• exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excels in a specific academic field.

Although gifted learners have the potential to achieve at very high levels when compared to their peers, some may demonstrate behaviors that seem to overshadow their abilities.  Some gifted learners may even be considered “twice exceptional”, demonstrating gifted tendencies and evidence of a disability or impairment.  For more information about Twice-Exceptional learners, visit The Davidson Institute

• Collect resources on your child's topics of interest, such as books, videos, and websites. 
• Make time to talk to your child every day and encourage active questioning.
• Find peers or groups who share similar interests. 
• Gifted children may have advanced abilities and vocabulary, but their emotional responses may not be to the same level of advancement. Acknowledge big emotions and provide a healthy outlet to address feelings of insecurity, perfectionism, and frustration.
• Gifted children are often highly observant and sensitive to social issues and fairness. Be aware of conversations and media that may have a deep impact.
• Your child will have strengths and areas for growth and development. Don’t expect perfection and encourage your child to persevere through challenges.  
• Find opportunities for your child to participate in acts of service that can make a difference. 
• Provide opportunities outside of school. Enrichments are incredibly beneficial whether it supplements school content or explores interests or passions. This could be in any area, whether that be through music, sports, the arts, technology, or academic camps. 
• Encourage your child to take academic risks. Remember that struggle comes before new learning.
• Celebrate mistakes as learning opportunities. When you make mistakes, model positive ways to problem-solve and grow. 
• Set realistic goals and expectations for your child.  It can be easy to forget your child is just a child because he may be able to have adult conversations about advanced topics.

How can I get more information about Gifted and Talented Learners?

• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) NAGC supports and develops policies and practices that encourage and respond to the diverse expressions of gifts and talents in children and youth from all cultures, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic groups.
• Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) TAGT offers a parent affiliate membership that provides various resources to support parents.
• Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) SENG’s mission is about empowering families and communities in reaching goals. SENG focuses on the social and emotional needs of gifted individuals.
• Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page, ‘the “all things gifted” page,’ contains many valuable books, articles, and many other amazing resources for parents of gifted children.

Activities to Challenge Creative and Critical Thinking

According to the Texas Education Code §29.121, 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. 

Lake Worth ISD identifies gifted students in grades kindergarten through twelve based on general intellectual ability. Assessment tools may include but are not limited to, the following: achievement tests, intelligence tests, creativity tests, observational checklists completed by teachers and parents/guardians, student/parent conferences, student work products, and/or student portfolios

Students may be referred for assessment at any time by teachers, school counselors, parents/guardians, or other interested persons.

**All kindergarten students are automatically considered for the gifted program and will participate in pre-screening activities in the fall semester with assessment occurring in the spring semester for students referred for further consideration**

G/T Kindergarten Pre-Screening

Due to the varied experiences and rapid growth of young children, all students in Kindergarten are considered for the gifted and talented program and will be included in a series of pre-screening classroom experiences in the fall semester. 

Classroom teachers and the LWISD Gifted & Talented Coordinator have been specially trained to look for the characteristics of learners with advanced potential. Those Kindergarten students demonstrating gifted and talented traits will be referred for additional screening.

G/T Identification Process

Lake Worth ISD provides a continuum of services for gifted and talented students designed to address their unique social, emotional, and intellectual needs by providing opportunities to:

• Develop capacities to become self-directed learners who are confident in their abilities to conduct sophisticated research, and synthesize their findings to produce and present advanced products and/or performances for authentic audiences;
• Enhance abstract reasoning and thinking skills through more complex creative and critical thinking activities as they reflect and refine their own thinking processes;
• Participate in challenging learning experiences utilizing advanced-level concepts which are defensibly differentiated in depth, complexity and, pacing through modification of content, process, and/or product; and
• Have opportunities to work independently, with groups of other gifted students, and with groups of non­-gifted peers throughout the day and the school year.

Elementary G/T Services

Kindergarten:  Kindergarten students identified for services by March 1st, will receive 30 minutes per week of GT pull-out instruction with the Gifted/Talented Specialist.

1st - 2nd Grade:  G/T students in 1st-2nd grade will participate in the pull-out program and work with the Gifted/Talented Specialist for a minimum of 1 hour per week.

3rd-5th Grade:  G/T students in 3rd-5th grade will participate in the G/T pull-out program for a minimum of 3 hours per week.

Credit by Exam:  Elementary grade level acceleration is available for any student who qualifies through the Credit by Exam (CBE) eligibility process available through the Advanced Academics Program. Parents/guardians should contact the school counselor for more information. 

Secondary G/T Services

All gifted and talented middle school and high school students are required to enroll in at least one Honors, Pre-AP, or AP course each year and are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities in their areas of strength and interest.

The AP Program allows students to participate in college-level courses and potentially earn college credit while still attending high school. The Pre-AP Program serves as a preparatory program designed to provide students with the necessary skills to be successful in AP courses. In addition to 30 hours of Gifted and Talented professional development, AP teachers attend professional development in their specified content areas.

6th-8th Grade: Gifted and Talented students will receive differentiated instruction through the Advanced Academics Program, including honors classes and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Credit-by- Exam for Acceleration and Dual Enrollment courses are further options for

9th - 12th Grade:  Gifted and Talented students will receive differentiated instruction through the Advanced Academics Program, including honors classes and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Credit-by- Exam for Acceleration and Dual Enrollment courses are further options for secondary gifted students to earn credit through accelerated and/or enriched study.

Distinguished Level Achievement:  Gifted and Talented students are encouraged to pursue the Distinguished Level of Achievement (DLA), which is the highest graduation program in the state of Texas. A student may earn a Distinguished Level of Achievement by successfully completing the curriculum required for the Foundation Graduation Plan with the addition of the following criteria:  

• Completion of a coherent sequence of courses in one or more endorsements(s);
• Four credits in mathematics, including Algebra II;
• Four credits in science.

What are pull-out G/T Services?

Posted by: G/T Program Services Coordinator

G/T pull-out services provide specialized programming in order to meet the unique social, emotional, and intellectual needs of gifted students by designing opportunities for gifted students to work together and work independently during the instructional week under the guidance of a Gifted/Talented Specialist.
 

What will students do during G/T pull-out time?

Posted by: G/T Program Services Coordinator

The G/T program curriculum units are designed with advanced content and research-based strategies that facilitate the growth of students as independent, self-directed learners, with the development of skills, concepts, and positive attitudes within the cognitive, emotional, and social domains.  The program also includes units from the Texas Performance Standards Project that connect to grade-level standards.

Each year, students will study topics of interest through the lens of an overarching theme and generalizations.  Students will explore gifted and talented strategies, leadership skills, digital competencies, self-efficacy traits, and social-emotional skills through four units of study.
 

How will I know how my child is doing in the G/T pull-out program?

Posted by:  G/T Program Services Coordinator

Students participating in the G/T program will have the opportunity to set learning goals and self-reflect on their progress to identify strengths and areas for growth. 

The Gifted/Talented Specialist will share newsletters and will communicate with families on a regular basis.  Parents/ guardians are encouraged to meet with the G/T Specialist at any time to discuss goals, progress, concerns, and questions.
 

Will my G/T student have extra work to do for missing class?

Posted by:  G/T Program Services Coordinator

G/T students will not receive additional work or be required to make up work when missing class time to attend the G/T pull-out program.

A common worry of gifted students and their families is that students will have extra work. This creates a feeling that students are penalized for being gifted. The G/T program provides extended learning opportunities for gifted students that encompass grade-level TEKS with appropriate depth, complexity, and pacing commensurate to students' abilities and needs.

Every effort is made to create a schedule that best meets the needs of students. G/T pull-out classes will not be scheduled during co-curricular classes, lunch, or recess.

Typically, gifted learners know more content prior to the introduction of the grade level curriculum and generally learn quicker than peers, requiring only 1-2 repetitions.  Therefore, gifted learners should receive differentiated instruction in the general education classroom based on their needs.

• Students will not be penalized for participating in G/T services by receiving extra work.
• Teachers will check in with G/T students to ensure they understand the content missed while attending G/T classes, but will not require students to make up assignments from that time.
• It is strongly recommended that all special (library, computer lab, guest speakers, etc) or perceived “fun” class events not be reserved for when the G/T students are away and that testing be scheduled around the G/T schedule when possible.
• Teachers are asked to communicate regularly with the G/T Specialist with questions, concerns, and important upcoming special events.

30-Hour Initial GT Training

• New teachers have one semester from their hire date to complete the initial 30-hour GT training in the following strands. Teachers starting in August must complete this training by December 31st.
  • Nature & Needs 6-hours
  • Identification & Assessment 6-hours
  • Differentiation 6-hours
  • Curriculum & Instruction 12-hours

6-Hour Annual GT Update

• Teachers have from June 1 - May 31 to complete the 6-hour G/T update in any of the above strands.
• Sessions offered outside of LWISD and Region 11 require pre-approval from the Gifted/Talented Coordinator in order to count toward the initial and annual training requirements.  

GT Professional Development Documentation

• Professional development records will be maintained by campus administrators.
• The Director of Advanced Academics will monitor campus records for compliance purposes.