1. Georgia Association for Gifted Children March 10, 2015
Gail Humble, Gifted Program Specialist
Georgia Department of Education
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2. What Is “Gifted” ?
Studies of giftedness in the 1920s and 30s brought about instruments to measure “intelligence.”
Lewis Terman and Leta Hollingworth spearheaded some of the first widely published research on gifted.
The Space Race of the 1950’s and 60’s signaled the need for significant change in education.
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3. The 20th Century – a time of advancements in
education and psychology which brought
empirical and scientific credibility to the field
of gifted education. Legislation was passed
(PL94-142) to guide and fund the education of
handicapped children. While gifted students were
not included, some states started exploring the
need for gifted classes.
National Defense Funding provided. Javits Grants.
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4. The 21st Century – Research continues in the area of gifted students
The 21st Century – Research continues in the area of gifted students. The Javits Grants program is recinded and renewed.
Through the years, the definition of gifted has been expanded to become . . .
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5. “ Students, children, or youth who give evidence of
high achievement capability in areas such as
intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity,
or in specific academic fields, and who need services
and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in
order to fully develop those capabilities.”
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6. Georgia – a leader in Gifted Education
Beginnings – 1958 – Georgia became the first state to pass legislation requiring districts serve gifted students.
Margaret Bynum, Mary Frasier, Paul Torrence
Multiple Criteria Identification implemented in
Currently, one of four states to fully fund gifted education
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7. And Today?
Rule 160 – 4 –
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8. Determination of Eligibility
Option A/Psychometric: After assessing the student in all four areas, the student must meet eligibility requirements in the following areas:
Mental Ability: ≥96th percentile (grades 3-12) or 99th percentile (grades K-2) on a standardized test of mental ability - Composite/Total Score only.
Achievement: ≥90th percentile on Complete Total (not a CORE Total), total reading, or total math section of a standardized achievement battery .
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9. Determination of Eligibility
Option B/ Multiple Criteria: A student must meet eligibility requirements in three of the four following areas (one area must be from a nationally normed- reference test):
Mental Ability: ≥96th percentile on a standardized test of mental ability - Component or Composite score
Achievement: 90th percentile in Complete Total (not a CORE Total), total reading, or total math section of a standardized achievement battery
Creativity: ≥90th percentile / ≥90th percent on a creativity assessment
Motivation: ≥90th percentile / ≥90th percent on a motivation assessment
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10. Gifted Eligibility 4/21/2017 Gifted Eligibility
Mental Ability: ≥96%ile
Achievement: ≥90%ile
≥90%ile
Creativity:
≥90% or ≥3.5 on a 4.0 scale
Motivation:
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11. FUNDING
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12. FTE
Gifted Education is one of 19 categories of instruction funded through the state’s Full-time Equivalent Funding Formulas (FTE)
For more resources and information about FTE, go to: bin/owa/qbe_reports.public_menu?p_fy=2000

13. Segments (1/6 or Instructional Day)
What is a Gifted Segment?
Segments (1/6 or Instructional Day)
Grades K-2 = 45 minutes
Grades 3-12 = 50 minutes
(approximate)

14. Full Time Reporting Five key points:
Class size – set by the GA BOE Resolution process
Information.aspx
Teacher has Gifted Education Endorsement or a non-renewable certificate issued by GA PSC
Gifted Education eligible and served student
Gifted Education course number
Differentiated curriculum, instruction and/or
assessment.

15. Gifted FTE Data FY 2015 Total Gifted Students Served 177,877
Hispanic Students
12,223
Asian
15,481
Black
31,922
Two or More Races
6,346
White
111,411
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16. Our Challenge Today
Research shows that our most talented students do not advance at the same rate as students who achieve at the “lower” and “middle” levels on nationally normed tests.
We must commit to giving gifted and talented students a curriculum that challenges and engages them.
We must challenge ourselves to identify students in all of our under represented groups.
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17. The Excellence Gap
Goal of Education Reform – Close Achievement Gap Among Different Demographic Groups
Success at the basic and proficient levels
Excellence Gap growing
Research shows the gap between high achievers tended to increase between Grades 3 and 8.
The percentage of White students scoring at the advanced level increased slightly while those of Black and Hispanic students were essentially stagnant.
(Information based on study of NAEP scores from The Center for Evaluation & Educational Policy)
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18. Excellence Gap – All Students
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19. If We Fail to Nuture Advanced Potential?
Underdevelopment of habits of the mind – less need for the struggle or persistence that promotes advanced learning
Lower achievement gains
Deterioration of potential skills and decreased enthusiasm for learning
Patterns of underachievement, lower performance and/or behavior issues
Hidden Abilities
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20. Decreased personal satisfaction and self esteem A fixed mindset
Less productive and engaged lives
Teachers must accelerate instructional pace and level to exceed core learning targets or those students will not be challenged to continue to learn.
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21. The reality is that we cannot change students’ backgrounds; we cannot influence what happened or did not happen before they came to us. Our power is in how we use this next step – this current learning opportunity.
Bertie Kingore
Rigor and Engagement for Growing Minds
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22. Recognize realistic and relevant high-level expectations Integrate complexity and depth in content, process, and product Generate cognitive skills Orchestrate support systems and scaffold success; and Refine assessments to guide instruction and benefit learners
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23. Gifted Delivery Models
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24. Gifted Models and FTE Resource 36,510 Advanced Content Cluster Group
120,434
Cluster Group
35,042
Collaborative Teaching
9,954
Internship/Mentorship
558
Innovative Model 48
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25. FTE Weights
Gifted Ed. Regular Ed. Kdg. $4,056 (4,032, 4,582) $4,037 (4,012, 4,559) Grades 1-3 $4,056 $3,141 (3,123, 3,531) Grades 4-5 $4,056 $2,531 (2,516, 2,834) Grades 6-8 $4,056 $2,512 (2,497, 2,790) Grades 9-12 $4,056 $2443 (2,430, 2,744)
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26. Delivery Models Georgia Code:
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27. Fast Facts on Delivery Models
At least 5 segments a week
Each system and school needs to decide which model(s) work best for you.
Systems can make changes to the delivery models through the Innovative Model Application process.
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28. Approved Delivery Models
Direct Services
Resource Class
Advanced Content Class
Cluster Grouping
Indirect Services
Collaborative Teaching
Mentorship/Internship
Approved Innovative Models (K-12) Must be approved by DOE
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29. Number of Segments Per Instructional Model
Resource = no more than 10 per week
Cluster Model = no more than 2 per day
Advanced Content = no limit
Collaborative Model = 8 segments per class, 3 classes + one gifted teacher

30. Resource (pull out programs)
A pullout class focuses on:
Enrichment & Acceleration
Critical Thinking
Creativity
Classes can not be blended.
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31. Gifted Education Delivery Models
Advanced Content:
Classes are available for grades K-12. Curriculum, instruction, pacing and assessment are accelerated.
Classes may be a blend of gifted and honors regular education students.
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32. Cluster Grouping
5-8 gifted students at a grade level are placed in a regular education mixed ability classroom
Curriculum, pacing and assessments are differentiated so that instruction is appropriately accelerated for the gifted students.
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33. Collaboration:
A gifted program teacher plans differentiated curriculum and instruction with a regular education teacher.
The regular education teachers leads classes of gifted education and regular education students based on the developed plans.
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34. Internship/Mentorship (9-12)
A gifted student works with a mentor to explore a profession of interest. The gifted program internship teacher assigned to supervise the internship/mentorship program maintains close contact with both the participating student(s) and the selected mentor(s) to ensure acceptable progress toward the student’s individual learning goals which are based on the approved Georgia standards based curriculum. One or two instructional segments per day may be counted at the gifted FTE weight for students participating in the gifted internship/mentorship program. Each internship/mentorship student must have a contract which document the work to be done, the learning goals for the gifted student, the dates and amount of time the student will be participating in the
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35. Approved Innovative Models
The GaDOE encourages the development of innovative programs for gifted students which are clearly in accordance with the needs of the gifted learners and the philosophy of the district. If a school district desires to implement a gifted program delivery model other than one of the models described above, the district must submit a description of that plan to the Gifted Education Specialist at the GaDOE. The plan must clearly describe the rationale for the special model, the goals and objectives for the program, the advanced nature of the curriculum which will be provided to gifted learners, how the model’s effectiveness will be evaluated, how gifted FTE funding will be generated and documented, and the anticipated fiscal impact of the model (i.e., how many FTEs will be generated).
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36. Early Childhood
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37. Early Childhood Gifted Education
Focuses on recognizing, developing and nuturing the strengths and talents of our youngest students.
Research shows that an interactive and responsive environment in early childhood supports both cognitive and affective growth and establishes a pattern of successful learning that can continue throughout children’s lives (Clark, 2002; Smutny, 1998)
The creation of rich and engaging learning environments can enhance and put young children on the path to academic excellence.
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38. Early Childhood
Characteristics of young, gifted students includes, but is not limited to:
The use of advanced vocabulary and/or the development of early reading skills
Keen observation and curiosity
An unusual retention of information
Periods of intense concentration
An early demonstration of talent in the arts
Task commitment beyond same-age peers
An ability to understand complex concepts, perceive relationships and think abstractly
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39. Necessary Core Elements
Flexibility in the pace at which learning opportunities are provided – curriculum compacting, acceleration, additional time to explore topic in depth.
Challenging and content-rich curriculum that promotes both critical and creative thinking
Opportunities to build advanced literacy skills
Ample and varied materials
Instructional strategies that foster an authentic construction of knowledge based on exploration, manipulative resources, and experiential inquiry.
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40. Early exposure to advanced concepts in age- appropriate ways
Learning opportunities that provide choice and the development of independent problem solving
The identification and use of individual student interests to encourage investigative behaviors
Interaction and collaboration with diverse peer groups of children having like and different interests and abilities
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41. Experiences that range from concrete to abstract
Opportunities for social interaction
Engagement in a variety of stimulating learning experiences
Environment that supports healthy risk-taking
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42. Creativity
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43. I know that it is possible to teach children to think creatively
I know that it is possible to teach children to think creatively I have seen children who had seemed previously to be “non-thinkers” learn to think creatively, and I have seen them continue for years thereafter to think creatively. E Paul Torrance
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44. Can Creativity Be Taught?
Increase creativity consciousness and creative attitudes - the single most important component of teaching for creative growth.
Improve students’ understanding of creativity.
Strengthen creative abilities through exercises.
Teach creative thinking techniques.
Involve students in creative activities.
Foster academic creativity.
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45. Teachers can:
Reinforce creative personality traits (confidence, curiosity, risk taking, playfulness, artistic interests)
Promote independent learning, self-evaluation, and fantasy and imagination
Help students cope with failure and with peer pressure to conform
Establish a creative atmosphere
Raise awareness of blocks to creative thinking
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46. Creative Abilities Fluency Flexibility
Originality Sensitivity to problems
Problem defining Visualization
Analogical thinking
Involving students in creative activities - independent research projects, Future Problem Solving, Odyssey of the Mind – are sound ways to develop creative skills, abilities, attitudes and awareness.
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47. According to Torrance, creative teaching and learning includes exploring, questioning, experimenting, testing ideas and other activities. Creative learning includes sensing a problem; formulating hypotheses or guesses; testing, revising and retesting the hypotheses; and communicating the results.
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48. Thinking Skills
Intelligence can be learned, nurtured, and grown. Ability is a repertoire of skills and habits that continuously and incrementally expands. Arthur Costa
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49. What the Research Says Gifted Education Strategies Work
Acceleration Works
Grouping Works
Curriculum Compacting Works
Advanced Placement Works
Pull-Out Programs and Specialized Classes Work
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50. Infuse into everyday teaching
Critical thinking
Creative thinking
Problem finding and problem solving
Metacognition
Domain-specific patterns and forward reasoning
Correlational reasoning
Reflective inquiry
Questioning created for memory, divergence, convergence, aesthetics, and ethics
Socratic discussion
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51. Higher Level Thinking Skills
In teaching for thinking, the concern is not how
many answers students know, but what they do
when they do not know; the goal is not merely to
reproduce knowledge, but to create knowledge and
grow in cognitive abilities.
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52. Out in the Field Talent Development Assessment
Identification of Under-Represented Groups
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53. Challenges
What do you see as the greatest problems we face in gifted education?
What are some of the organizational changes in your system required to solve this problem?
Are there organizational and individual beliefs associated with this problem that need to change?
Are there things – as a leader – that you need to do differently?
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54. the doing is the
monumental challenge
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55. Helpful Resources
National Association for Gifted Children Georgia Association for Gifted Children National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented Davidson Institute Teaching for High Potential Parenting for High Potential Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted
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