Gifted Program Plan, 2024-2026

Roswell Independent School District Gifted Program Plan, 2024-26

  1. Describe how the LEA will communicate to parents and school personnel about the gifted program plan.
    1. RISD Gifted Program Plan will be on the RISD website; parents can request a copy of the plan.
    2. Parents will receive the Gifted Program Plan at the initial IEP
  2. Describe the identification process the LEA will use to identify gifted students. The assessment process shall recognize a student’s exceptional abilities or potential, interests, and needs to guide student instruction and individualized programming.
    1. Procedures to ensure equal access to screening and to ensure proportional representation for all demographic groups pursuant to Subsection A of Section 9 of NMAC 3.13.3
    2. Referral and screening procedures
      1. CogAT 2nd sweep
      2. SAT process
      3.  Parent request—a minimum of ONE SAT meeting must be held prior to sending the request to the coordinator. The meeting notes must include how the student’s needs will be met in the general education setting.
    3. Multiple sources of qualitative and quantitative data to be gathered including, but not limited to, surveys, state and district assessment scores, classroom work, and teacher input.             
    4. Qualification criteria
      1. 95th percentile or above on assessment
      2. Gather additional data to build a body of evidence for all referrals
    5. GIEP team procedures
      1. Gifted team will review and analyze the data to make an informed decision for gifted placement
    6. Timeline
      1. Gifted department will hold EDT within 60 days of the Permission to Test being signed; an IEP will be held if applicable
      2. Gifted teachers will keep track of all annual/re-evaluation dates and deadlines
      3. Gifted teachers will schedule IEPs with guardians and invite the IEP team (general education teacher, support staff, LEA representative
      4. Gifted teachers will collect all valid data from general education teachers and others working with the student to inform the IEP
      5. Meetings will be scheduled no less than 5 days prior to the meeting date

        a. in some cases, as determined by school representatives, the parent can waive the 5-day notice; however, this should be used sparingly

      6. IEP meetings can be held without the guardian if there have been a minimum of three recorded attempts to contact the guardian and schedule the meeting
        1. If the student has met the age of majority (18), it is up to the student to invite the parent
      7. Gifted teachers will run each IEP meeting
      8. IEPs must be submitted to the Count Office within 3 days of the IEP date
    7. Methods of communicating with parents about results and next steps of a student’s eligibility, GIEP development and review
    8. Dispute resolution process to address parent disputes over gifted identification or parent disputes over gifted services. The dispute resolution process shall be pursuant to NMAC section 14 of 6.31.3
  3. Describe the programming components the LEA will use to address the educational needs of gifted students. Programming components shall develop the strengths and interests of gifted students and address other educational needs as determined by the IEP teams. Anticipating these needs, programming components shall address:
    1. Alignment of current assessment data to services in the areas of gifted students’ needs
      1. Use formative and short cycle assessment to guide differentiation of instruction
      2. Use assessment to create flexible groups
      3. Use of interest inventories to guide differentiated instruction
    2.  Structures by which gifted students anticipated individual needs shall be met at each grade level
      1. Flexible curriculum
      2. Cluster grouping
      3. Independent projects
      4. Differentiate Instruction and product based upon strengths as well as identified area exceptionality
    3. Support gifted students’ general education teachers in differentiated instruction methods
      1. Manipulatives and/or multisensory tools
      2. Enrichment component of District adopted curriculum
      3. Provide supplemental materials
    4. Social, affective, and guidance support systems for gifted students
      1. Counseling
      2. Autonomous Learner Model
      3. SEL Supports
      4. Guardian Contact and Involvement
      5. Flexible grouping during assignments when applicable
    5. Alignment of general education and gifted education instructional content with gifted students’ areas of strength
      1. Enrichment component of district adopted curriculum
      2. Pretest for mastery
      3. Independent studies when applicable
    6. Articulation to meet gifted students’ needs as they are promoted to the next grade
      1. Communicating effectively between case manager and gen ed teacher and parents
    7. Articulation to meet gifted students’ needs as they graduate from high school and continue in postsecondary learning setting
      1. Help find scholarships
      2. Guide towards future careers
      3. Guide towards colleges
    8. Pre-advanced placement or precollege support
      1. Support for college entrance essays
      2. Support in college applications
      3. Support in finding college entrance requirements
    9. Grade or subject acceleration
      1. Acceleration is addressed in School Board Policy I-7300 IKEB Acceleration
    10. GIEP development and annual review conducted through GIEP teams
      1. IEP team includes gifted teacher, LEA representative, guardian, general education teacher, and student if 14-years-old or older
        1. Guardian can invite others to meeting
        2. If student has reached age of majority (18), it is up to the student to invite the guardian
  4. Describe how the LEA will:
    1. Assess and monitor gifted students’ commensurate growth in academic achievement
      1. Check in with classroom teacher
      2. Progress monitoring including district, state, and classroom data
      3. Student meetings
    2. Assess and monitor gifted students’ affective development
      1. Monitor general education classes
      2. Parent contact
    3. Ensure assessment and reporting of gifted students’ academic achievement are consistent with accreditation requirements
      1. RISD will conduct an annual evaluation to ensure we are meeting regulations
    4. Periodically evaluate the gifted program, including in the evaluation feedback from the advisory committee pursuant to Section 8 of 6.31.3
      1. RISD will review practices and update the Gifted Plan biannually as required by PED
    5. Inform parents, educators, and other required GIEP team members of the program evaluation
      1. Post on RISD website and social media pages
  5. Describe the staffing plan and qualifications of those who provide instruction, counseling, coordination, and other support for gifted students. Qualified gifted education personnel shall have professional knowledge about characteristics and needs of gifted students and appropriate instruction methods and shall demonstrate professional competencies in gifted education.
    1. Teachers who are labeled as Gifted Teachers must meet the state requirements or be working towards Gifted Licensure
    2. Gifted teachers will offer assistance to other school staff regarding gifted students
    3. All teachers, counselors, and other staff members will hold the proper certifications as determined by state and district standards
  6. Describe how the LEA will manage and coordinate implementation of the program plan
    1. RISD will implement the Program Plan over the course of the 2024-2026 school years
    2. Regular check-ins with schools and teachers will be conducted to ensure implementation and assistance
  7. Describe professional development activities to:
    1. Improve and enhance the skills, knowledge, and expertise of teachers and other personnel who provide instruction and other services to gifted students
      1. Teachers will attend professional development opportunities
        1.  RISD will fund PD when appropriate
        2. Teachers can find and request PD
    2. Recruit and train new qualified gifted education teachers to fill any anticipated vacancies
      1. Attend Job Fairs at colleges to find gifted teachers
      2. Share knowledge of gifted certification programs available
  8. Describe efforts to collaborate with universities and colleges to provide professional learning of gifted education teachers
    1. The LEA collaborates with the local community college for professional development opportunities
  9. Provide evidence of the LEA’s efforts to achieve equity by reporting:
  1. The number of formally identified gifted students served through gifted programming by grade level, gender, race, ethnicity, twice-exceptionality, and linguistic diversity
    1. Information will be included in annual reported as required by PED
  2. The number of non-identified students serviced through gifted programming
    1. Information will be included in annual reported as required by PED
  3. The percent of all students identified as gifted through formal identification processes
    1. Information will be included in annual reported as required by PED
  4. The number and proportion of gifted education teachers to gifted students
    1. Information will be included in annual reported as required by PED
  5. Methods and tools used to monitor the effectiveness of survives as evidenced by gifted students’ achievement and commensurate growth
    1. Information will be included in annual reported as required by PED