Gifted and Talented Program
The program for gifted students in the Los Alamos Public Schools will focus on providing for the academic, emotional, and social needs of the gifted student within a supportive environment. It is the purpose of the gifted education program to provide educational opportunities for the development of intellectual excellence. These opportunities will be appropriate to students' individual capabilities and will encourage students' commitment to achieve.
GATE program goals are aligned with the LAPS 2023 Vision and Strategic Plan in the areas Academic Excellence, Social-Emotional Well-Being, and Civic Responsibility,
- To provide increased and varied opportunities for learning higher level thinking skills and to help students learn how to apply those skills.
- To identify and support gifted students including those who may be difficult to evaluate due to cultural or linguistic background, socioeconomic status, or disability.
- To develop and encourage independent learning and task commitment toward completion of a variety of quality products.
- To provide opportunities for gifted students to meet with their intellectual peers for purposes of academic, emotional, and social support.
- To develop attitudes of mutual respect, positive risk-taking behaviors, and self-confidence that intellectual excellence requires.
- To provide all school staff with the knowledge and tools to support the academic, social and emotional needs of gifted students across all school settings.
- To foster parent involvement in gifted programs.
Identification
In July 2023, the New Mexico Public Education Department adopted a new rule to establish standards for identification and services for gifted students that promotes best practices for equity and diversity in gifted education. This rule changes the identification process for gifted and talented students by requiring universal testing for gifted by the end of the 3rd grade.
“Gifted student” means a person between the ages of five and 21 whose abilities, talents, or potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. [ 6.31.3.1 NMAC - N, 7/31/2023]
The district developed procedures and forms in compliance with this new process.
- GATE teachers collaborate with classroom teachers in grades K-3 to provide enrichment and extension activities to support demonstration of gifted characteristics and behaviors. Demonstration of exceptional characteristics are documented and shared with parents at parent conferences.
- Elementary GATE teachers and third grade classroom teachers receive training in the administration and use of the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) to differentiate instruction for all students in their classrooms.
- Universal screening of all third-grade students will be completed early in the second semester.
- GATE teachers will use the results of the CogAT for the intellectual and critical thinking components of the gifted identification evaluation. The iMSSA achievement results from BOY and MOY will be used for the achievement component, and rubric assessments from classroom teachers, parents, and GATE teachers will be used for the creativity, artistic and leadership components.
- Results will be shared with parents. For those students who meet gifted eligibility criteria, a GATE IEP will be developed. Those students who do not meet eligibility in the intellectual component, but who have identified areas of strength will receive differentiation through their classroom.
Information on the CogAT
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be administered to all third-grade students. In addition to meeting the requirement for universal third grade gifted screening, this assessment will provide information to assist classroom teachers in differentiating instruction to address the strengths of their students in the classroom. The CogAT is a multiple-choice test that is administered on the computer and consists of three sections: Verbal (reasoning and vocabulary); Quantitative (relational and number concepts); and Non-Verbal (understanding visual puzzles). Each section takes 45 minutes to administer.
- Determination of gifted eligibility is a two-part process.
- Student meets state criteria for gifted eligibility through the evaluation process.
The IEP team which includes the parent and the classroom teacher determines annually the student’s educational needs that require further development beyond what is available in the classroom program. IEP goals are developed to meet those exceptional needs.
Students identified as meeting state criteria for the gifted will continue to be considered for program participation throughout their years in school. If a student exits the GATE program at any time during enrollment in the district, that student may be considered for re-entry to the program upon parent or student request to convene a GATE IEP meeting. An IEP meeting to determine educational needs and goals based on those needs will be held. For gifted students who continue in service, the IEP committee will review student progress annually and reevaluate the continued need for IEP goals.
Referrals for Gifted Identification
The process above eliminates the need for referrals in grades K-3. Referrals for grades 4-12 will follow the current SAT process which will begin with administration of the CogAT as a screening.
Program Design
Each school designs a delivery model for gifted services that meets the district’s program goals. Goals and services for students are determined individually by their IEP teams. As appropriate for the student’s age, students will be involved in developing their IEP goals according to their interests and needs that go beyond what is available through the general education program. Staff assigned to deliver gifted services is determined based on the number of students who have IEPs and the level of service to be delivered.
Elementary
Elementary GATE Program Structure
- Each elementary school receives an allocation for teachers of the gifted based on the number of identified students as well as the projected number of unidentified gifted students in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
- Teachers of the gifted will provide services to both identified and unidentified gifted students within the general classroom setting in grades K-3. Regularly scheduled times will be established to provide lessons to enhance and support gifted behaviors. These activities will serve as the school-based observational data required in the gifted identification process.
- Differentiated instruction provides opportunities for real-world application, problem-based and inquiry learning designed to facilitate the identification of gifted students.
- GATE teachers and classroom teachers work together to develop strategies that recognize and nurture the development of exceptional abilities through instruction in content areas.
- Both push-in and pullout options are offered to identified gifted students in grades 4-6 to provide:
- challenge and enrichment in a variety of areas
- project based learning
- independent study
- guided interaction with gifted peers to facilitate understanding affective needs, personal strengths, and to develop coping skills and resilience
Middle School
Middle School Program Structure
- GATE services are provided through a cluster grouping model in academic content area classes. GATE teachers collaborate with classroom teachers to provide differentiated instruction appropriate for gifted learners.
- Clusters of 5-7 gifted students in specific ELA, Social Studies and Science content classes are scheduled on all six teams at the middle school (approximately 20-25 students per team)
- Math is already clustered by skill level to allow math acceleration to identified students. Options for math acceleration in Algebra and Geometry are offered to identified students for high school credit.
- Three full-time GATE teachers are hired. Each GATE teacher serves students on one team at each grade level. The Middle School has three teams per grade level.
- The GATE teachers will advocate for students with GATE IEPs, consult with the content teachers in which cluster groups are scheduled, assist with differentiation of instruction and assignments to create opportunities for enrichment, challenge, application of higher-level thinking skills and to address affective needs.
- The GATE teacher assigned to the team will meet individually with students to develop IEP goals individually targeted to each student’s strengths, interests and needs.
- Small group meetings with the GATE teacher will be provided to support affective needs through guided interactions with gifted peers.
- Individual meetings with GATE teacher will be provided to support implementation of IEP goals.
- Demonstration of mastery of IEP goals will be determined individually by each student’s IEP team. Support toward goals will be provided through differentiated activities in the content areas.
High School
High School Program
- Options for content area acceleration, honors, AP classes, and dual credit classes through course offerings
- IEP goals to provide support for independent study facilitated by the GATE teacher in areas of individual interest
- Small group meetings with GATE teacher to support affective needs through guided interactions with gifted peers
- Individual support from GATE teacher for independent projects in areas of interest
- Options for facilitated mentorships and work internship opportunities
Teacher/Staff Training
- It is recognized that gifted students receive the majority of their instruction in the general education classroom. Opportunities for professional development in gifted/talented education will be provided for all instructional staff. These could include book study groups, presentations during dedicated professional development days, modeling of differentiation strategies in general education classrooms by teachers of gifted education and collaborative planning by teachers of the gifted and general classroom teachers.
- Professional development will focus on understanding the learning, intellectual, emotional and social needs and characteristics of gifted/talented students and the development of strategies and options to assist gifted/talented students in reaching their potential.
- Principals will encourage collaboration between gifted educators and classroom teachers and support the development of whole class and school-wide activities that provide options for challenge and enrichment to all students at their ability level.
- LAPS will provide information to all instructional staff on requirements for obtaining the gifted endorsement for New Mexico licensure and facilitate hiring highly qualified teachers of the gifted.
- GATE teachers from elementary, middle and high school levels will meet together during the school year to review program models, share common best practices and collaborate to vertically align developmentally appropriate program options.
Parent Training and Support
- Opportunities will be provided at the district and site level during the school year to involve parents in the gifted programming provided to their children. These might include opportunities to view products or presentations, participate in book groups, or network with other parents of gifted students in the district.
- Gifted educators will share information regarding national and state gifted education conferences with parents.
- Information will be provided to parents regarding the service models and program options as their students transition from elementary to middle and middle to high school levels.
- Information and support will be provided to parents regarding the intellectual, emotional and social needs of gifted students.
Gifted Advisory Committee
The membership of the Gifted Advisory Committee includes parents, students, school staff and community members who are knowledgeable and interested in gifted education and reflect the cultural diversity of the district’s enrollment. The committee meets at least three times annually to review the goals and priorities of the gifted program, including the operational plans for student identification, evaluation, placement and service delivery and to demonstrate support for the gifted program. To assist the GATE Advisory Committee in reviewing district programs, sites present a summary of program options that align with the mission and goals of the LAPS GATE Program Plan. Input from parents of gifted students is solicited by site representatives and district surveys.