes in HS, no sports, no activities after school, no music program, no more electives unless mandated by the State, 57 teachers fired, which will lead to 30 - 35 kids in a class,. The joke of it all is we pay a fortune in taxes. I can't understand how we don't have enough money for these things.

 

[Aristomommy]

Our school district has 10-12 classes per grade and one class is designated gifted. Students are tested for IQ which must be 130+ and achievement which must be above 95th percentile. By the time the students approach middle school they learn 1-2 years ahead in math and language arts. Then in middle school there is an accelerated science and languages option. This costs our school district $0 as these kids would be educated regardless of grade/pace. For kids who might be math gifted, but not language art, they join the gifted class for that one subject so they are not forgotten.

It works well in this size school district since there are enough qualified students. BTW, the district tests every other year so more students can join the class and also some students opt out of the program due to the rigorous nature. I absolutely love our district and DD has thrived in this program. I know many are doubtful about the giftedness of any one child, but I know how difficult learning in a typical classroom was for DD and how she has changed with appropriate instruction.

 

[cats mom]

We've been involved with 3 different types of programs. We tend to move fairly frequently.

Elementary school level:

1. G/T identified kids are bussed to a magnet school where they meet with the G/T teacher one afternoon a week.

2. Kids test into a "content replacement" program by qualifying in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and/or non-verbal reasoning. Pull out classes in reading and math are taught by a G/T specialist at the local school, kids can qualify for one or both.

3. G/T identified kids can choose to attend a full time differentiated program at a regional magnet school, or remain at their neighborhood school in a cluster class with some enriched and expanded instruction.

 

[Inigo]

When we lived in central Indiana, my son was tested and was placed in G&T. Then my husband decided we needed to live near his parents, so we moved to southern Indiana. Our district seriously has no G&T at all. I wanted to put the kids in the local Catholic school, but he didn't think it would look right, him being a teacher in the local public school system. Now, 16 years after we moved here, he finally admits he was wrong for moving us here, and for not enrolling the kids at the Parochial school, and for a lot of other things

We do, of course, have a lot of private schools in our area that are not very good. These are usually the private schools associated with various christian denominations of the area. Our catholic school is good--the other religious schools don't educate very well IN OUR AREA.

 

[Sparx]

I was in gifted, and we were repeatedly evaluated to make sure we still were eligible for services. In high school, we pulled out of class once a week for an hour, into a common classroom. In middle school, we had a "gifted reading" class with about 9 students in it, that we had every day. It wasn't really any different from the other reading classes though. In elementary school, we were given extra busywork. I'm sure that this has changed, since I was in elementary school. I was one of the only ones labeled in my school, so I don't think there were active programs in place.

If we define gifted as two deviations above the mean (130+) its true that those are very rare, however they definitely need services. My programs accepted at 125 I believe, I don't recall actually ever being told my IQ score.

I wish that Gifted education was emphasized more. My school really didn't do much, even when we pulled out of class. It was honestly more social than anything else.

Aside from having an IEP, I really don't think there was any difference in Gifted and General education. I wish that it truly enriched children. But, we're not a society that values education even at the general level, let alone the exceptional.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I understand that but most kids in the G/T programs around the country do not have IQ's that high which is the point.

Please indicate the source of your information. Thank you.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Aside from having an IEP, I really don't think there was any difference in Gifted and General education. I wish that it truly enriched children. But, we're not a society that values education even at the general level, let alone the exceptional.

Your post was so sad to read. There are schools out there that value education. You just have to hunt them down. Believe me we did hunt for the right fit for my dd.

The majority of the "gifted kids" in my dd's 7th grade are taking a "honors algebra". 8th grade they take "honors geometry". Upon entering high school they walk into a weighted honors algebra 2. (Although they have even higher rubrics for kids that have surpassed that. You could be walking into Alg 3/Trig or Pre-calc in 9th grade.)

My 7th grade dd is in their "challenge program" and she is taking "challenge pre-algebra". She will take challenge algebra 8th grade and if she makes it thru that OK (has to maintain "B" average), she can take Honors Geometry in 9th.

Regular students are taking Pre-Algebra in 8th grade and will take Algebra 1 in 9th grade.

As far as the other classes the "challenge program" she is in gives her the ability to track to other honors classes for high school.

Now this is HUGE, because most school districts in the area reserve that for only the "gifted kids". And there is where I agree with you. A HUGE majority of kids are left behind there. Many, many kids are above average and can do or WANT to do the higher level classes are are NOT allowed to.

Now this school district will allow a student to take an honors class with teacher recommendations, grades, etc..with a waiver. They make it so a kid could go for it and try. That is why I picked this school. They value educating the students via how they have their requirements set up.

I hope the OP reads this. I love reading that other schools are doing "levels". That is how it should be.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My DD13 is in AL Alg. I in 7th grade. The district is changing the order of math courses next year. She will go straight to AL Alg. II and then Geometry in 10th grade.

I am concerned that the AL math teacher has never taught Alg. II because it wasn't a choice in MS. I have spoken with other math teachers at the HS level and they say it is very difficult to teach Alg. II your first year.

I am going to get her a tutor just to make sure that she has the foundation that she needs before going to HS.

Sorry to be OT but sometimes I find it just as frustrating getting what my AL DD needs as it is for her LD brothers. It never ends!