Gifted and Talented

The gifted program addresses the core content areas of science, social studies, math, and language arts in the elementary and middle school pullout programs, and in the high school Pre-Advanced Placement classes and Advanced Placement classes. The program provides a rich curriculum, which develops and reinforces skills in critical and creative thinking, logic and problem solving, divergent thinking, research, and communication.

Counselors, teachers, parents, administrators, and students themselves may refer individuals to be assessed for the gifted and talented program. Referrals are made by requesting appropriate forms from the gifted and talented specialists, counselors, or administrators then completing and returning those forms during scheduled assessment periods. All new students enrolling in the district have the option to be assessed for the GT program. Elementary and secondary students not identified may be considered for nomination and assessment once a calendar year. Assessment for the GT program takes place at the beginning of each semester in grades 1-12, plus spring assessment for kindergarten students, and summer assessment for grades 9-12.

The assessment of students includes:

All information gathered during the assessment process is reviewed by the Campus GT Instructional Needs Committee at which time a decision regarding services is reached. Written notification of the appropriate placement is sent to the parents. Students not admitted to the program may appeal the decision to the District GT Appeals Committee by obtaining an appeal form from the campus GT specialist. Identified students are eligible to receive services immediately.

When a student identified as gifted by a previous school district transfers into the Eanes Independent School District, the student must be nominated and assessed through the Eanes ISD gifted and talented assessment procedures in order to qualify for the EISD GT program. When a student withdraws from Eanes ISD and transfers to another district, EISD will send a letter in the cumulative folder stating that the student participated in the Gifted and Talented Program in Eanes ISD, a program for children who demonstrate exceptional general intellectual and highly creative abilities. Students transferring from one campus to another within the district will be appropriately placed according to the previous school's GT Instructional Needs Committee and do not need to be reassessed.

Teachers who provide instruction and services that are a part of the GT program have a minimum of thirty clock hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of gifted and talented students, assessing student needs, and curriculum and instruction for gifted students. Teachers without the required training who provide instruction and services that are part of the GT program must complete the thirty-hour training within one semester. Teachers who provide instruction and services receive a minimum of six hours annually of professional development in gifted education.

All Eanes ISD administrators and counselors with authority for program decisions are given an initial six-hour training that includes nature and needs of gifted and talented students and program options for GT students. Counselors and administrators receive GT advanced update training annually.

All teachers new to Eanes ISD receive an overview of the Gifted and Talented Program during New Teacher Orientation. They are given copies of the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, which the district purchases from the Texas Education Agency.

All campuses hold annual meetings or provide information requesting parent nominations for program services. GT specialists meet with all parents of identified students before services begin. Also, teachers meet with many parents of students who do not qualify for the GT program to discuss alternative services from which their children may benefit.

Orientations and periodic updates are held for parents of students identified and served in the gifted program. The GT specialists communicate with parents through individual letters, conferences, phone calls, school newsletters, brown bag luncheons, and meetings held with parents.