1. Talent Development – What does it look like at the elementary and secondary levels?

2. Why?
Why do we provide for Talent Development opportunities in Cobb County?
Meet the needs of high-achieving/highly- able students who have not qualified for gifted services
Serves as a method to develop cognitive, academic, and creative thinking skills.

3. Who are highly able students?
Students who do not qualify for gifted services but have excellent scores on:
Iowa – total reading, math or composite
CogAT – verbal, quantitative, and/or composite
Milestones
Other data as identified at school
we don’t really use the NV score for highly able as it’s not really used for placement in Advanced classes. It really doesn’t influence achievement either as much as the other scores, and students who have qualified on NV scores in elementary tend to struggle once they get to higher grades if that is there only strong area. We see this more in other areas of the county than in east Cobb.

4. Talent Development
At the elementary school level

5. What? What is Talent Development at the elementary school ?
A service model to build and develop cognitive, academic, and/or creative talent
Activities either complement instruction in the core content areas or develop and extend skills which may be applied in core content areas

6. How? How are Talent Development services determined?
Elementary School
How?
How are Talent Development services determined?
Selected from recommended models provided by ALP Department
Guided by the school goals and administrative focus (may or may not exist at every school)
Determined via conversation with school administration
Varies by grade levels involved and number of students participating
Looks different at elementary, middle and high schools

7. Elementary School
Who?
Who is involved?
Target teachers (gifted) without a full caseload of gifted identified students
Has an available day or class period when not meeting with gifted students
Students and/or grade levels identified by data and/or teachers

8. How? How is Talent Development provided?
Elementary School
How?
How is Talent Development provided?
Collaboration with a group or individual for differentiation strategies
Direct Instruction
Small group pull-out
Labs -Problem solving/STEM/Writing
Kindergarten classes
Advanced Content classes - open to rubric-identified high achievers in Reading, ELA and Mathematics
4th grade –
5th grade –

9. Student selection based on determined need
Academic extension
Problem solving
Creativity development
Logical reasoning
Resources include
Hands on Equations (algebraic thinking)
PETS (Primary Education Thinking Skills series)
Other selected materials

10. When and Where? When and where does Talent Development take place?
Elementary School
When and Where?
When and where does Talent Development take place?
Mostly in fall semester; some schools continue in spring
Whole class and/or small groups
Both ‘push-in’ and ‘pull-out’ models are appropriate, depending on the focus, purpose, and number of students involved

11. Talent Development At the middle or high school level
The term “Talent Development” is rarely used, but the concept exists in practice.

12. What? Middle school
Advanced Content classes are open to school-identified high achievers
Includes high school credit classes offered at MS campus
Provides opportunities develop cognitive, academic, and/or creative talent
Academic Habits course (optional available elective)
Curriculum concentrates on developing the skills needed to be successful with the expectations and levels of rigor experienced in advanced level classes

13. What? High school
High Achieving students who meet the identified criteria may participate in
Honors courses
Advanced Placement Courses – AP test score may qualify for college credit
Magnet Schools – based on achievement and interest
Move on When Ready (MOWR)- completing college coursework for high school and college credit

14. Additional opportunities available
Cobb County High School Course curriculum is available for:
Quest for Success
For students who have potential to take honors and Advanced Placement classes in high school.  The Talent Development class will concentrate on developing the skills needed to be successful and expose students to the expectations and levels of rigor they will experience in these advanced level classes.  These skills include higher order thinking, critical reading, note taking, organization, study skills, research skills problems solving and goal setting.  Students should be self-motivated and open to trying new ideas.
Tools for Academic Success (concurrent enrollment in an AP class required):
This course is designed to support students concurrently enrolled in AP courses.  The course emphasizes advanced note-taking, writing, organization strategies, study techniques, collaborative learning, and problem-solving.  Course expectations are consistent with those of an AP class; research, writing, and problem-solving experiences are intended to support success in an AP class and on the AP exam.

15. Summary
Cobb County provides Talent Development opportunities in all levels for highly able students who may not have qualified for gifted services.
Services look different at different levels and different schools, but the purposes remain the same:
To develop cognitive, academic, and/or creative talent.
To develop the skills needed to be successful with the expectations and levels of rigor experienced in advanced level classes.
To open doors to opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.

16. Talent Development in Cobb County Schools
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