Tiered Enrichment (Gifted and Talented)
Overview
Tiered Enrichment Program (also known as Gifted and Talented) is a districtwide enrichment model with a multi-tier approach to efficiently enrich instruction for all pupils. The strategies offered will encourage and challenge them in the specific areas of their abilities, but will not replace the basic instructional program of the various grades of the District. All components of the program align to the legislation singed on January 13, 2020, by Governor Murphy for the “Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act” as well as the Gifted Programming Standards of the National Association for Gifted Children. Both the legislation and national standards can be accessed through the buttons on the right of this page.
Procedures
The District follows a systematic, multi-phased process for identifying gifted pupils to identifying those who need services beyond the general education program:
Nomination or Identification Phase
Pupils will be considered for participation in the Tiered Enrichment (Gifted and Talented) Program when compared to their peers within the District. Since no two pupils are alike, collected information is both performance and potential through a combination of objective (quantifiably measured) and subjective (personally observed) identification instruments in order to identify gifted and talented students. The multiple measures identification indicators include:
- Academic and Creative collection of work
- Benchmark Assessments
- Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
- Development Reading Assessments (DRAs)
- Diagnostic Assessments (e.g. iReady and IXL)
- Nomination/Recommendation(s) (e.g. Self, Peer, Teacher, Administrator, Parent/Guardian)
- New Jersey State Learning Assessments (NJSLAs)
- Observation & Rating Scales
- Student Demonstrated High Level of Passion/Interest
Screening or Selection Phase
An analysis of the multiple measures identification indicators is completed through a rubric for the screening and selection process. Pupils who are identified for the Tiered Enrichment Program will receive notification from the school for the specific program placement. Parents/Guardians of any pupil identified as gifted and talented shall be consulted regarding any program designed to address the pupil's particular needs.
As per Policy 2464: Gifted and Talented Pupils, "an individual who believes that the district has not complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:35-34 et seq. may file a complaint with the Board of Education" in writing to the Director of Curriculum and Instruction. "The Board shall issue a decision, in writing, to affirm, reject, or modify the district's action in the matter."
TImeline for screening and selection phase
The screening and selection phase is continuous throughout each school year. For the upper grade levels (e.g. grades 7-12), the selections for advance placement course will occur at the end of the previous school year while the identification of the gifted and talented students for the primary grades (e.g. through grade 8) will occur at the beginning of the school year. Universal programming for all students, student choice of enrichment opportunities.occurs through the school year.
Placement Phase
The District allows for various tiers of enrichment based on the screening and selection process.
- Tier I, Universal Programming for All Students, student choice of Enrichment (opportunities provided during the school day) and/or Extension (opportunities provided beyond the school day)
- Tier II, Targeted Programming for Select Students, push-in programming with differentiated enrichment opportunities in the classroom settings based on identified needs and interests.
- Tier III, Select Programming for Few Students, advanced courses and/or pull-out programming allowing for students to explore their identified talents in one or more of the following; creativity, higher-level thinking skills, creative problem solving, and/or leadership.
Programming
Continuum of Services
Spanning Kindergarten through Grade 12, the District offers the following services to support our gifted and talented pupils:
- Grade level scaffolding and differentiation
- Individualized instruction with Gifted Specialist
- Creative/Critical thinking classes, whole grade level classes
- STEAM Cycles, whole grade level classes
- Interest level activities, programming through School and Community (e.g. Warren County Consortium for Student Enrichment)
- Tiered level activities
- Creative thinking lunch and team program
- Small group pullout instruction
- FOcus on creativity, problem solving, student interests
- Accelerated Mathematics in Grade 7
- Honors Courses in Grade 8 (e.g. Algebra, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies)
- Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) Courses in Grades 9-12 for most content areas
- Partnerships with local colleges and universities for advance course placement
- Option 2 (Independent Studies) for students with individual interests that go beyond the high school curriculum
- Virtual course offerings
The Board of Education has approved the following accommodations for gifted and talented pupils to be a part of all curricular documents within the classroom:
- Opportunities for open-ended, self-directed activities
- Instruction in research skills needed to conduct an independent study in student's interest area
- Independent learning opportunities
- Advance supplementary/reading materials
- Encourage the use of creativity
- Ask high level questions
- Opportunities to develop depth and breadth of knowledge in a subject area
- Student goal setting
- Tiered level activities
- Focus on trends, patterns, and themes rather than small facts and details
The District provides the time and resources to develop, review, and enhance instructional tools with accommodations and modifications for helping gifted and talented students acquire and demonstrate mastery of the required knowledge and skills specified by the standards at the instructional level of the student. Continual review and revision to the Tiered Enrichment, Gifted and Talented areas within each curriculum occurs throughout each school year.
Continuum of Services Document
Policies
The Board of Education has approved the following policies in relation to the Tiered Enrichment Program and our Gifted and Talented students:
Board of Education Policies